Evening star., 1923-12-20
MEMORIAL BRIDGE
DECISION DELAYED
Commission, Headed by the
President, to Study Plans
More Fully.

Following a preliminary study to-
day of the plans for the proposed
Arlington Memorial bridge to span
the Potomac river. connecting the
Lincoln Memorial and the Arlington
national cemetery. the Arlington
Memorial bridge commission. of which
President Coolidge is chairman. decided
today TO give further thought to the
plans before approving them.
In adjourninS the meeting in his
office President Coolidge said in view
thought it best for the commission to
give more study TO the proposition
before reaching conclusion. He
said he would call another meeting
Of the commission soon, when final
action would be taken.
The members of the commission W no
met with the President today were:
Speaker Gillett Of the House of Rep
resentatives, Senator Feruald and
Representative Langley, chairmen of
the Senate and House committees on
public buildings. and Col. Clarence O.
Sheriff., u. 8. A. officer in charge of
public buildings and grounds, execu-
tive and disbursing officer of the COM
mission; c. Bascom Slemp, secretary
to the President, and William Mitchell
Kendall of the New York firm OF
architects, who made the drawings.
Full Drawings Viewed.
The meeting was called for 10
o'clock. and a moment or so after all
had gathered the group walked from
the Presidents office to the Corcoran
Art Gallery. where the various draw
! ings and paintings OF the bridge and
its approaches were ranged.
Col. Sheriff. and Architect Kendall
explained these drawings and paintings,
, of which there were fourteen. and incl
dentally gave an interesting word pic
ture OF the great project, telling OF its
uses. its ornamental features, its sig-
nificance az a connecting link between
the two great American shrines. 1t
was shown that this big span will serve
also as a connection between the term
mus Of the Lee national highway and
the National Capitol.
Both Col. Sheriff. and Architect Ken
dali. in describing the features of this
proposed bridge. said that the project
as planned. will, when completed. be
the handsomcst Of its kind IN the world.
They assured the commiss on that be-
sides the memorial feature and the orna-
mental aspect of the bridge, il Will
have untold usefulness.
This proposed wonderful span will
,
and with the approaches at either end
the length will be $500 feet. The
northern terminus of the bridge will
be almost directly at the Lincoln Me-
mortal and the south end will be only
several hundred yards this side of the
terry. The drawings call for a low
bridge with numerous spans, with a
draw toward the middle. This draw
will be of the bascuie type, and the
fnx- - To-,
will be out of vision within the two
piers of that particular span.
Estimated Cost s1O.OOO.OOO.
It cannot now be estimated what
the proposed memorial will cost noI
the time needed for construction. 1,
is the rough guess of those who
have worked on the plans that the
ultimate cost will be near s10,00o.o0C
and that it will take five or SIN years
Another important and interesting
feature pointed out by Col. Sheriff.
and over which each member of the
commission appeared enthusiastic was
the future development or Columpla
Island incident to this project lie
showed by means Of several or the
drawings how the proposed bridge
will span this new island created In
the last few years by means OF dreoS-
ing in the Potomac, and at the same
time announced that his once. In
co-operation with the Fine Arts COM
mission and the Senate and House
public buildings committees. planned
| to make Columbia Island one or the
most picturesque public parks In the
world He said it already comprises
more than 800 acres, and that by tnt
| time the bridge is completed IL VIII
, The plans called for the southern
! end of the bridge proper near tht
south end of this island, ana over
| the narrow stretch Of water sepa-
rating the island from the virginia
shore a 1O0-foot bridge will be built.
Describes Utility Of Bridge.
Col. Sheriff. interested the com
mission when he described how B ane
2sd streets will become of great i'm
portance as thoroughfare,s because
they become the two direct road
ways to the north approach tc
the bridge He told how 3 street viii
be developed into an attractive boule'
ward and will serve to relieve Penn-
sylvania avenue of much OF its pres
ent pleasure vehicular traffic. To ac'
complish all of this for B street ne
pointed out that it Will be necessary
for the government to acquire nall
of the block between 9Th and Az
streets on Missouri avenue.
The Presidnt's interest In the prof.
ect and in the various drawings and
paintings was unmistable. He ex
amined closely the details of these
displays and asked innumerable Ques.
commission spent more than twenty
minutes in the inspection of the
plans, but remained in session less
than ten minutes. when they returned
to the Presidents office.