The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1907-12-31
WASHINGTON LETTER
[speciaI Correapondence.I

Especial Correspondence
The Connecticut avenue bridge, con-
coded to be the handsomest one in
Washington, is completed. Pedestrians
have been using it for several weeks,
but it will not be formally opened to
traffic until the approaches are com
pleted.
This big bridge, which carries the
highway of Connecticut avenue across
Rock creek, is one of the grandest con
trete structures in the country. Work
on it was commenced in 1898, and
since then the construction has been
carried on by yearly appropriations.
The total cost is $85O,O00.
Dimensions of the Bridge.
The bridge is described as ffty-two
feet wide over all, and the maximum
elevation of the floor above the ground
is 100 feet. The bridge consists Of five
$50 foot arches, separated from each
other by twenty foot piers, and at
each end of this series of arches there
is an arch Of eighty-two feet. The
smaller arches are separated from tie
others by IA abutment having width
of thirty-seven feet. At the ends of the
bridge proper there are two abutments
about 1876 feet in length.
The bridge is said to be the largest
structure of the sort that has ever
been built of concrete. In fact, it may
be said to be the pioneer in the use Of
such material for a structure of It's
HID
ed nearly ten years ago, when concrete
had not the prominent place it has att
tanned in the last half dozen years.
The bride is finished with concrete
parapet and metal railing of the fol-
lowing description: Over the piers
there is a solid parapet, and between
the piers every seventeen feet there
are concrete posts, each coming directly
over the spandrel walls. Between these
concrete posts is an iron railing con-
sisting of vertical square balusters and
a top hand rail section of cast iron.
The lamps are possibly the most orna-
mental "fxings'' on the bridge aside
from the lions. They are made of cast
iron and are of an artistic and attrac-
tive design. There are two sidewalks
on the bridge, each eight feet wide,
and there is roadway of thirty-six
feet. The roadway is temporary and
is made of macadam A permanent
roadway will not be laid until the en-
tire fill has had ample opportunity to
settle. When it has settled cement
and asphalt will be used.
Liked the Old Pens.
Some years ago a member of con
gress from Ohio took a fancy to the
pens used by the members. When he
retired to private life he had accumu-
lated supply Of pens which would
last him the rest of his natural life,
he thought However, few days ago
j. Warren Keller re-
ceived letter ffom the ex-member
asking his aid in getting more Of the
old style pens.
The writer stated in the letter that
he was now eighty-six years old and
was using the last pen -he had. The
particular style of pen in question has
not been manufactured for several
years, but General Keifer had an ex-
haustiye search made of both the sen
ate and house stationery rooms.
Finally two boxes Of the old pens
were found, which Mr. Keifer imme-
diately. sent to the aged Ohioan, with
a feeling, as he said, "of duty well
performed
President Lincoln's Last Writing.
Ex-senator Stewart Of Nevada pass
ed the main portico of the White
House the other day on his way to the
executive offices to see the president.
Pointing to the historic steps of the
White House, he said: II saw Presi-
dent Lincoln get into his carriage from
those steps the night he was killed.
was the last man to speak to him at
the White House. He wrote me
note that night that / would give ST.
900 if had now, 1t was this way:
Mr.. Lincoln's calling hour for, congress
sional visitors was o'clock In the
evening. l was in the senate and call
ed at the White House about 7:30 that
evening. The presidential offices were
then located in the second story From
there sent my card to the president,
who wrote upon it these words: I have
an engagement to take Mrs Lincoln to
the theater, an engagement l never
break. Call tomorrow morning at 10
o'clock That, / believe, was the last
line Mr.. Lincoln ever wrote. On my
way out of the White House met
President Lincoln In the lobby, going
to his carriage with his wife. He
stopped to shake hands and repeated
to me that he would like to have me
call the next morning stood there
until he helped Mrs. Lincoln in the
carriage and got in himself"
The New House Offices.
In the new house Office building each
member Of the house will occupy a
room 10 by 20 feet, with large win
dows at the end The walls are fin
ished in buff tinted plaster and the
ceiling in white. On day last sum-
mer when Elliott Woods. superintend
ent of the capitol was considering
where he should find the material for
a plaster for these rooms. one of his
men suggested that he take a dredge,
go down the river fifty miles and get
peculiar sand that when made into
plaster would turn to beautiful buff.
Mr.. Woods gave him permission, and
the walls are the result.
The furniture is of solid mahogany.
N, - 4e x~NxvtHnH xvlth 10 wep,