Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-25

afternoon, the District Commissioners
| issued Instructions to the police to arrest
all violators of the order prohibiting traf-
| fic. with certain exceptions over Calvert
street bridge, pending the completion OF
repairs TO the structure.
| The Commissioners lifted the ban some
what on pedestrians. amending their for
mer order so to permit persons who
| desire to walk across the bridge to do SO
| on their own responsibility. provided they
| will keep to the roadway. but ordered that
| arrests should be made in case OF their
| trespassing on the footways and directed
| that the drivers Of all vehicles who at
tempt to cross the bridge be taken into
custody.
Disorderly conduct is the charge that
will be made against persons who violate
| the order.
Four policemen last night were detailed
| by Maj. Sylvester, superintendent of,po-
| lice. to guard the bridge and see THAI Rhe
Commissioners Instructions were carried
| out Ropes were stretched across barri-
cades erected at the east and west ap-
| pjroaches Of the bridge. These were re-
| leased by the policemen as occasion de-
cars of the Capitsi, Traction Company.
which, under the C0mmiseioner4 ORDER
| are not prohibited from operating over
the bridge.
| Order Of Commissioners.
late yesterday Afternoon and Immediately
carried into effect is as follows:
THAT ropes be stretched at both en-
frances to the Calvert street bridge be-
tween the uprights now supporting the
barricade adjacent to the street car tracks
| and member of the police force be sta
| toned at each entrance to release the
ropes for the passage Of the street cars
only.
"The use of the bridge for all other
vehicular traffic is prohibited under PEN
atty of immediate arrest.
Pedestrians insisting upon crossing the
| bridge will do so at their own risk. I'm
der no circumstances will they be permit
ted to trespess upon the footways, but
must cOnfine themselves to the roadway.
under penalty Of immediate arrest.
Further. that such number Of officers
| of the metropolitan police force shall be
detailed by the major and superintendent
of police to make this order effective un-
enc end ''' ''''''0 y '''''' ''' y ''
No Arrests Yesterday.
No arrests were made yesterday for
violations of the Commissioners former
order, but policemen. who were stationed
at the bridge, notified persons who in
sisted upon being allowed to cross that
they did SO at their own risk. The fact
that arrests were not made was due
largely to the reason that the police Were
i without instructions as to what charge
| to place against offenders, the order fall
ing to provide penalty and not having
the effect of police regulation.
4 The Commissioners realize that more
drastic steps would have to be taken, il
they were to succeed in their effort 10
close the bridge to pedestrian and vehicle
traffic, street cars excepted. Several con-
hn16 -zcfa dnNy hnfNk Nkaan a.
Commissioners, District Corporation
Counsel E. H. Thomas and Maj. Sylves-
| ter. In deciding to issue instructions
for the arrest of persons who violate the
order the District heads did SO on the
| grounds that the responsibility lodged In
them for the protection Of life and prop
erty demanded that they go to that ex-
treme.
The decision of the Commissioners to
allow pedestrians to cross the bridge.
provided they keep to the roadway. fur-
nlshes another illustration OF the fact
| that the Commissioners have been princi-
lpally alarmed over the safety of the
bridge through the excessive vibrations
caused by the overhanging brackets sup
4 porting the sidewalks.
Court Order Halts Work.
! On the north side of the structure the
railing has been moved in for a distance
of Ave feet. thus leaving the brackets
exposed. Plans were being made for
moving in a similar distance the railing
on the south side of the BRIDGE when
the alterations were halted by the issu-
ance OF a restraining order by Justice
Clabaugh, following the filing OF a suit
by the Capital Traction Company. The
company charged that the Commissioners
were having the bridge reduced to a
width OF forty feet, when the law pro-
vides that 1t shall have q width of not
less than fifty feet. and that their action
was illegal.
| Indicating the extent to which the Dis
| trict authorities are anxious to have the
| overhanging brackets removed. 7. c. j.
Baily, District engineer Of bridges. yes
| terday said q baby carriage rolled along
| the sidewalk on the south side, which
still is supported by the overhanging
within the trusses. II IL the vibration
| in the bridge than the passage over IL
| Of a thirty-ton street car.
This he explained IL due to the fact that
| hte weight OF the street cars is brought
within the tresses. 1t Is the vibration
| caused by the traffic outside the trusses
| that has caused principal concern to. the
| local government officials, who are re-
sponsible for the safety OF the structure.
May Close Bridge Permanently.
| That the situation will call for no fur
ther regulation by the Commissioners
| until after the hearing. set for March I,
on the granting of permanent Injunction
to prevent the narrowing Of the bridge
is the consensus OF opinion OF those i'm