Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-24

II the LlDCOlIl AIeHlOEtdip plIcS W
masonry are rising this sum-
~ mer--the first tangible fruits
of 75-year dream Of the
most sublime and pretentious monu'
Tnent ever erected by a nation.
An epic in white granite, an eternal
memorial to those who have served
America in war and peace, soon Will
span the river. Those piles of stone
are the beginnings of the substructure
of the Arlington Memorial Bridge
under way at last and making notable
progress
1t will be the most beautiful bridge
In the world 1t will symbolic IN It's
stately columns the progress OF the
Nation in war, art, industry, aSriCuI'
ture and science. 1t Will serve as
tribute to those who have tallen on
the battlefield. It will join together
the North and the South by its repre-
- ntation of their common progress.
Most important of all to the people of
:ne National Capital. 1t will provide
an entrance to the city uneXampled on
the globe.
BY the end of the year, this sub
structure, built from granite quarried
at Stone Mountain, Ga, where one
OF the notable battles of the Civil War
was fought, should he nearly finished
and the contract let for the super
structure. This. in turn, will be faced
with white granite from Mount Airy,
n c., also rich with war associations.
Within the next month the architects
are expected to complete their plans
for the statuary and decorations which
will carry out the idea of national
memorial.
Two ideals have been kept para
mount in the minds of the designers
simplicity and sublimity. The steam
hammers at work there in the Poto-
mac are producing a work OF art
which will form an integral part OF
the greater Arlington plan, with the
ampitheater, the Lee mansion. the Lin
coin Memorial and splendid park
way to constitute other essential units.
All of these. and the thousands of
graves on the hillside besides. will he
elements of the link between North
and South.
For all practical purposes the bridge
itself will be ready for traffic in the
Gext three years, although eight
years more will be required before the
complete plan has been worked out.
Aside from all sentimental considera-
tionS, the practical Importance of this
project to Washington and nearby
Virginia hardly can be overestimated.|
Long before the dawn of history,
some brilliant intellect hit upon the
conception of the keystone of the
masonry arch. 1t was one of mans
supreme conquests over nature, and
ranks among the great inventions OF
all time. The passing centuries have
brought only technical improvements.
Since that day the construction Of
bridges has appealed more and more
to the human imagination. They have
evolved progressively from the crude
stone and timber structures of the
Romans to the daring and beautifully
symmetrical creations of masonry and
steel which today span the great rivers
of Europe and America. The extent of
nations material civilization, it has
been said, is expressed by it's bridges.
Now the Memorial Bridge will rep.
resent a still further advance. There
have been longer, wider and more
costly spans. No particularly new
principles of engineering are involved
in the construction. But hitherto all
bridges have been primarily unitarian.
Commerce and military defense have
been the first consideration. The
problems of the builders have been
mathematical problems. They have
been concerned with convenience of
safety. In recent years new idea has
crept into the rearing of bridges
beauty. The genius of the artist has
been added to that of the engineer
This span across the Potomac will ex-
press the ultimate of this new element. |
The fact that the bridge will serve as |
a great public utility has been appre- |
ciated fully-but it has been second |
airy. 1t represents the fruition of the |
bridge as a work of art.
MOST bridges have been, in their
way, beautiful. The very mathe-
NAUTICAL requirements of their struc-
ture make necessary symmetry and
expression of daring which appeals to
the esthetic sensibility. But the
imagination of the artists has not been
involved. There has been no effort to
make the lines and curves express
thoughts. as words, music or oil colors
express thoughts. This marks the be-
ginning of bridges of steel and stone
PHILOSOPHERS. The work of the en-.
gineer is subsidiary to that of the arch.
ftect, except, of course, in cases where
there might be a conflict over a con-
sideration of safety.
The symbolism Of the bridge will
NC hSlS lilSIlSO greatly ny us location
and surroundings. First, it will serve
as a link between North and South
running from the sublime Lincoln
Memorial to the foot of the Virginia
hills almost in front of the Lee Man
sion. Thus the associations of two
foemen of old will be joined. Second,
1t will form a primary part of the
great Arlington Cemetery plan. which
is destined to become more and more
elaborate as the years pass, until no.
where else in the world will there be
so richly adorned field of sacred soil.
In the face of these considerations,
the fact that the Memorial Bridge will
afford a badly needed and very impor-
tant highway across the Potomac is of
secondary consequence. Its construc-
ton is a wedding of utility and beauty.
but the latter is the bride.
The Potomac spans from Washing