Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-20
WILL Be READY SOON
New Railroad Bridge Which
Spans the Potomac.
IMPOSING STRUCTURE
TWICE AS HIGH AS THE BRIDGE
IT REPLACES.
Piers Built Of Maryland Granite-Each
Span Separate From the Others
"Details of the Work.
IMPOSING STRUCTURE;

Within about two months trains probably
| will be running over the new railroad
bridge across the Potomac, which is to
| replace the old Long bridge to the extent
| of carrying the railroad traffic crossing the
| river at that point The wagon traffic will
be accommodated on separate bridge.
about 500 feet north of the railroad bridge.
to be known as the Highway bridge. The
latter will be commenced within short
while 1t is expected, the preliminary work
of driving piles and preparing foundations
for the piers having already progressed to
an advanced stage.
The new railroad bridge is now a prorli-
nent feature of the landscape on the river
front and towers to about twice the height
of the old wooden structure. Eight spans
have been completed and there remain only
three more to be constructed, two south of
the draw and one to the north.
There about $50 men at work on the
bridge and operations are proceeding 81
simultaneously on each side of the draw, fif-
ty men being engaged in the work on the
south half and about seventy-hve on the
north. When the work is not delayed IN
any way it requires only about ten days
for the erection of a span, so that WltAln a
month the three remaining spans should be
erected and the steel construction OF the
bridge completed. The iron work of the
bridge is being erected by Brann & stuart.
IL
Washing tonians and those who occasionally
are passengers on trains crossing the Poto-
mac at this point when engines no longer
have to creep cautiously over the swaylng
timbers of the Anticipated structure which
has already sacrificed number of lives
and menaced many others by its frallty
From time to time during period OF many
years occasions have arisen to emphasize
the fact that the old bridge had survived
| its usefulness and was menace to the city
as well. Floods threaten its destruction
nearly every spring, and in 1881 1t was only
saved from being washed away by the
efforts of the railroad company, loaded
freight cars being crowded upon Its rails
while the flood pressed against the strlngers.
1t is questionable whether 1t was desirable
to save the bridge. for the damage done
In the lower section of the city by the
water shifted upon 1t by the bridge might
have more than equaled the cost OF a
new bridge. At that time 1t served as a
veritable dam, by reason OF the fact that In
order to protect the piers from ice In the
river stone had been piled about them,
narrowing the total clear pasaageWay OF
the river by about one-third. Besides an
enormous amount of driftwood caught and
held against the structure, number or
canal boats, houses, and even large
schooner, broken from It's anchorage at at
GEORGETOWN were heaped up against the
bridge. In 1881, during small freshet'
which would not have been OF much conse-
uuence otherwise, an ice gorge formed at
the bridge and after deluging the city.
broke through and destroyed three spans of
the structure. The flood of 1877 was the
greatest recorded before that of 1889, the
record height attained by the former being
three feet lower than that OF the latter.
Citizens Indignant.
In February, 1894, a gorge was threat
ened again and some of the citizens, re-
membering the results of previous oc-
currences of the kind, brought forward
a proposition to remove the obstruction
| with dynamite. Others wanted legal &C
| ton taken against the railroad company
| for maintaining a dangerous nuisance.
The ice was finally broken up by tugs,
though some had said they were not
heavy enough and wanted the Norfolk
and Washington steamers used for the
purpose.
Plans for the replacement of the Long
bridge were formulated by the engineer
department in 1890, and submitted to
Congress, but without immediate result.
A report on the condition of the bridge
was made by the department OF engineers
| in February, 1894 and Congress passed
| an act requiring the railroad company to
keep the structure in repair
| Congress passed an act February IL, 1901,
| providing for the replacement of the Long
bridge by two new ones, to be at least 500
| feet apart, one for the transit of railroad
| trains and the other for vehicles and pc
| destrians. The former was to be erected
| by the railroad company and the latter by
| be submitted for the approval of the Secre-
| tary of War. A commission was imme-
| diately appointed to formulate plans and
| specifications and estimates for the high
| way bridge and subsequently all questions
| pertaining to the establishment of the rail
! way bridge were submitted to the same
| board. The board was composed of Lieut.
| Col Charles ]. Allen, Capt Edward Burr
| Capt Lansing Fl. Beach and Lieut.. G. NJ
| Hoffman The board gave several hearings
! to citizens whose interests were involved
by the selection of site or the decision OF
| other details relating to the project Those
| present at these hearings included two
bridge engineers. One of these represented
a company making roller lift bridge; the
| other advocated different types of struc.
| lures. Mr.. w. A. Pratt, engineer of bridges
for the Pennsylvania railroad. submitted
plans which were followed substantially In
the development of the ultimate scheme.
Definite plans were formally submitted
| to the Secretary of War by Mr.. Pratt II
| April. 1901. being referred to the bridg'
board. which approved them June 20. Tit
board. however, suggested that fitting
approach to the national capital should b