Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-10-18
TANGLE OVER BRIDGE
IS NEARING SOLUTION
Committee COnfers With Officials
of War Department.
MAY GET TIME EXTENSION.
Meantime Structure Across College
Creek viii Remain Open To
Traffic, Governor Writes Letter.

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the draw span of College creek bridge
will eventually be granted by the
War Department at Washington, was
made pr ictically certain as a result
of a conference held in Washington
yesterday between officials of that
department and a committee repre-
senting the County Commissioners of
Anne Arundel county.
Nothing has aroused a greater
storm of protest from the citizens of
West Annapolis, and farmers of the
Third district, in a long time, than
the action taken by the Commission.
ers at their meeting last Tuesday,
when they decided &c close the bridge
to traffic, and tear away a part of
the bridge in order to provide a 40
foot draw sEsn in accordance with the
F sderal regulations.
The Commissioners were Jrced to
this action because of the persistent
refusal of the State Roads Commits
sion TO take over control of the bridge
as set forth in the act of the Legis-
lature providing for the construc-
tion of the Annapolis Baltimore
boulevard, the bridge being part of
the boulevard route. The County
Board remained firm in it's stand that
it was not up to the county to bear
the expense of $4,000 or more that
the necessary work would entail.
Several months ago the War De-
partment gave notice to the county,
as we'll as officials of the Maryland
Electric Railways, whose bridge also
crosses the creek, that they would
have until October "a to comply with
the Federal requirements. The rail-
wav officials were, therefore, placed
in the same predicament as the coun-
ty, although some preliminary steps
have bee taken looking TO remedy
ing the existing condition. No actual
work has, however, been started.
On account of the complicated con-
ditions arising out of the tangle, the
County Commissioners finally decided
to close the bridge to traffic on and
after October % And when this be-
came known, there followed howl
of protest from the residents of West
Annapolis, and other outlying sec
tions, as the bridge furnishes the
principal means for them coming to
aud returning from the city. Were
the bridge to be closed, as orr .yinally
contemplated, they would be COM
pelled to make a detour of the west
ern outskirts of the city, over heavy
sandy roads, entering by way OF West
street. This would necessitate crossing
the tracks of the Washington, Balti-
more AID Annapolis Electric Line,
and the great danger to traffic that
lay therein, was pointed out, owing
to the frequent trains running to and
from the city.
The county authorities have waited.
and waited patiently, for the State
Roads Commission to take some ac-
tion in the premises, but without re-
suit. They also laid the matter be-
f )re the Governor several months ago,
and the Executive promised to take
it up with the Roads Commission
But the county officials heard moth
ing that was favorable.
Yesterday Mr.. James A. Walton,
Commissioner from Annapolis, Ridg-
ely p. Melvin, counsel to the Board,
and Mr.. Frank Nj. Duvall, represent
ting citizens of the county concerned,
went to Washington as a committee
to confer about the matter. They ex-
pected an appointment with Senator
John Walter Smith, but the Senator
was called out of Washington. Like
wise, Secretary of War Garrison was
not in the city. He, with Secretary
of the Navy Daniels, were away on
important business. The committee,
however, talked with Mr.. Woods,
Senator Smiths private secretary, and
later called on Congressman Frank o.
Smith, the representative of this
district, who accompanied them to
the War Department.
There the committee conferred
with Major Jadwin, of the Engineer
Corps, and later saw Assistant Secre-
tary of War Breckenridge. The mat
ter was thoroughly threshei out, and
the Federal officials, it is said, were
surprised at existing conditions as
laid be fore them. Mr.. Breckenridge
assured the committee that it could
rest at ease for the present, saying
that the matter would be further
considered in due course.
Meantime, the county officials COM
municated with Mr.. Osborne /. yell
lot, counsel to the Roads Commits
sion who, in turn, sent a long letter
ta the Governor. in which he outlined
the matter in detail. And the Gov
ernor promptly sent letter to the
War Department requesting that the
original limit be ext ended TO March
/, 1914.
Added to the other complications,
tn Government is now having a con-
crete bridge constructed across Col
lege creek to replace the present
wooden structure. The draw span of
the latter is not in compliance with
regulations, and the work on the ne W
bridge will not be completed until
March.
Now the orr .sinal complainants, it
became known today, have acquiesced
in the proposition for an extension
Of time.