Evening star., 1924-04-25
National Memorial Bridge.

National Memorial Bridge.
President Coolidge has laid the
Memorial bridge plan before Congress
with the report of the bridge commits
sion, consisting of himself, the Presi-
dent of the Senate, Speaker of the
House, chairmen of the Senate and
House committees on public buildings
and the officer in charge of public
buildings and grounds. Thus realiza-
tion of a patriotic project which has
been before the people of Washington
for generations and several times be-
fore Congress is brought close. The
report of the bridge commission says
that the project has been considered
from time to time for more than
seventy-five years. apparently being
first suggested by President Andrew
Jackson"
r..ie Memorial bridge idea was born
after the civil war. The thought of
building d Memorial bridge originated
IN Washington. 1t was discussed dur
ing the decade 1SSO-1S9O and was pro-
Claimed as a feature of Greater Cap
tal plans many times in the decade
1S9O-1900. Before the Grand Army
cncampment of 1892 Waehingtonians
were working for such a memorial,
s-nd in the Board of Trade report for
1891 is a paragraph that "our atten-
tion must now be turned to a bridge
across the Potomac at the end of New
York avenue to connect the Capital
and Arlington and ''more firmly unite
the north with the south"
At a citizens meeting. October "a,
1898, it was decided to celebrate ap-
propriately the Tooth anniversary of
the establishment OF the National Cap
ital. On November ! 4 a Washington
committee called on President McKin-
ley to hand him a memorial explain
ing the objects of the proposed OBJ
servance. In that memorial was this:
So important an event could well
be marked by the erection of a type
Of architecture which will in itself
inspire patriotism and a broader love
of country, such as Il memorial hall.
a bridge connecting the District of
Columbia with the sacred ground of
Arlington OF some OIner permanent
structure which would commemorate
not only the occasion, but also the
exceptionally happy condition of our
people at this time. when to so
marked degree there is noticed the
absence of all sectional feeling and
the prevalence of good will through
out the land.
President Mckinley told the COM
mittee he was in full sympathy with
its aims and in his message. Decem-
her 5, 1898, commended the proposal.
Congress passed a bill, approved
February %, 1899, and which had
been drafted by the Board of Trade,
authorizing the President to appoint
a committee from the country at large
to act with committees appointed from
citizens of the District and that might
be appointed by the House and Senate
President Mckinley. in his message
70 Congress December 5, 1899, an
nounced his appointment of the com
nittee of governors and reviewed an
act passed at the preceding session
appropriating $1,000 ito enable the
chief of engineers of the Army to
continue the examination of the sub
ject and to secure designs and esti-
mates for memorial bridge He
told that four eminent bridge en-
gineers had been selected to submit
competitive designs "for a bridge com
bining the elements of strength and
bellishment and ornamentaticn as will
fftly apply to the dedication A Me-
mortal to American Patriotism.'" ="
President Mckinley informed Con-
sress that "the designs are now being
prepared and as soon as completed
will be submitted to Congress by the
Secretary Of War" and further on in
his message said:
THE proposed bridge would be a
convenience to all the people from
avery part of the country who visit
the national cemetery, an ornament
20 the Capital of the nation and for
over stand as a monument to Ameri-
can patriotism. I do not doubt that
Congress will give to the enterprise
still further proof of its favor and
approval
The District centennial celebration
was a national affair and the thought
Of the people of the District was that
it should be marked by national me-
mortal and the form of memorial most
desired and urged by the District was
a memorial bridge. Now, after these
many years. this great project, of
such significance as a patriotic monu-
nent and of such high value as q pub
lie utility, is about to become a reality.
Congress should. and doubtless will,
act promptly to provide the means for
its execution.