Evening star., 1933-09-01
A Menace to Public Safety.

This is the first day of September.
Last April 10 the statements appsSr-n ;
below were maze at meeting OF the
Senate Subcommittee on District Ap-
propriations in relation to the Calvert
Street Bridge:
Senator Copeland-Do you share the
views that others have held before, that
the Calvert Street Bridge Is unsafe?
Mai. GotWals-I certainly do, Sen
ator.
Senator GlasS-In what way?
Mai. Gotwals-I believe that in the
case of this bridge there are only Two
things to do-to rebuild it as rapidly as
we can, or to close it. There Is no
other horn to the dilemma.
X X 4
Senator Copeland-Major, want 10
know for myself about the danger OF
that bridge When you say 1t Is oan-
gerous, is it in such condition tnat II
some heavy truck were to go over II, II
might fall through, that the orloge
might fall down? Is it actually mem
ace to the public welfare, as you see II!
Mai. Gotwals-There are two ways IN
which it is dangerous. The deck Itself
is capable of holding only a nlne-toh
truck on the street car tracks them-
selves Were a truck heavier than nine
tons to get on a part OF the orloge-
admittedly that part Of the bridge Is
very narrow, because the bridge Is only
81 feet wide-it could go through, ana
could bring down the whole bridge, ana
we have a great number OF Vehlcles
running in Washington heavier tnaE
nine tons. We have the brloge llInlteu
to nine tons and we supervise !" III
every way that we can. ,,
Senator Copeland-Ihen; major, you
are imnressine upon this body, repre-
sentative of the United states oehate'
that we are permitting an unsafe struc-
tl1re to continue. and your recommenoa-
tion is that some action be taken 10
replace it speedily. Is that rlght?
Mai. GotWals-Yes, sir.
Senator Glass-Did you discuss these
MATTERS with the director of the budget
vhen he vas making these estimates?
Mai GotWals-I have not done SO at
this time; no. sir. I discussed II WIN
his representatives while we were max
ing up the budget; not with the dl-
rector personally.
Senator Copeland-Did you point out
to his representatives the danger OF the
bridge? ;,- =.
Maj. Cotwals-Yes, sir. think, II
remembcr-we had no written rec
ord did so in almost the same "oiuS
! am using now.
There is another hazard to that. now
ever. that I want to bring out. We have
rebuilt the Klingle Valley Bridge since
have been here. We began work under
it. When we worked under II, tneh
only did we realize the terrific Uoratlon
of it. and that bridge was not replaceo'
in nv mind day too soon. we are
terribly concerned about 1t. You take
an old bridge like that that begins 10
get loose and there is a perlod 10 lts
vibration. If you hit that period Just
right the bridge goes down. ms Is
an old old bridge. The things I am
saving have been said through the last
30 years. ,.a
Senator Nye-Is that vibration difh-
Guilty found on the Calvert street
Bridge now?
Mai. Gotwals-Yes. sir. If you re
member. Senator. back in 1911, "
wears ago, the bridge deck was mar
rowed on account of the excessive
vibration.
Senator Capper-I do not believe Con-
rress can afford to take the chance OF
letting that bridge go any longer with
out some action.
senator Copeland-I think myself it
would be wicked.
Senator King hit the nail on the head
yesterday in his memorandum TO the
Bureau of the Budget, in which he en-
phasized the fact that Congress in
tended that the Calvert Street Bridge
be replaced. OF course, Congress in
tended it to be done and everybody else
thought it would be done. The money
to start the work is in the Treasury. 1t
has been collected from the taxpayers.
It can be spent for no other purpose.
How long does the Bureau OF the
Budget expect to deny men the work
that would come with building the
bridge, refuse to carry out the obvious
intent Of Congress. which considered
the matter for many years and at the
same time permit the continuance Of
what qualified authorities consider a
public menace?
If the bridge is not to be replaced, is
1t not about time that the Engineer
Commissioner recalled what he said
nearly five months ago was the only
alternative-and close it to traffic?