Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-03
USE OF LONG BRIDGE
viii Be Needed Some Months
for Heavy Traffic.
CALL ON GEN. MACKENZIE
Effort to Delay Removal of the
Structure.
CONGRESS TO CONSIDER II
Bill Extending the Time to Be Intro
duced by Mr.. Rixey-Respon-
sibility for Maintenance.

Representative RiXey of Virginia and sew
eral brick manufacturers of Alexandria
county called on Gen. Mackenzie. chief of
engineers, at the War Department today
and asked his cooperation in movement
to prevent the removal of the old Long
bridge and its connecting causeway until
the new Highway bridge and its approaches
are entirely completed.
1t is realized by all the parties in in
terest that the macadam pavement being
laid on the Washington approach to the
Highway bridge will not stand the strain
Of the very heavy traffic from the Vir-
ginia brick kilns and that it will be neces-
sary to continue the use Of the Long
bridge with its belgian block pavement
approach until the new Highway bridge
approach has settled and belgian block
pavement laid upon 1t.
The new Washington approach includes
concrete-steel bridge over the outlet to the
tidal basin, which structure Will hardly be
completed for nearly year to come.
Bridge Bill Passed by Congress.
Section IL OF the act OF Congress.
approved February Il, 1901. provided for
the construction of a highway bridge to
replace the existing Long bridge. and APP
propriated the sum Of $568.O00 for the pur-
pose. Congress. by act Of July l, 1902, IN
creased the limit Of cost Of the structure to
$4,000.
By the act Of April 81, 1904, an additional
appropriat ton Of 100000 was made, bring
ing the total appropriations up to 81, 1885,
600, for completing the construction OF the
bridge and approaches and for all purposes
connected Herewith. The additional 500
600 was intended to cover the cost OF the
approaches, etc.
The bridge itself Is practically completed.
and it is expected that the Washington.
Alexandria and Mount Vernon electric rail-
way will be able to use 1t in a short time.
The approaches to the bridge, however, are
tn an unfinished condition, and 1t is freely
predicted that they will not be entirely fin
fshed in the manner now desired for several
months to come
Removal Required by Law.
On account OF this condition Of affairs.
Gen. Mackenzie and Capt. Cosby, the en-
gineer officer In charge of the work, are
of opinion that 1t would be inexpedient at
this time to remove the Long bridge and
thus cut Off much of the public traffic from
the south. The act Of February II. 1901.
providing for the Highway bridge and the
railroad bridge, provided II the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Co any should re-
move the Long bridge Within a period of
four years from the date of the passage OF
the act This time limit was extended one
year by the joint resolution of Congress
approved February 10. 1905, thus extending
the time for completing the railroad bridge
and removing the Long bridge to February
u, 1905.
Further Time to Be Sought.
AS a result Of the conference with Gen.
Mackenzie today, and as a means Of meet
ing the exigencies of the situation, it was
arranged that Representative Rixey should
introduce a bill in Congress at the earliest
possible moment extending the time limit
for the removal Of the Long bridge a year
from February II next. In that way 1t is
hoped to remove all doubt as to the duties
of the authorities in the matter and at the
same time allow time for improving the
Washington approaches to the Highway
bridge so as to meet the requirements of
the heavy traffic from Virginia.
1t will be necessary to make some pro-
vision for meeting the expenses OF main
tanning the Long bridge and operating the
draw 1t Is estimated by the railroad COM
pany that this costs about SIT day, and
inasmuch as that company has no further
use for the bridge, the company feels that
1t should not be called upon to bear that
expense. The railroad company would meet
the main requirement of the law 1t Is said,
by removing the draw, but an act of that
character would render the bridge useless
for all purposes of traffic. 1t will be for
Congress to determine who shall bear the
expense of maintaining the Long bridge,
the government, the railroad company or
the people, by means of toll. The rail-
road company, having entirely completed
Its bridge across the Potomac, Is prepared
to abandon the Long bridge at once, and
it Is said will do so unless some satisfactory
arrangement is made by which 1t can be
kept in operation until the new highway
bridge is completed.