Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-05-01
ANAC0STIA BRIDGE
BIDS OPENED THIS MORNING FOB
NEW STRUCTURE.

Bids for the construction OF the new
bridge across the Eastern branch Of the
Pitomac river at Anacostia were opened
this morning at the District building. The
lowest figures were offered by the Penn
Bridge Company of Beaver Falls, Pa,
which bid 1919. 100 for the completed s.ruc-
ture. plus 500, 500 for that portion of the
bridge which supports the tracks of the
railroad company. The structure Is to be
completed by March 1, 1907, under an APP
preparation of $375,OO0 made by Congress
1t is to be located about seventy-five feet
above the present bridge, which has been
in constant use since 1874. and which has
caused many citizens to complain to the
District because of its alleged insecurity.
The new bridge will nave six arch spans
and one lift draw span operated by cleo
trically driven machinery.
Much interest was manifested in the
opening OF the bids and the board room
at the District building was filled with
competitors and the representatives of COM
peting companies. The specified tons called
for three classes of bids: one for the COM
plete structure. one for the substructure,
and one for the, superstructure. 1t was
the intention of the engineer of bridges,
Mr.. w. ]. Douglass and the officers ot the
engineer department to accept the combi-
nation which would show the lowest figure.
The Penn Bridge Company bid 1913. 100 for
the complete bridge, or Sal 400 for the
superstructure. McMullen & McDermott
local firm doing considerable work a. the
new terminal Improvement. bid $11S,IO0 for
the substructure. Other bids were higher,
that the lowest combination of bids
could not reach the first bid of the Penn
company, namely, $319 160.
The plans for the bridge were drawn by
the engineer of bridges Mr. Douglass, I'M
der the supervision of Colonel Biddle. En-
gineer Commissioner, and Captain Harding
and Captain Morrow, assistants to the En-
gineer Commissioner. Work will be begun
as soon the contract can be let. The
other bidders and their bids follow:
King Bridge Company, Cleveland Ohio,
$1699OO for superstructure and $4,000 for
the railroad support; the McClintock- Mar
shall Construction Company of Pittsburg,
100000 for the superstructure and S1S,0oO
for the railroad support; the PENNSYLVANIA
Steel Company of Steelton, Pa, 5000 for
the bridge complete, $4,000 for the railroad
support, substructure $1S000O, superstruc-
ture S173OO0, or, including the light draw
according to their own plans S34S,0O0; the
George W. Capp Construction Company OF
New York. $342 900 for bridge complete and
$2l 900 for the railroad support; McMullen
& McDermott of Washington, d. c., S33S-
200 for the bridge complete S1S,25O for the
railroad support, SITS, 700 for the substitute
ture and $159500 for the superstructure..
The railroad work is to be paid for by the
railroad company using the bridge. which
amount is to be returned to the United
States treasury. This actually means that
the District can spend only $3.50. 900 for the
bridge and approaches, not including the
work for the railroad.
The bids are little higher than was
anticipa ted, andsMr. Douglass stated that
the approaches to the bridge will have to
suffer in consequence. The balance of the
appropriation, or about $4,000. is to be used
to defray the expense of tearing down the
old bridge and building the approaches to
the new one, but the engineer department
had apportioned much more than that
amount for the work.