Evening star., 1925-04-01
BRIDGE BUILDERS
TO MOVE POTOMAC
Plans for Memorial Structure
Call for Changing Chan
mel of River.

Reconstruction of the shore line OF
Columbia Island in the Georgetown
channel OF the Potomac River op-
posite West Potomac Park will be
made in connection with the plans
for the construction of the Arlington
Memorial Bridge, it was learned to-
day The construction of the bridge
also will make necessary, 1t is SAID,
the DIV ersion OF the present channel
of the Potomac River. so that II Will
be made to come in the center OF the
proposed bridge, where the draw is To-
Gated.
The matter of reconstructing the
shore line of the island and the di-
version of the channel was under
discussion for a long time today, with
Col. Clarence o. Sheriff., executive
officer of the Arlington Memorial
Bridge Commission, and Maj. OCon-
nor I-nited States engineer officer in
charge of river and harbor improve
ments for this engineer district, par
ticipating-
Proposed Changes Discussed.
The two officials discussed the pro-
posed plans for the changes involved,
which will necessitate considerable
dredging While no decision was
reached at the conference, ii is prob
able that the two officials VIII work
in conjunction with each other in the
interests of economy in connection
with the construction of the bridge.
Mai O'Connor'S office has an appro-
priation with which to dredge the
Georgetown channel and he will CO.
operate in every possible way with
the officials in charge OF the con-
struction of the Memorial Bridge
When il is decided what will be done
II is probable that the work can be
inaugurated within couple Of
months Before the actual dredging
is started it will be necessary to do
considerab BILE work on Columbia Is
land to change the original plans
made by the engineers for this i'm
proyement
Island on Virginia Side.
Columbia Island is on the Virginia
side of the Potomac below Analostan
Island and was built from silt pump
ed from the river bottom at various
times in connection with dredging
operations to maintain the mean
depth of the Georgetown channel for
navigation purposes. The change, ii
was said, involves moving the sea
wall on the river side of the island
somewhat farther back than was con-
templated in the original plans, so
as TO make it possible to divert the
present channel so that it Will come
under the center of the bridge.
The plan to have the work done
by the engineer officer in charge OF
this district will result in economy
because the dredging operations will
have to be carried on anyway in order
to keep the channel open at its mean
depth.
Boring Operations Needed
Maj. O'Connors office also will have
charge of the boring operations
which will be instituted for the pur-
pose of finding the character of the
earth and rock under the bridge right
of way so that 1t can be definitely
determined what nature of masonry
Will be needed to support the bridge
piers. This work is necessary so that
the Government can inform con.
tractors what they will have to do in
order that they may bid intelligently
on the work involved. The necessary
machinery is now being assembled in
the vicinity of the Lincoln Memorial
where the first hole will be sunk, and
1t was said today that the boring
will be started Friday morning.