Evening journal., 1922-05-30

in the charge of Mrs. William c.
Speakman. These have been made
by the women who will take part in
/ the historical drama.
The dances have been arranged
by Mrs. ]. A. Wickersham and Will
be directed by Miss Kate A. McClaf-
ferty. Music is in charge of Will
liam p. White, while the chorus has
been drilled by T. Leslie Carpenter.
7. Norris Robinson, who will direct
the Philharmonic Band, has done a
lot of work transposing and arrang-
ing special music. Mrs. George E.
| Austermuhl has charge of the
properties" for the pageant and
Park superintendent Edward r.
Mack has arranged for the grounds.
Miss Pauline X. Vrooman is pageant
director and Miss Frances L. Range,
of the Wilmington Community Ser
vice. has organized the 1000 persons
! who will participate. Charles F.
Ernst. executive secretary of the
Community Service. has had super
vision of the affair In general.
The old Washington street bridge.
which has been replaced by the
handsome new memorial span. was
erected in 1898. City Park Commits
sioner Samuel II. Baynard and the
late William Lawton were among
the pioneer advocates of the bridge,
and Mr.. Baynard has lived to see all
his prophecies made in the early COS
of the development Of the Washing
ton Heights section come to realiza-
tion.
The old bridge was 6s3 feet long
and was IS feet above the level of
the rocks and creek beneath It. 1t
cost $1,000. and was built by the
Delaware Construction Company. of
which Alvin r. Morrison was presi-
dent. Steel for the bridge was fur
nished by the Edge Moor Bridge
Company"
Pronounced by engineers as well
as laymen to be a structure that will
compare most favorably with any
bridge Of its size in the country, the
new bridge was thrown open to
traffic last Christmas.
The bridge is 72O feet long and
~ feet wide over all.
The first meeting of the Bridge |
Commission was held April 2s. 1919, |
shortly after the General Assembly |
had passed the act naming the body. |
Actual work on the bridge began |
on August 21. 1920. following the |
closing Of the old span to traffic, Au-
gust 8, 1920. The cost of the struc- |
ture is well within the sum set in
the act, when authority was given to
issue sS50,O00 in bonds, all of which
were sold at a premium.
Davis and Torbert, Of New York
City, are the architects and engineers
OF the structure. The firm consists
Of Benjamin II. Davis and Vance w.
rorbeft. the latter being a Delaware
boy. The Walsh Construction Com
oany has been the builder.
The entire bridge comprises
fifteen arch rings, or three rings TO
each arch. To concrete a ring, a
huge steel centering Is used for sup
port On this steel centerlng is
built ,the frame work of the ring
which Is finally completed with CON
,rete and crushed stone.
Members of the Bridge Commits
ion, named by the Legislature to /.
lrrange for and supervise construc-
ion of the bridge, were Alfred I.
luPont. chairman; John s. Ros- ,
ell, banker; Benjamin F. Shaw,
Albert Stetser presi-
lent OF the Levy Court and Isaac i.
:. Elliott, who was a member of
he Levy Court. when the commits :
ion was created.
The commission selected Freder-
ck w. Carpenter as its executive
ficer and consulting engineer, and =
e looked after the details of the
obstruction Of the bridge and ar I I
anged for the dedlcatory exercises {
n behalf Of the commission. (