Evening star., 1925-04-10
DEP0WERGNEN
IN BUILDING BRIDGE
Controller Confers Authority
for Immediate Contracts on
Memorial Span Over River.

Wide authority is given the Arling-
10 nMemorial Bridge Commission in
the expenditure of funds for the erec-
tion of this gigantic span across the
Potomac River, starting at the Lin
coin Memorial. A decision by Con-
troller General McCarl, made public
today, insures that the bridge project
may go forward without any delay
due to the necessity of waiting until
appropriations become available be-
fore contracts are made.
Lieut. Col. Clarence o. Sheriff., di-
rector of public buildings and public
parks of the National Capital and ex-
ecutive officer of the Arlington Me
mortal Bridge Commission. said today.
in discussing the controllers deci-
sion. that it gave him very complete
authority to proceed with the work.
He said he asked the controller for a
decision as to whether he could make
contracts for work on the bridge in
advance of the time the appropria
tions became available.
Contracts to Run Period of Years.
Col Sheriff. said the decision gives
him authority to make contracts run
the estimated cost of the work. and
with the stipulation in the contract
that the money was only to be paid
during the year that il becomes avail
able by appropriation from Congress
Work is being rushed forward on the
bridge under the belief that the funds
were available, and the preliminary
work now is being done. In fact, it was
started several weeks ago. The firsi
boring has been made. and today the
drill is being shifted to another spot tc
take another boring on the Potomac
Park shore.
Nothing in the way of actual planning
for the kind Of construction for the
piers. of course, can be done until the
information obtained as the result OF
the boring is available. 1t will take
about four months to complete the bor-
ings, which will be made in the river
and on the Virginia shore at points
where the eight supporting piers will
be located. Then the work of changing
Columbia Island and the Georgetown
Channel bed will have to be done.
Controllers Decision Quoted.
The controller general in his de.
cision referred in detail TO the act Of
February "a. 1925. authorizing the
bridge project. THE intent of Con.
gress," said the controller general
lin adopting the 10-year building
program and in authorizing expendi-
lures during that period from appro-
priations to be made from time tc
time not to exceed a total of s14.750,-
900, as gathered from the foregoing
was to confer authority on the com
mission to enter into contracts with
private parties after due and proper
competition to continue for the period
necessary for the construction of the
bridge and its approaches or &c
authorize prosecution Of the work di.
rectly by the commission, 'or both. as
the commission might deem advis-
able.
I'm public works of magnitude il
has been customary for Congress &c
grant authority therefor within q
limit of cost. but only make appro-
priations by fiscal years as the prog
reSs of the work requires rather
than Immediately appropriating the
entire amount of the authorization
The authorization and not the appro-
priation is the authority for contract
ing for SO much of the work as
physically and the orderly sequence
of construction make necessary but
the contracts so made impose no obli-
cation upon the Government beyond
the amount actually appropriated, ant
contracts so made are subject to anG
dependent upon future appropriations
by Congress, and must so stipulate
The entering into contracts BY
the commission, under the act of Feb
,, ruary "a, 1925, is authorized accord
ingly.'