Evening star., 1922-06-28
,rlv comnletion of the $4,000, 900 con.

Early completion OF the S2,OO0OO0 con-
crete bridge across the Potomac at
Georgetown places on the Secretary OF
War and the District Commissioners re-
sponsbility for expeditions settlement of
several important questions of traffic
over that structure.
The act of May IS, 1916. authorizing
construction of the bridge provided that
it should "be used as a highway for
traffic. and for gas and water mains,
power. telegraph and telephone wires or
cables, and interurban railroads, upon
such conditions and for such compensa-
tion. as may from time to time be pre-
scribed by the Secretary of War" 1t
was provided that the Washington and
Old Dominion Railway. now using the
Aqueduct bridge, be permitted to
change it's location SO as to cross the
new bridge with a double track. subject
to approval of the Secretary OF War
Another provision was that a standard
system of electric propulsion should be
installed on the bridge by the Washing
ton and Old Dominion and maintained IN
good condition. 1t also was specifically
provided that ANY electric railway
shall have the right to use said new
bridge and the double track above
described upon terms determined by the
Secretary of War. who Is authorized and
directed to fix the terms of joint track
age" All railways using the bridge were
to be required to pay 12 cent Tor each
passenger transported over the brldge
and Just and reasonable rates for
freight These payments were to be
made monthly and one-haf OF the
amount was to be credited to the DIS
trict of Columbia, which. under the act.
is required to pay one-half OF the cost
of the bridge.
Rail Situation Changed.
Since that law was enacted, how
ever the railroad situation has un-
dergone a radical change. The prest-
dent of the Washington and Old Do
minion railway recently notihed the
Secretary of War that IL has decided
to abandon it's present Georgetown
terminus and establish a new one at
Rosslyn. near the southern end OF the
new bridge. AS a consequence, ne
said, the railway will not aVall itself
of it's permission to cross the new
bridge. About the same time, the
president of the Capital Traction
Company advised the War Depart
ment and the District Commissioners
Of it's desire to extend its line from
NJ street across the new bridge to
Rosslyn, with a loop at the southern
limit of the government reservation
extending to the line of the Cherry
dale road at that point and of its
readiness to build the double track
across the bridge PROVIDED LOT py
the organic act. 1t was explained to
the officials that the traffic plan ap-
proved by the various lines affected
would provide close connection at
Rosslyn, with the Washington and
Old Dominion railway at it's new
terminus, just west of the Capital
Traction loop, and with the existing
terminus of the Arlington and Claren-
don branches of the Washington and
Virginia Railway Company, just east
of the proposed loop
Traction Plans Approved.
Mai Max Tyler, the United States
engineer in charge of the construc-
tion of the bridge. has approved the
plans of the Capital Traction Com
pany for laying tracks across the
bridge to Rosslyn. The Public Utili-
ties Commission of the District also
has expressed approval of the exten-
sion of the line from NJ street, but has
suspended action pending further con-
sideration of the question of whether
the company shall be permitted to
collect a fare of half cent from each
passenger carried across the bridge
to meet the tax of that amount i'm
posed by the law. On behalf of the
company it is represented that the
new rail construction will cost the