Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-12
THE ANACOSTIA BRIDGE
PART OF FUND For REcoNsrRuc.
TON AVAILABLE JULY
New Structure to Be Shorter Than the
Old One by About 600
Feet.

After July 1 100000 Of the appropriation
Tor the reconstruction of the Anacostia
bridge will be available and the actual work
on that structure win be commenced imme-
ciately after the beginning of the fiscal
year. The District appropriation act which
authorizes the reconstruction of the bridge
provides that 100000 shall be available
July 1. 1904. and the Commissioners are au-
thorfzed to enter into contracts for the
whole work at G total cost not to exceed
$3.50 600.
considerable work will have to be per-
formed. 1t is stated, preliminary to the prac-
ticai work on the new bridge. In the first
place surveys will have to be made for the
bridge structure and for the foundations
and approaches. Behring'S will also have to
be made In the bed of the river to ascer-
tain the nature of the foundation upon
which the supports of the bridge will rest
and test piles will be driven In the river to
determine the amount of weight that can be
supported by the foundations.
Mr.. w. j. Douglass, District engineer of
bridges, who Will have practical supervis-
ion over the construction of the new Ana
costa bridge, stated 20 a reporter for The
Star tocay that sitter the surveys and bor-
ings are made the style of the bridge can
then oe determined. The architects will
then be selected and authorized TO proceed
with the preparations of plans for the struc-
ture.
temporary br1dge necessary.
According to the present plans of the
District officials, as soon as the actual work
on the reconstruction of the bridge begins
temporary timber bridge, or pile trestle,
viii be constructed upstream from the
present structure. This timber bridge will
carry all the traffic between Washington
and Anacostia ana the villages on the east
ern bank of the Potomac during the prog
ress of the work on the new bridge which
will not be completed for about two years
after the beginning of the work. The rail-
road tracks will also be carried across the
river on the proposed timber bridge.
AS soon as the pile trestle is finished the
engineers will proceed to tear down the old
bridge. The present AnacoStfa bridge is
about l,4OO feet long. The new bridge. II is
estimated, will be only about 800 feet long,
The reason for this difference in the length
OF the two bridges is that the Eastern
branch is to be narrowed by the building of
bulkheads along the banks. The new bridge,
however, 1t is stated, will be considerably
wider han the present structure
AS to the style of the proposed structure
scarcely anything has been determined as
yet. 1t is settled, however, that the new
bridge will be constructed of steel The
railroad company by the terms of the law
will be required TO pay for the cost of that
part of the bridge which supports its tracks
Reports of Engineers
From various reports of District engineers
ielatNe 10 the condltion or the present Ana
costa bridge the structure is in very I'M
satisfactory condition. In a report on the
structure submitted to Col Biddle by Engi-
neer of Bridges Douglass during the early
part of this year, it is stated that con-
siderable part OF the iron work is cracked
ana rods are broken az various points The
present Craw is said to be cumbersome and
oIineuit TO operate. All of the masonry
piers have settled out of level: one pier he
ing cracked from its top to the low water
Hne. several of the fridge shoes" are
cracked and four eenters are reported as
broken. 10
The present structure was built In 1874 of
wrought iron with cast iron joints 1t was
designed. II is stated, without sidewalks for
I'VE lead OF 90 pounds per square foot
over the roadway, and sidewalks were adj
aed without increasing the metal in the
trusses. The addition of the sidewalks II IS
stated, Increased the load on the structure
ABOUT % per cent. Increased travel across
me prloee and the use of the structure nv
me street railroad company, il is stated
idued -Lrtber to the dead and live load on
he structures ~
Engineer Douglass, la concluding his re-
port on the bridge. says: when a bride is
stressed DO per cent in excess of the strains
OF when IL was properly designed it should
IS condemned ard replaced whether or NOT
SHOWS deterioration. Particularly is This
70 When the bildge is designed with light
Sterdi sHstems TO resist wind only as is the
~ase with The Anacostia bridge