Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-09
DISCUSSION OF PLANS
BRIDGE PRoJEcv BEFORE BOARD
OF SUPERVISORS.
Action Postponed on Proposed occupa-
ton Of Columbia Pike by
Electric Ratlroad.

Electric roads from Washington into Vir
ginia occupied large share OF the meeting
of the Alexandria county board OF. super
visors at Mort Myer Heights court house
on Saturday.
The Mt. Vernon road came first with q
proposition to build a second bridge across
the Columbia pike just west of its june.
ton with the Washington and Alexandra
pike. General Manager Colvin of the roae
presented the company's request and wal
questioned for nearly an hour as to what
the company would do in return for its in
creased privileges.
DR.. Rust, president of the board, who
represents Arlington district, in which tht
new bridge is proposed, led in the CUES
tioning.
He called attention to the fact that there
is q depression in the highway underneath
the present bridge of the railr DAD company
In which water collects after every hare
rain and said the new bridge would make
this unfavorable conditlon worse.
He therefore asked that the railroad agree
to pave the Columbia pike with Belg
block for 100 feet westward from Its juno
ton with the Washington and Aiexandria
pike.
Mr.. Colvin replied that he had always
/
crossings, and thought when the railway
crossed above grade they did enough &c
keep their own way in good condition ne
had never heard Of a company whose roao
crossed above grade being required to take
care of the public highway underneath. He
was willing to promise to keep the com
pany's road adjacent to the crossing IN a.
good or better condition than the county
kept its road below. When the county
paved with Belgian block the company
would pave with Belgian block
Dr. Rust insisted that the conditions at
the point in question were unusual he
showed by the engineers levels that the
public road under the bridge was lower
than the Washington and Alexandra PIKE
and therefore any heavy rain or continued
wet weather must make the place ser GUS
obstacle to travel He then caiiei LOT
statements from citizens, of whom thei
was large attendance as to the hindrance
to hauling which was occasioned by the
bridge.
MI. Phillips stated that as manager for
wilkins & Co. at the south end OF Long
bridge he had occasion to send hay under
this bridge quite frequently. and whenever
there was good load it was necessary to
take off the top layer of bales of hay and
drive under the bridge; then to carry the
bales removed through the passage and re-
load on the other side.
Objected to Obstruction.
Now" said DR.. Rust, 1.-The people have
an obstruction as this. Their public roads
are a necessity and always of the greatest
value to them. Your railroads are not al
ways advantage; in fact" he added
with broad smile in which Mr.. Colvin
joined with the rest, electric roads are
sometimes a consummate nuisance"
1t was shown by the engineers that the
bridge of the Mount Vernon railway at the
point named clears the Columbia pike by
only IL feet inches whereas ID feet q
inches is the usual minimum clearing for
railroad bridge over public highway, and
II feet 8 inches the lowest bridge in Alex
andria country, other than the one under
consideration.
DR.. Rust then proposed to his associates
on the board Messrs. Febry and Douglas.
that they offer the railroad company the al
tentative Of repairing the Columbia highway
SO as to keep the road open in wet weather
or to raise their bridge SO as to bring the
ard.
Mr. Colvin said this would require the
company to make higher the grade of it's
road coming up to this point, and asked IL
it would not do as well to depress the pike
so as to give the required clearance, his
road bearing all expense necessary to max
ing good public road under the changed
conditions.
After some further discussion Mr.. Colvin
said he would submit the two propositions
Of the supervisors to his executive board.
Mr.. Douglas then called up the proposal
of the Washington, Arlington and Falls
Church road to occupy the Columbia pike
for a part of the way in building its branch
line from a point near Clarendon to the
south end of the Highway bridge. He said
he understood that several citizens were
present to address the board regarding this
matter and asked the clerk of the board,
George Rucker, IL he had any communica-
ton on the subject.
Mr.. Rucker in reply read a petition signed
n nf q nd
property owners of Fort Myer Heights ask
ing that the board should not consent to
the proposed occupation of, the public way
until the railroad company should enter
into binding agreement to carry it's pas
sengers to a convenient point in Washing
ton without adding to its charge for fare.
Manager Hubbell of the railroad company
explained that his people were not in a
position to do more than promise to carry
passengers to Washington. They had nc
contract with the Mount Vernon road by
which they could be sure to cross the river
on that roads tracks, and therefore could
not be absolutely sure of doing So They
had, however an understanding with that
company and were confident enough to &c
ahead with building this branch line.
Manager Hubbell's Expectation.
I'VE are spending $4,000 for this work. .
said Mr.. Huboell land we certainly would
not go to such an expense with the expec-
tation of landing passengers in the dust al
the south end of the Highway bridge"
Addresses were then made by Mr.. Fox.
Col. Shelley, Mr.. r. C. L. Moncure and
others.
Mr.. Moncure, for clients who own land
adjoining the proposed tracks, asked for a
good crossing from their property. The
others urged that the condition Of landing
passengers in Washington be insisted on.
1t was pointed out that the act for building
the highway bridge gave this road right
TO cross which they could enforce, and Col
Shelley said, while he was greatly inter-
ested personally to have the branch road
built he thought 1t would be time for the
board to consent to the occupation Of the
public road when they were prepared to
bind themselves to deliver passengers in
Washington. He reminded Mr.. HubbeI
that If they were two business men making
q trade one would not expect the other to
deliver goods until the other was ready to
carry out his side of the bargain. He
thought it would be time for the board to
act when the Falls Church road was In Q