Evening star., 1922-02-03
CLUB CITES BRIDGES.
I DECLARED UNSAFE.
Kiwanians Demand Report on
Calvert Street and KIingIe
Ford Structures.

Ford Structures.
Adhering to the principles of "a
stitch In time saves nine." resolutions
were adopted by the Kiwanis Club
| yesterday afternoon at the Hotel
| Washington demanding that the Dis
trict officials give satisfactory re-
| ports of conditions at the Calvert
street and Klingle Ford bridges. which
have frequently been declared in an
| unsafe condition.
Referring to the horror Of the
Knickerbocker Theater disaster, Eu-
gene Adams, former president Of the
| club. declared that the time had
| come to put the matter of the safety
Of bridges. public buildings. ETC.,
squarely up to those in responsible
Following lengthy discussion Of the
| matter. President Charles f. Roberts
appointed a special committee, COM
| posed Of Gen. Anton Stephan, Charles
| w. Pimper and Mr.. Adams. to pre-
! sent the resolutions personally to the
| back to the organization next week
| concerning the progress made.
Three Courses Of Action Open.
Three courses of action are sug-
gested in the resolution-the con-
| struction of new bridges; a statement
from the Commissioners to the effect
that the present structures are safe,
| il such is found to be the case after
| immediate and proper investigation,
and the closing of the bridges to all
traffic If they are found to be unsafe
and no money is available for their
replacement.
The resolution in full follows:
1T has been matter of common
rumor, whether or not well founded
we do not know, that the Calvert
Street bridge across Rock creek, and
the Klingle Ford bridge on Connectt-
cut avenue are unsafe. So far as we
are informed. the safety Of these
bridges has not been made a matter
of special investigation by engineers
for some time. The people Of this
community, still in the shadow of
great catastrophe, have the right to
expect that no stone be left unturned
to assure their safety SO far as is
reasonably possible.
"Therefore, be 1t resolved: That we.
the members Of the Kiwanis Club of
Washington. do hereby petition the
honorable board Of Commissioners OF
the District Of Columbia to; % For
ward at once to Congress request
for appropriations sufficient to start
work on new and modern bridges to
replace these structures. l2) To use
their best efforts Immediately to nave
the conditions Of these bridges as re-
CARDS their safety. in view OF the
traffic loads they bear daily. tnvest-
gated at once by competent engineers,
and that report of said engineers he
made public as soon as possible. t0
To reassure the public as to the con-
dition of the bridges If. upon inves-i-
cation. competent engineers pro-
nounce them safe. and II, on the other
hand, such assurances are noI pos
sible, to close both bridges to all traf-
fic until they are made safe
Safety First ConsideratIca.
In moving the adoption Of the reso-
luton Mr. Adams declared that COM
mercial interests and the financial
welfare Of individuals or corporations
should not be allowed to stand IN the
way Of the proper protection OF hu-
man lives. The resolution was unah-
imously adopted.
There have been many complaints
from local organizations in the past
year regarding the condition OF theSn
two bridges. At a recent meeting OF
the Washington Board of Trade the
condition Of both structures was
, and resolutions were adopted urging
the authorities to take action con-
cerning their Improvement.
Committee Report Quoted.
Concerning the Calvert Street
bridge. the boards committee on
bridges reported:
| plans already have been made for
| the Calvert Street bridge. the con-
struction Of which will cost about
81, 100000. The present bridge is un-
| slightly, and is absolutely inadequate
| to take care Of the existing traffic, in
| that it has been found necessary to
| narrow the space occupied for the use
Of the travelling public. The struc-
! ture is so out of place in its beauti-
| eyesore, and its continuance in its
| present condition is both a cause of
| comment of strangers to the city and
; a source of expense. In two or three
months it will be necessary to refioor
the bridge. which will cost approxi-
mately $4,000. which practically is
| lost.
THE Commissioners. in their rec
| concentrations to Congress. have re-
Quested an appropriation of $180,o00
to begin work upon this bridge. and
your committee deems it of the high
est Importance that this appropriation
be obtained SO that the operations
looking to the renewal and replacing
Of this bridge may be commenced at
the earliest possible moment.
Bridge Mt Klingle Ford.
1.-THE Klingle Ford bridge on Con-
necticut avenue is another bridge
| which is subjected to unusually
heavy traffic, and which is, by reason
Of it's construction, unsuitable to
| modern traffic.
1.-The engineering department of
| the District of Columbia does not,
however. consider the bridge unsafe.
but, as a matter of fact, when used
| by heavy vehicles the vibration
| thereon is exceedingly great. 1t is.
| therefore. suggested that this bridge
be replaced as soon as possible"
The meeting of the kiwants Club
| was devoted mainly to memorial
services for those who lost their
lives or were otherwise affected by
! the disaster. Rev. DR.. John c. Palmer,
one of the two minister of the or
ganization, delivered the address.
! taking as his theme the moral of
| Montgomery's famous hymn, There
is no union here of hearts that hath
| not here an end"
| DR.. Palmer said that the result of
such catastrophes was a closer join
| ing together of all to lead purer
lives, and a better understanding of
service and sacrifice to our fellow
men," =
Expressions of sympathy were ex-
| tended to Kiwanian Robert NJ. Flem-
| ing, head of the firm of Sterrett &
| Fleming, automobile dealers. who lost
| his father, brother and sister in the
| disaster.
rpn@n- nlrAn