Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-23
TAKE WIDE RANGE
T0D|SCUSS BRIDGE
House Committeeman Bring Up
War of 1912 and
Harry Thaw.
BUT LITTLE SYMPATHY
FOR ANACOSTIA PROJECT
Those Urging New Structure Led
Into Bypaths During
Hearing.

From the burning of Washington In
1914 by the British. down to a passing
mention Of Harry Thaw. a hearing be-
fore the House District committee on the
subject of a bill to provide for a new
bridge across the Anacostia river devel-
oped what probably will be held I'm leg
islative circles to be a record for ground
covering capacity. The bridge was under
discussion only a part of the time, but
the proponents of the measure evidently
did not have enough interest to influence
the committee. Several members of the
committee took the opportunity to test
their satire upon the organic act of the
District Of Columbia. and Representative
Thaddeus H. Caraway Of Jonesboro, Ark,
learned that there is steel plant on the
gave it out that a bridge spanning the
sop to the octopus.
Sum of SITS, 13o Provided.
The bill which was being considered
today was that introduced by Repre-
sentative Smith of Maryland. The
bridge 1t asks for would extend from
the foot Of South Capitol street to
Poplar point, and the sum of STD, 13O
Is provided for.
Representative Smith made his bow
to the committee, supplemented by
statement that Washington has less
communication with it's neighbors
across water than any other town of
its size and layout he knows Of Fol-
lowing him, A. r. Severn, chairman OF
the bridge committee Of the Board OF
Trade. started to talk about the bridge.
but was led by a gentle series of di-
gressions to making a statement re-
garding his views on the present senti-
ment between the north and south
This. of course. concerned the me
mortal bridge to Arlington. Repre-
sentative Johnson said:
About ninety-nine years ago the
Chesapeake and Ohio canal was bullt,
and because 1t was to bring the north
and south together 1t was exempt
from taxes"
Advocates Retrocession.
Mr.. Severn beat a hasty retreat back te
| the subject at hand and after urging the
! committee also that Il would be a proper
thing for the state Of Virginia to recede
the original District territory back to the
District of Columbia SO that the south
| hanks of the Potomac might be proper
cared for he concluded his statement.
william j. Neale, representmg tne Feu,
Grafton of Citizens Associations, made a
leap into the discussion of he organ
act and the half-and-half plan, wnich
caused Represen tative Crosser OF ONO
to ask:
Maryland building a prlose Ior inc ~i.!
of Baltimore?"
Maryland nd the city of Baltimore
are not in the same relation as the
District Of Columbia and the united
States" explained Mr. Neals; e., cro.sors
conclusive reply.
District Started Wrong.
Mr. Neale yras pursued further by the
Ohio representative, and finally said that
the District government had started
wrong. anyhow, and that 1T would have
been better had the United States taken
title to ali the land here and established
a ground-rent system.
sThat's where you and l agree, Saiu
Representat've CrosSer
A. H Adriaans. who has beeh en-
deavoring to get the Distrlc. comm ace 1see
and who provided string OF hacks as
long as a funeral procession a few weeks
ago for that purpose tan Opportunity
not ayailed Of by the committee), laid
several maps and books upon the COM
,o;ttae tah Q fol. owing q brief statement
by William +. Guide in favor OF the
bridge.
The committee listened for a few min
iltes to Mr. Adriaans, who was citlhs
some probable costs.
Cites Cost of Bridge.
Congress appropriated S1S0o0O.' said
REPRESENTATIVE Johnson. ''for bridge on
18th street across Piney branch. Tha,
was no great item; but then they had to
spend a lot of money on each side for
the approaches to the bridge, so that
they eventually spent one and a half mil
lions to approach $lso.oUo pridge. MT
Adriaans mentioned Mr. Gude name In
following this statement:
.'Is that the Mr.. Guide who has been a
constant juror on condemnation cases
here?' asked Mr.. johnson. Mr.. Adriaans
said at first that he was not. Later he
said he.was.
"This bridge would be a great service
to the Government Hospital for the In
sane" explained Mr.. Adriaans.
"what benefit would it be to the insane
naonle2'' asked Representative Caraway
Of Jonesboro.
Leads to War of 1912.
1T would cut down the haul, and sup
plies could be bought cheaper" The ques-
ton of the haul and the supplies led up
to the war Of 1872.
when the British burned the bridge
across the Potomac began Mr.. Adri-
aans.
THAT was almost hundred years ago.
wasn't it?'' asked Mr.. Johnson.
Yes, SIR" confessed Mr.. Adriaans.
'.Where are those British" asked Rep
reseutatiye Walters of Pennsylvania,
sprnging around in his chair as If he
were about to be attacked.
''That proposed bridge might do the
insane some good" continued Mr.. Wal
fers. ..if we had a Harry T.aw In there.
He might be able to make a good get
away across It.
Easy to Get in Asylum.
sThe facilities for getting in the asy-
um," commented Representative johnson,
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