Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-10
DEMANDNEWbR|DGE
ConqreSSmen CriticiSe Calvert
Street Structure.
CITIZENS HEAR VIEWS
Hamill and George at Connecticut
Avenue Association.
After Accident Has Occurred It Will
Be Too Late to Remedy Condi-
lions, They Say.

SiuzenS Association listened 10 a numper
of plain statements about the Calvert
street bridge over Rock creek when Rep
resentative. James A. Hamill of
New Jersey. a member of the
House District committee, addressed
their meeting at the Army and
Navy Preparatory School last night.
'Ramshackle," "rickety." ''precarious"
and Inadequate were a few of the
milder words he used in describing the
bridge, which. he said, should have been
removed long ago to make room for
structure that would be capable Of bear
ing the heavy and steadily increasing
traffic that passes across the creek. Mr..
Hamill said in part:
Il congratulate the association on its
successful presentation of the urgent
need for the new Calvert street bridge
That after all. is the most important
thing to be accomplished for the whole
territory radiating out of the intersection
OF Connecticut avenue and Calvert street
That bridge problem at Calvert street is
vital to the whole city Of Washington For
variety and bulk of traffic it is the most
important bridge in the District of CO.
lumbia. Most of the people who live not
only between Rock Creek bridge and
Chevy Chase Lake. but in that network
of suburbs off to the west, like Somerset
and a host of other places use this bridge.
I am strongly in favor of Congress pro-
viding new bridge. not only on the score
Of the inadequacy of the present limited,
patched-up and unsightly structure to
meet the tremendously growing needs of
this section, but am for it on far more
serious and more grave grounds, the safe
guarding of life and limb in view of the
very doubtful security of the present
bridge.
May Come Too Late.
Congress should speedily pass the
appropriation of $1,000 for a drawing
Of plans and investigation of the best
kind of bridge to build to cover the
growing needs as well as to insure the
safety of the thousands who cross
Rock creek into the suburbs beyond.
It will be too late for any senator
or any member of Congress to vote for
such an appropriation after an ac-
cident has occurred. Whose will be the
responsibility II with the greater and
greater congestion on the present bridge
an accident should occur in which there
should be loss of life or injury? Three
months ago street car bridge at
car dropped into the creek. On Christ
mas day a bridge at Pottsville. Pa, fell
and f1fty-eight out OF sixty-one pas
sengers were injured. Barely two
months ago street car fell through
a bridge between Newport. KY, and
Cincinnati.
For three years the District of Co.
lumbia authorities have contended that
the Calvert Street bridge is safe, that
the vibration was not excessive and
that there was no indication of danger
Yet they employed an outside bridge
expert last October, and the expert re-
ported that the changes. overcoming an
abnormal overhang. and necessitating a
remarkable narrowing of the bridge SO as
to throw all vehicle traffic on to the
Chevy Chase car tracks. were essential
to safety.
Repairs Inadequate.
THE citizens of Chevy Chase. Nd, as
well as those on the District side of the
line. have been active in this matter. An
appropriation of So. 600 to strengthen the
bridge by the addition Of steel bracing
was urged by certain Chevy Chase citi-
zens three years ago. Data which 1 have
procured show that the Capital Traction
Company at that time contributed S1o, 600
and $4,000 was spent on repairs last fall
which failed ANONYMOUSLY to help mat
ters.
District officials claim that baby car
rage would vibrate the bridge more than
pounds when loaded. and that If the
bridge was painted and kept in good
repair. 1t would last fifty years. / won
der what kind of paint would prevent
these vibrations, and what kind of paint
would uphold these tons of overweight?
The District authorities also contend that
foot passengers. would not be allowed
upon the bridge until the narrowing had
been completed. and that this order
would not be recalled even in compliance
with ignorant clamor.'
Favors Artistic Structure.
IT am convinced that both street cars
and passengers cannot together safely
pass this bridge. Passengers on a swift
ly moving car who feel bridge vibrating
much as q spring board cannot be easily
persuaded by non-users of the bridge that
it is safe and will remain SO for fifty
years. The District authorities long ago
should have been alive to the insecurity
and the inadequacy of this bridge, and
should have pressed it before Congress
above other questions where security of
life and limb was not imperiled.
"A new bridge should be speedily built.
The highest artistic engineering talent
should be allowed to compete for plans
for monumental structure in keeping
with the demands on this bridge, with
its heaviest traffic of all. 1t should be
in keeping with the modern development