Evening star., 1935-08-13
SOUTHEAST BRIDGE
CHARGE IS DENIED.
Engineer Says Reports of
Four-Foot CaVe-in Are
Gross Exaggeration.

District government engineers to-
day characterized as gross exag-
geration" reports that Pennsylvania
Avenue Bridge, at one end, had "caved
in a full feet
Flat denial Of statements of the
'precarious" conditions, voiced last
night at a meeting Of the Southeast
Business Mems Association. came to-
day from Clifford r. Whyte, District
bridge engineer.
The truth of the case is that the
flooring of the bridge sank few
inches, less than ( inches, last week,
due to the weight of vehicles COM
pressing a wooden joist'' said whyte
The bridge is in no danger of col
lapse. This is only an ordinary
maintenance matter"
Work of replacing several wooden
beams was started last Thursday and
was to be completed today. The
bridge is of steel construction, but has
a wooden floor. supported on wooden
joists. Due to wet weather. Whyte
said, the wooden beams occasionally
are softened SO that they are pressed
down against the steel. Whyte said
this is what happened last Thursday
Two wooden beams were ordered
promptly, he said. The total cost
Of the repair work, Whyte said,
would not be in excess of $3.50.
The Southeast Business Mems Asso-
citation last night decided to take the
fight for the removal of the garbage
disposal plant at New Jersey avenue
and K street southeast and the re-
placement Of the bridge directly to
President Roosevelt. The association
will ask the President to answer for
the Commissioners, whom he has put
into Office. asking of them why they
have failed to heed the requests sub
mitted by the business men.
Following this announcement, Dick
English. vice president of the group,
declared that the faulty Southeast
Bridge had spoken for itself" when,
it dropped full feet last Thursday
afternoon, just one day after Engi-
neer Commissioner Dan I. Sultan had
been taken on an inspection tour of
Southeast so as to acquaint himself
with conditions there.
One-Way Traffic Necessary.
The accident resulted in traffic be-
ing run over the bridge one way for
10 minutes and then reversing the
order for the next 10 minutes. 1t
was asserted that the bridge was not
repaired for two-way traffic until
Sunday. A drop of another foot, it
was disclosed, and the supports would
have rested on the water pipe run
ming under the bridge, possibly pune
turing it, resulting in the main water
supply of three communities-Randle
Highlands, Anacostia and Congress
Heights-being cut of. The bridge
is now "safeguarded" by a 12x12-inch
Joist.
Previous to this disclosure, English
strobe up and down the smoke-filled
room for fully 40 minutes, vehemently
assailing the 'leather-cushioned boys"
down at the District Building.
It defy Peoples Counsel Roberts.
who is paid $1,000 of his salary by
taxpayers of Southeast, to prove that
he has left his swivel, leather-cush-
ioned chair for one hour to interest
himself in the welfare of Southeast"
English proclaimed.
35-Year Handicap Hit.
English described himself as q gar
bage expert" when he went into a
detailed explanation Of the Ill effects
of the 35-year-old plant that has
harrassed residents Of Southeast by
its almost unbearable odor. He said
he asked Col. Sultan what he thought
of a section that had to tolerate a
garbage plant for more than IS years.
Sultan was quoted as answering that
amy section that has had it that
long has had it long enough" Where
upon English said he suggested the
plant be removed to an isolated spot
at Buzzards Point.
Following English's remarks, Louis
Frick, counsel for the association, sug-
gested that health representative
be selected to investigate the possi-
bilities Of disease emanating from the
plant and, II no help was forthcoming
from District officials. the organiza-
ton take its complaint to the Fall
term of District Supreme Court on
the basis Of the health officials find
ings.
Besides the bridge and garbage con-
troversy, the association listed among
their requests for President Roose-
velt's attention, slum clearance and
adequate playground facilities.
DR.. william Mcclellan. president Of
the Potomac Electric Power Co., rep
resenting the Community Chest, de-
livered an address after the business
session.