Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-11-23
AQUEDUCT BRIDGE
REMOVAL SOUGHT
Concerted Drive on Congress
Planned; Recreation Pier
Proposal Is Backed.

A concerted drive on Congress viii be
made this Winter by interested George
town groups to remove the Aqueduct
Bridge. Major Joseph D. Arthur, jr.,
district engineer for the War Depart
ment for the Washington area, believes
that this "unsightly pile" should be
removed as part of the program to
clean up the city for the 1882 George
Washington bicentennial celebration.
Major Arthur has estimated that it
Will cost $225,oo0. He deems the bridge
a menace to navigation and q hazard
to the safety of the Key and Arlington
Memorial Bridges in case of q heavy
ice jam.
Want Part Used as Pier.
Georgetown groups are anxious to
have the last abutment of the ole bridge
on the Washington shore preserved as
a municipal pier-not only as a means
of egress and ingreSs to the shore in
that locality, but as a vantage point to
view the picturesque scenery Of the
Potomac and as a cooling-off place for
citizens on sultry Summer nights.
Mrs. Elizabeth Sullivan of 1919
Thirty-f1rst street, president of the Pro-
gressive Citizens Association of George
town, says that her group Is very
anxious to have the old bridge removed,
but wants to keep the first pier on the
Washington side as a sort of municipal
recreation center. This, she believes,
can be reconstructed into a waterside
amusement pier for about $25, 900. The
group has been represented once be-
fore Congress.
The association stands ready to ap-
pear before Congress again, to push the
project. A municipal pier at that point,
Mrs. Sullivan explained, would make a
desirable stairway down to the boat
clubs. When boat races are in progress,
dangerous situation is created, by
people climbing up on the obsolete
bridge, she says. The old bridge Is an
eyesore to tourists entering and leaving
the National Capital by way OF Key
Bridge, and certainly should be removed
before the 1882 George Washington BIZ
centennial Celebration, she asserts.
Recreation Pier Opposed.
B. A. Bowles, president of the George
town Citizens Association, has similar
sentiments He pointed out that there
oAC q AAuAAANSA VA ROOA
Georgetown, who are unable to travel
far, and on hot Summer nights might
sit on the pier and get cool. There Is
always breeze blowing down the river
In that vicinity, he said.
w. A. Roberts, chairman OF the Law.
and Legislation Committee OF the Con-
duit Road Citizens Association and its
delegate to the Federation OF Citizens
Associations, said yesterday that his
group favors total destruction OF the old
dge-Superstructure, piers and all.
He is disinclined to agree with the
others that it might form a recreational
area, pointing out that the proposed
new highway to Great Falls would be
tnterfered with. He believes that 1t
would cost fortune to put the pier in
shape for recreational purposes and
maintain it. Potomac Park and other
similar areas in the city give oppor-
tunity for recreation, and in any case,
he says, Key Bridge overshadowS the
proposed amusement pier.
Federation FavOrs Razing.
The Advisory Committee and the
Federation OF Citizens Associations also,
Mr.. Roberts asserted, have favored the
elimination Of the old bridge.
Efforts will be made by those inter-
ested In securing. the immediate re-
moval of the antiquated span to secure
cooperation Of other groups.