Evening star., 1920-01-16
$1,100,0lD MORE:
FOR KEY BRIDGE
GETS APPROVAL

Favorable report was ordered to-
day by the House committee on in
terState and foreign commerce on an
increased appropriation of s1,1oO,0oo
for continuing the work on the Key
bridge to replace the present Aque-
Duct bridge. as recommended by the
chief of engineers of the Army. maxi
ing a total cost of construction work
on the Key bridge of S2.100.000.
This action was taken following
hearing today on the bill introduced
by Representative R Walton Moore.
democrat, of Virginia to amend the
construction Of this bridge. Maj. M.
Z. Tyler of the Army Engineer Corps.
who is in charge of building the new
bridge, addressed the committee.
This bridge is the prin pal ap-
proach to Fort Myer, to Arlington
national cemetery. and for the people
in that section of Virginia who work
or do business in Washington. The
District pays one-half of the expenses
of the structure. and the Engineer
Comm missioner is cooperating with
Maj. Tyler in the progress of the
work.
Khe new bridge resembles closely,
Maj. Tyler told the committee, the
Connecticut Avenue bridge.
Present Sum Exhausted.
The present law limits the cost Of
construction to $1,000, 900, but that
sum has been nearly exhausted and
work on the structure must stop by
the end Of next month unless addi-
tional funds are promptly made avail
able. Maj. Tyler emphasized that the
increased cost is due to the rise in
price Of material and labor. The work
has been seriously retarded, he said
because it was impossible to get eff
ficient labor. 1t will be impossible,
he said. under any conditions to COM
lat "a n auy hri hat \
Of the year 1920, and it will probably
take the greater part of 1921 to finish
the job.
Apprehension was expressed by
members of the committee as to
whether the old Aqueduct bridge
is completed. Maj. Tyler emphasized
the dangerous condition of the old
bridge. In reply to n question he
said it was possible that some day
a street car loaded with people would
be dumped off into the river, but he
hoped that sufficient warning can be
given to clear the briIge before it
collapses.
In addition to the $4,000 now es-
timated as the ultimate cost of the
bridge, there is s150.00O in a separate e
measure for purchasing land for ap-
proaches to thestructure and for plans
for the bridge. OF this amount sS5.-
600 has been spent on the Georgetown
side and there remains balance of
S22, ,756, the rest of the fund having been
spent on plans.
Hearing Set for Tomorrow.
The appropriations committee has
set tomorrow for a. hearing on the
increased appropriation. The favor
able report ordered today by the
committee on interstate and foreign
commerce authorizing such an ap-
preparation is expected to have con-
siderable weight in persuading the ap-
propriatiorS committee to make this
appropriation in the deficiency bill
which is now being drafted and is
expected to be reported early next
week.
Maj Tyler explained the work on
the new bridge was seriously delayed
during the war, because many of the
men at work on the structure went
into the Army and others into emer-
gency construction work such as can
tonments and shipyards. The result
was that the working force was de-
pIeted and inefficient, even though
the Secretary of War listed it as a
war project. There was great delay
getting material and labor The cost
of common labor increased from SIZE
to 81 a day.
The work is about 33 per cent COM
pleted on the permanent yardage OF
concrete, and about 81 per cent COM
pleted including temporary work
! The first two piers on the Virginia
| side are finished.
Work has been suspended on &C
| count of the ice in the river. but 1t
should be resumed soon. If the work
| is shut down on account of the failure
| of Congress to appropriate the funds
| the government stands to lose heavily
on the project, Maj. Tyler said.