Evening star., 1913-02-23

. cation the late President Mckinley would
have felt were he present at the exer-
cises. for the memorial bridge was dearly
cherished by him.
Representative War9Ock pledged that
Congress would do it's duty by the bridge.
The idea of spanning the Potomac river
and linking the National Capital with V1r-
ginia goes back good many years. 1t
has been said that the first pubic sug-
gestion that there should be memorial
of this kind was made by Mai Richard
Sylvester. father of the present MAJOR
and superintendent of the metropolitan
police, who, while engaged in newspaper
work in Washington. wrote an editorial
in 1885 on the occasion of the funeral OF
Gen. Grant. From that editorial the fol-
lowing is abstracted:
Arlington and Washington would thus become
close handmaidens. welcoming the pilgrims OF
liberty to their historic shrines Not only thls'
but the capital Of the republic and the late cap
ita of the southern cOnfederacy would he brought
face to face upon a common highway-from
south north. from north to south-animated
by one hope and looking forward to one lambent
vista of peace, prosperity and power.
The arched and illustrated entrance to this
marching and conntermarching, no shock of en-
batted hosts, no vengeful animosities. but simply
the supremacy OF the Union as xindlcaiea ad leo Dy
that laid down their arms at Appomattox as 1t
to the great captain who accepted their
paroles.
In one of a series of articles under the
heading Some of Washington's Griev-
ances.' by Theodore w. Noyes. which
appeared in The Star March II. 1888.
was this picture of the Washington of
the future. and reference to the me-
mortal bridge:
In the future Washington the Potomac river
will be utilized to it's full capacity for the bene
fit of the trade, health and pleasure OF the CITY,
The present mpedment to easy access or the
river front, the impossible barrier of a belt OF
surface railroad tracks illegally occupied pF
standing cars will he sent to join the obstacles
of the pasta pestiferous canal. cr1mnai-in
tested Mall and high bluffs that needed 10 pc
pierced The local rapid transit system VIII prinS
harbor to be secured when the fats are niled
will meet the demands of the city gro"ins
commerce. Without its malarous marshes !nc
Quickened river will cut large slices from tns
citv's death rate and the upper Potomac. with
its narrow, rocky channel and rugged scehe!!,
will delight the fisherman: just above the cry
houses OF local boat clubs perched picturesquely
upon the wooded banks. will allure IN ever-in ,
creasing numbers the oarsmen and their Irlch'is.
and on the lower Potomac the fifteen or twenty
vastly multiplied to furnish fresh air cneapiy III
the heat of summer and to bring JOY TO cniuren
and the poor and despair to the Doctors m s wil
gists and nndertakers Public floating pains VIII
further contribute to the citvs health hahdsoHi.
and substantial bridges perhaps memorial
bridge connecting with broad avenue tian ~
Virginia and the Long bridge, that shaDp!, hocu-
threatening nuisance of the present. VIII pe only
Il disagreeable remlnlscence
At the annual reception of the Washin-
ton Board of Trade, February y, 1888,
Theodore w. Noyes, then president of
the board, said:
Many great men besides George Washington