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

"And so. this bridge. Adieu, ye blackenee
StumpS,
Which point with martyred fingers to your pasti
We. hail Today, and celebrate the New :,
A bridge of stone and iron, built to last,
lasting heritage for peaceful times,
A highway for the use of rich and poor,
An artery to flow with milk and corn,
Ard other products, to cur very door,"
The Grafton was delivered by Representative
Jonathan H. Rowell of Illinois. and the invo-
cation and benediction by Rev. Thomas B.
Hughes and Rev. James w. Clark respectively.
The full Marine Band in attendance with
John Philip Sousa conductor.
THE Benning Bridge. early known as ths
Anacosia Ewell's, and the Upper Bridge,
was authorized by the Maryland Legislature
January 20, 1907, and the Anacos'ia Bridge
Co. was Incorporated by the same authority
for the purpose of erecting the bridge, which,
it would appear, was built mainly at the ex-
penSe of Benjamin Stoddert, who, with Thomas
Law and John Templeman, authorized in
the charter to receive subscriptions to the
stock Upon the death of Stoddert, it was
ascertained that he had owned within four
shares of the entire authorized capital OF
100000 DR.. Thomas Ewell, his on-in-law,
served administrator of his estate, and the
bridge finally sold, about 1925, to William
6enuiIlB ana became Known as
Bridge" by which name We know the present
structure even today. 1t also of the
bridges burned by order of the military au-
thorities during the of 18l2-15. and for
which Congress passed bills of relief.
The original Navy Yard Bridge, which we
now call the Anacostia Bridge, was constructed
under an act of Congress passed February IA,
1919, when charter granted to William
Prout, William Marbury Samuel N. Small
wood, Timothy VIM and Adam Lindsay. On
July 4. following its authorization, work
the bridge begun, and although not en-
tirely finished three months later, yet it was
thrown open at this time to the public.
During President Grants second adn,inissra-
ton, this old structure considered a menace
and removed to avoid calamity. and another
bridge built here in its place under the super
vision of Gen. Oryille E. Babcoek, Engineer
Corps, u. S. A.
Associated with the Navy Yard Bridge is the
escape of John Wilkes Booth, who aSsassinated
Abraham Lincoln in the night of April a. 1865,
for it was by way of this bridge that he left
the city with Harold, his accomplish. Though
the bridge at the time was still under military
guard. being in charge of Sergt. SiIas T. Cobb.
yet the war being over the restrictions on
passing the bridges at Washington were re-
Taxed, and so, when two horSemen appeared
at the bridge 10 minutes apart, they were
allowed to pass upon saying that they were
Md. Later when the tub carrying Booths
body. and the prisoner. Harold, came up the
Potomac, it moored close to the old bridge
and the body of Booth was laid out on the
deck of the monitor Montauk and Harold, in
double irons, put i'll the hold
OF course, there is no comparison between the
present bridge over this part of the Po-
torlac and the two earlier ones which stood
her hn fret csln do
scription of it states that it Is feet wide.
1900 feet long, and built of wood resting
piles with a draw the channel which
was "a feet deep at that point"
The second bridge-the one built under the
direction of Gen. Babcock-undoubtedly still Is
remembered by many of our citizens, especially
those who were bicycle enthusiasts and took
long trips throughout suburban Washington
and into the States of Maryland and Virginia,
35 40 years ago-that is. when the roads
made it possible to do so. Over the AnacoStia
Bridge was the route usually followed TO ride
to Forestville and farther on to Upper MARI
boro, which considered a very good days
run However, the most difficult part of this
trip was in riding up the long, steep grade OF
Good Hope Hill, which began immad iately upon
leaving Anacostia. 1t was by far the hardest
stretch of road to cover, and it took a mighty
strong rider not to have to dismount before
reaching the top Today we go up this hill in
our automobiles without even giving the grade
a thought, and arrive at Marlboro in about
three-quarters of an hour, which ALL
days trip in the good old days. even with