Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-09
N[WDR|DG[ cOMPI ETE
Highway Over Potomac Prac-
tically Ready for Travel.
CAPT. COSBY MAKES REPORT
Contractor Formally Released by the
Government.
OFFICIALS INVITED TO INSPECT
Discussion Of Necessity for Retaining
Long Bridge in Service for
Several Months.
INVITED TO INSPECT

Capt. Spencer Cosby. the engineer on
Ger In charge of the construction of the
Highway bridge across the Potomac. has
reported to Gen. Mackenzie, chief OF en-
gineers that the bridge proper is complet-
ed, and is now practically ready for gen
eral travel The bridge was buMt by the
Pennsylvania Steel Company of Philadel-
phia and the contract price for the entire
structure was $9l4.200.
The contractors have turned the bridge
over to the government and have been final
ly released from their contract. The work
was accepted by Capt. Cosby as In COM
pliance with the terms of the contract and
the final payments made.
As stated in yesterdays Star, the Wash
ington. Alexandria and Mt. Vernon Electric
Railway Company has already begun the
use of the southbound tracks of the COM
pany across the bridge and will begin the
operation of the northbound tracks In "A
few days. Until the complete transfer Is
made the electric railway company will
continue the use of the Long bridge for It's
northbound traffic.
No Formal Ceremonies.
No ceremonies will mark the opening OF
the highway bridge to general traffic. but
Captain Cosby has invited a small party
of officials 20 inspect the bridge next Mon
day. Among those invited are Senator Cal
linger, chairman of the Senate District COM
mittee; Representative Babcock, chairman
of the House District committee; General
Mackenzie, chief of engineers, and repre-
sentatives OF the District government. The
party will be taken across the bridge In
special car of the electric company. More
over, It is stated at the War Department
that no formal announcement VIII be made
49, l~ril Ac mo H.
cial put it, The bridge is there and any one
desiring to use 1t in order to get on the
other side of the river may freely do SO.
Although the bridge proper is finished and
can be readily reached by the exlstng az
proaches, the permanent approaches to TINS
bridge on the Washington side are sun N
an unfinished state. These approaches IN
clude a short bridge across the head OF the
Washington channel, near the outlet gates
of the tidal basin. That bridge Is now IN
the earliest stages of construction and Will
not be finished before next fail at the
earliest.
Fate OF Long Bridge.
The fate of the Long bridge is now before
Congress Under existing law the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company must remove that
lang-used and much-abused structure by
Monday next, the limit of time fixed by the
acts governing the construction OF the SUD-
stitute railroad bridge. The railroad com
pany is prepared to fulfill it's obligations. as
it no longer uses nor needs the old Long
bridge The electric railroad company viii
also abandon 1t in a few days. In view.
however of the unsubstanttal character or
the present approaches to the new Highway
Bridge there is a general and urgent de-
mand on the part of business men. especial
ly the brick makers of Alexandria county,
for the continued use of the causeway OF
the Long bridge, which is paved with gram
ito Ire Yrtl
Highway bridge have settled and demon
strated that they can stand the strain of
the heavy traffic passing that way.
Matter of Expense.
Everybody concerned is we'll satisfied that
the Long bridge should be retained for sew
eral months longer, but the necessary legis-
latfve authority is lacking Representative
Rixey of Virginia, who has the matter in
charge in Congress. hopes to secure the
passage of the necessary legislation in a
few days The only difficulty in the matter
is as to how the expenses of maintaining
the Long bridge shall be met These are
now betrayed by the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company, but as that company no longer
uses the bridge 1t does not want to pay the
expenses of it's maintenance solely for the
benefit of other interests. It is the same
with the electric company. 1t will be taxed
for the use of the Highway bridge, and nat
urally will discontinue payment to the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company for the
use of the Long bridge. There is no con-
eminent and the people. 1t is just a ques-
ton of equity, and Representative Rixey
expects to solve it to the satisfaction of all
the parties In interest.
Until Congress enacts legislation trans
ferring the highway bridge to the jurisdic-
ton of the District Commissioners, which
will eventually be done, the supervision and
operation of the bridge will be in charge
n engineers.