Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-02

limited to 225 shares Of 5000 EACH and the toll
receipts were to be divided in annual dividends.
AS evidenced by the following letter, signed
by President WaShington'S secretary, the first
Chief Executive was interested in the construc-
ton of this bridge and the placing of it at this
point met with his approval The letter reads:
philadelphia November 81, 1895.
'To the Commissioners of the Federal City.
Gentlemen: Your letter of this 18th instant
with enclosures has been received by the PreSt-
dent of the United States and he directs me to
inform you that your proceedings exhibited
thereby meet his appreciation. The enclosed
section of a bridge designed for the Eastern
Branch was put into my hands by Mr. Blodgett
with request that I would present 1t to you
for your consideration The various advan-
tages belonging to it he will explain to you on
his arrival in Washington, which he proposes
to visit shortly
II am, gentlemen, &c,
"P. D. (Andridge), Secretary"
However, it does not appear that any great
effort was made to erect the bridge at this
time, and the next we hear of the project is
on March 49, 1901, when it was announced
that books would be opened for subscriptions
to the stock of the company, which it was
stated would be limited to $4,000. All the
stock having been subscribed for, proposals to
erect the bridge were asked for over the name
OF William Brent, secretary of the Eastern
Branch Bridge Co., though 1t not until
January, 1904, that the structure was sufficiently
advanced to enable the company to collect tolls.
At this period the width of the EaStern
Drank off Kentucky avenue is said to have
been 1913 feet, while the depth of the water
at common low tdie is placed at feet. One
OF the channels was IL to IA feet III depth and
450 feet wide.
Like the Long Bridge, this bridge was burned
late on the afternoon of August "a, 1914,
strategic meaSure-no doubt to keep it from
being used by the enemy. However the British
iN-ct Nfnnf nVNA oF0
to come by way of Bladensburg and also took
advantage of this route in retiring. It's de-
struction was accomplished by body of Ma
rines under Capt. Creighton of the Navy, but
the military justification for so doing has never
been admitted since the enemy had already
crossed the branch at Bladensburg.
Nearly year later Congress passed an act
Appropriating $4,000 for the Eastern Branch
Bridge Co., for damage done to the bridge.
after which it was repaired and used toll
bridge until about 1841, when it is said to have
been in disuse for general travel for some
time though used regularly for foot travel until
1846. when it is reported to have caught fire
from a steamer passing up to SkaggS' camp
meeting near Benning, and destroyed. The
old piling was visible at low tide for many
years afterward.
THE Lower Bridge-by which name the bridge
at Pennsylvania avenue and the Eastern
Branch also early knoWn-waS historic
from its association with the invasion of the
British. 1t was from here that Commodore
Barney marched to the District line and met
the enemy with such telling results. Indeed,
he and his sailors and marines did all the fight
ing that was done for the Americans.
According to M L Weller in his story OF
Commodore Barney, in the records of the Co
lumbia Historical Society, the commodore SO
disembarked strong force at Benedict which
was already on the march to Washington; he
Immediately landed with 400 of his men, Ieav-
ing the fiotilla with 1913 men under the COM
mand of his second lieutenant, Mr.. Frazier, a
little above Pig Point, with positive orders,
should the enemy appear near him in force,
to set fire to every boat and see that they
were in cohfagraton and then join him with
the rest Of the men; this was done the next
day. He also informed the secretary of Ad-
miral Cockburn's boast that he would dine in
Washington Sunday, after having destroyed
the fiotilla.' Barney marched to Upper MARI
borough that evening, the next morning he con-
tinued his march to the Wood Yard to meet
Gen. Winder; which he reached about noon
There he again met Capt. Miller of the Ma
rines, with 80 men and 5 guns, under orders
to report TO him. Commodore Barney
much gratilied at this accession to his force;
in the meantime, Gen. Winder rode up and
stated that the whole American Army had
been ordered to retreat to Washington, which
course the commodore had to follow with his
naval division, encamping that night at Old
Field President Madison, with his cabinet,
had all come from Washington to meet them;
the Secretary of the Navy joined the commo-
dore and slept that night in his tent
Next morning Commodore Barney accom-
panied the Secretary, to pay his respects to
the President who in the course of the fore
noon reviewed the combined forces and
horted the officers to be firm and faithful to
their duty At sunset they resumed the line