Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-01-17
Gen. Kingman, Chief Army En-
gineer, WithhoIds Official
Opinion on Subject.
TRAFFIC WOULD GOVERN
SELECTION, OF LOCATION
Division of Cost Of Structure to Re-
place Aqueduct Bridge Also
to Be Considered.

Gen. kingman, chief of engineers of
the army, in charge of the. navigable
waters of the United. States. yesterday
said that his department desired GER
tain information before it could ex-
press an official opinion as to the best
available location for a bridge across
the Potomac river to take the place OF
the Inadequate Aqueduct bridge and
also as to whether the equities of the
situation called for division of the
cost of such a structure among the
parties in interest.
The engineering questions involved IN
putting up a new bridge, he SAID
were comparatively simple, ana re-
quired no unusual study, and the adop-
ton of any particular site would make
no special difference in the total cost.
The amount fixed in the Carlln pill
81, 500, 000-he considered suf1clent 10
provide for a suitable commercial
bridge, ample for all purposes of trans
portation for many years to come. re-
CARELESS of the point selected for the
District approach. Gen. Kingman said
he never had expressed an official
opinion as to where the bridge should
be located, and would not do so I'M
less directed by Congress or the Sec
rotary of War.
According to his view. the determine
| ton of questions of site and the dlStrl-
| button of cost should be based on a
study of the origin and destination of
| the traffic. both human and vehicular,
| over the Aqueduct bridge, under exist
| ing conditions. Definite and reliable da ia
| in that line. he said. could Pre- bly, best be
| obtained by stationing policemen or
other responsible agents on the bridge
and having them keep a record of the
starting point and destination of every
| person crossing the bridge, whether
walking or riding. or in the trolley cars
or other vehicles, and obtaining similar
| information regarding all merchandise
| of whatever character. going to Vir-
| sina or coming into the District from
| that state.
Would Give Accurate Information.
| Information obtained in that way. he
said. would show beyond dispute
whether the trade and travel across the
i bridge from Virginia was mainly with
Georgetown or with Washington proper
| and also whether the trade and travel
| from the District to Virginia originated
east or west of Rock creek. 1t would
show also what direct interest the fed
eral government has in the maintenance
of a bridge between Washington and
| Fort Myer and the Arlington national
| cemetery.
| the main purpose Of a searching in
| quiry of that character, he said, would
be to eSta bliSh a basis for dividing the
| cost of new bridge among the federal
| government. the state of Virginia and
| the District of Columbia. 1t would show
| also whether the greatest good to the
| greatest number would be served best
| by putting the District end of the bridge
1
| street in the vicinity of 26th street
| Speaking offland. he said. he thought il
| probable that most of the products o.
| Virginia and most of the people in thai
| state who came into the District ovel
| the Aqueduct bridge were bound fol
points east of Rock creek and also that
the tide of travel and commerce to Vir-
| ginia originated in the same section oil
| the District. If that were so, he said
| the location of the bridge at H street
which was on a line directly east OF
| Rosslyn, would save at least half mile
in three trips between the two points.
Might Be Used for Light Travel.
Although the present Aqueduct bridge
will not be safe for railroad trans
iportation and other heavy traffic many
months longer, in the opinion of the
army engineers, who have examined
the structure, Gen. Kingman said he
thought it might be used for ligh1
travel between Georgetown and Vir-
ginia for many years to come in the
possible event that it should be foune