Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-20
TRAFFIC RESUMED
TRAINS NOW RUNNING OVER THE
LONG BRIDGE.
Work Was Pushed ALI Night and Il
Single Track COM
pleted.

Traffic over the Long bridge was resumed
this morning before u o'clock on Il single
track that had been put down over night by
a big force of bridge builders. The work
was accomplished in less time than eN
l'ected by the most sangU.ne of those en-
gagged i'll the task. The question of expense
was not considered by the railroad officials.
and every available man was employed.
All night long the force of workmen labored
hard In the light furnished by the b.g
torches Of the railroad company and when
day dawned the foreman satisfied that
, he would be able to have traffic resumed
by noon. 1t was rendered possible to close
the gap in the bridge by the use of large
pieces OF abandoned bridge near Whining
ton Delaware.
Yesterday morning the\ measurements
were taken and te!egraphed to Wilmington.
ana the necessary material reached here
last night At II :OI o clock an engine draw
ing Two ears filed with heavy timber wen.
over the temporary track. and few min
utes later passenger train going south
went over without any difficulty.
Business the river between this city
and Alexandria was kept up nearly all
night. and much complaint was heard from
passengers who We're forced to make the
transfer over the water route. A number
of big buses were used all dty yesterday
in the work of transporting passengers be-
tween the depot and the steamboat. No
attention was paid by the railroad men to
the matter of searching for the bodies of
supposed victims of the disaster. but Har
bOrmaSter SuttOn'S crew attended to 1t. The
river was dragged about the bridge. but u2
to this afternoon no sign of a body had
been found. 1t was rumored that the diver
had seen two or three bodies on the bottom
of the river while he examining the
tender. but he denied that there WIS any
truth in it. 1t is still the opinion of the po-
lice and railroad men that two tramps were
drowned in addition Richard Eckart. the
assistant bridge tender.
One victim of the wreck turned up in the
Police Court today and was accused of
vagrancy. He was q young colOred man
named Walter Perry. 1t was alleged that
he was found OF the street yesterday ask
ing for assistance. and claiming he had
been injured in the wreck. HIS story to
Judge Kimbal was that he jumped from
the train and went overheard. He got out
Of the river near Jackson City about $50
o'clock in the morning. he said, and had
some wet clothing to prove that he had mai
such unpleasant experience Perry said
he was riding on IL ticket he had purchased
to Manassas and afterward said he paid
a railroad man 30 cents for the privilege OF
riding the blind end of coach. His
home he said is in Birmingham. Ala, and
he was on his way there. Judge kimball
heard other testimony concerning him and
sent him down for thirty days in default of
fine
Government Position.
The work of repairing the damage to the
draw of the Long bridge. involving the
temporary closing of the Virginia channel
is being prosecuted by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company without the written
permission of the War Department. but
with its tacit consent on the general ground
that the work is absolutely necessary to the
interests of the public generally. Early on
the morning after the wreck the railroad
company applied to General Gillespie, chief
of engineers by telephone for permiss on
to begin the work of repairs at once, and
WIS told to put its application in writ
ing. meanwhile going ahead with whatever
work was necessary.
The formal application was received by
General Gillespie this morning and its pur
pose fully explained by Mr.. Brown. the
engineer of the company. He said 1t was
desired to erect ,falsework in the draw
| channel in order to enable the company to
reconstruct the draw 1t was admitted that
| this work would obstruct the channel and
prevent the passage of vessels above the Long
bridge. but it was stated that the Obstruc-
| ton would be removed in about two weeks
or fifteen days. AS understood. the rail-
road company proposes to construct a tenn
porary timber crossing at the draw for the
paSSag e of trains and at the same time pro-
coed with the construction of a new draw
to replace the one which broke down Sun
day night. When the draw Is completed the
railroad company proposes to remove the
piles and other parts of the false work now
being constructed
General Gillespie informed the company
that the War Department had no authority
to grant permission for the obstruction OF
| the navigation nf any of the navigable
waters of the United States. but in the
present instance 1t would follow precedents
established in other cases of not interfering
with temporary structure necessary for
| the welfare of the general public. He there
| fore notified the Pennsylvania company that
| 1t could proceed with the work with the
understanding that 1t be completed within
a reaSonab time. and that the company
assume all risks of dBmages;t to individuals or
! corporations by the temporary closing of
| the river channel
| Col. Allen. the engineer officer in charge
| of the Improvement of the Potomac, is ex-
| ercsing a close supervision over the work
! of repairing the bridge and will see mat
| the interests of the United States FULLY
protected. so far as possible under the eXl-
gencies of the case. 1t Is believed that I.
new draw is absolutely necessary for the
Long bridge. for while the railroad COM
pany might be able to finish the new rail-
road bridge a short distance up stream
within four months time for it's own trains
that would not offer a highway for the use
of the public. and the new highway bridge
to be built by the government will not be
finished until February. 1893