Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1913-02-26

CONFERENCE rs HELD.
Addresses Made Before Conferees Of
House on Public Buildings Meas
ure at Today's Meeting.

In an effort to secure the support
of the three members of the con-
ference committee of the House of
Representatives on the public build
ings bill to the appropriation of $5,-
100000 added by the Senate COM
mittee for the building of the memo
rial bridge connecting Washing
ton with Arlington, a number Of
members of the Mount Vernon Ave
nue. Association, together with sew
eral ladies and other Alexandrians
went to Washington this morning
where they appeared before the
committee.
The Alexandrians who were pres
ent were as follows: Mrs. Charles
c.. Carlin, Mrs. VIM. B. Smoot, Mrs.
William A. Smoot, Mrs. Eva G.
Mushback, Mrs. John H. Foster,
Mrs. William j. Boothe, Miss Carrie
Stribling, William B. Smoot, presi-
dent of the Mount Vernon Avenue
Association, NJ. B. Harlow, secretary
of the Association, Samuel G. Brent,
Albert Smoot, Jr., E. Z. Downham,
]. NJ. Hill, Alexander J. Wedder-
burn, Albert D. Brockett and Rob
ert S. Barrett.
In addition there were present
Glenn Brown, former Alexandr1an,
and member of the Art Commission
appointed by President Taft and
Mrs. Sternberg, wife of General
Sternberg, former surgeon general
of the navy.
The three house conferees, Rep
resentatives John L. Burnett, of Ala
bama, Frank Clark, of Florida, and
Richard w. Austin, Of Tennessee,
met the delegation in the handsome
committee room of the Judiciary and
were introduced by Hon. Charles
C. Carlin, representative of the
Eighth District.
Mr.. Brown was the first speaker
to present the bridge proposition,
He gave a brief description OF its
architecturalfeatures and said that 1t
would carry out the ideas advanced
nv General Washington when ne first
planned the National Capital and was
q part of the general scheme OF the
commission which he represented for
the beautifying of Washington. he
told the Congressman that it would
shorten the distance between Wash
inrton and Arlington from two miles
to less than three quarters Of mile.
NJ. B. Harlow, the next speaker,
said that the memorial bridge was
necessary step to the construction
of the Mt. Vernon Avenue. 1t would
greatly adhance the value Of the gov
ernment's property on the Virginia
side of the Potomac and would per-
init the reclamation Of about 2oO
acres of land which belong to the
government.
Mrs. William A. Smoot told OF
the interest which was exhibited by
the National Society of the Daugh'
tors of the American Revolution IN
tho nlan to build Mount Vernon Ave
nue. and said that every year great
or interest was being shown by the
Dauebters in the project. Natural
w. she said, the construction OF the
bridge was necessary before the ave
nue. could be built.
Mr. car,in gave brief history O
the measures which have been De
fore Congress for the construction o.
bridge and the highway ant
nlead with the commute
measure because they might haV'
the opinion it was not attached '' u"
right bill.
At the conclusion of the address
es, Representative Burnett state
that while he might favor the build
inc of the bridge he did not thin
that it should not have been made
part of the publ cbuildings act b
the Senate.
1t was the opinion of those presen
at the meeting that the approprlaa
ton for the bridge would be stricke
out by the House unless Senator
Martin and Swanson We're able t
insist that it be retained.