Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1913-09-17


proved, you may or may not mediate
upon the fact that these tracks cross
ing the reclaimed land Of the Potomac
river were q tense and interesting
question a generation ago. 1t was
question which was involved with that
of the illegal railroad occupancy of
the Mall, of the large reservation at
the intersection of Maryland and Vir-
ginia avenues and Of certain streets
and reservations in South Washington
las storage depots and shifting yards.
The matter Of the location of the
railroad tracks over the new-made
park land, raised from the river at
great cost, was associated intimately
with the questions Of the demolition
of the Long bridge and It's replace
ment with modern structure and
with the elimination Of grade Cross
iings in the city. The Long bridge was
I'm possession Of the Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad company by virtue
Sof an act Of congress approved June
l21, 1870-an act which authorized the
railroad company to take possession
Iof and extend it's tracks across the
bridge under the condition that the
company maintain In good condition
the said bridge for railway and or
,dinary travel"
The campaign for the elimination
of grade crossings in Washington, the
removal of the railroad tracks and
terminal from the Mall and the tear
ing away of the Long bridge and the
building Of bridge which would not
dam the Potomac river and cause dis
'astrous flooding of the city at periods
,of high water was one Of the great
campaigns conducted by the people Of
Washington and the friends in con-
Igress Of the national city. The older
people of Washington recall the bit
terness Of that long contest. That
campaign Is too big a question to be
more than touched upon In an after
noon ramble, but man may consider
"a single feature of it while looking
lat the vine-grown embankment under
which are two openings-one on the
Washington channel side and one on
lthe Virginia channel side-which ad-
init of safe and easy passage between
the northwest and southeast sections
Iof Washington's remarkable riVeJ
park.
The first Long bridge was built in
1909, the act Of congress authorizing
the construction of bridge from the
END of Maryland avenue to Ale1an-
;ders island having been approved by
President Jefferson February 5, 1908.
The bridge was built by private
company, which was authorized to
charge tolls. The company was call
ed the Washington BriIge Company,
Iand the sale Of stock up to the sum
of 100000 was authorized. In the
list Of the incorporators. officers and
stockholders may be found the names
iof many Of the representative men
Iof early Washington. The north and
south ends of the bridge were burned
lin August. 1914, and the bridge was
destroyed by a freshet February %.
1881. By an act of congress approved
July IA, 1882, the United States
bought the rights and property Of the
Washington Bridge company and di-
Irected the reconstruction of the
bridge.
Up to that time the bridge had been
Ia structure built on piles from shore
ito shore. Various acts of congress
may be consulted, and there was a
great deal of indecision as to what
type Of bridge should be built There
were numerous plans and number
ot changes Of plans, but in 1884 con-
gress decided to rebuild the bridge
somewhat after the model Of the old
er structure, but to construct cause
way 1850 feet long "on the shoal or
shoals over which the present bridge
passes, by filing up by solid en-
bankment, in part, II convenient, of
earth obtained by dredging the river
channel" That was the origin Of the
Long bridge causeway.