Evening star., 1935-12-19
CALVERT BRIDGE
TO Be DEDICATED
AT RITE TONIGHT
Senator Thomas to Make
Principal Address at Con-
CIuSion of Parade.
SIX DIVISIONS TO MARCH
TO new $1,750,OO0 SPAN
Col. John W. 0ehmann to Be
Misunderstanding Clark,
Ann Laser Sponsors.

Washlngton'S newest and one Of its
most beautiful bridges, spanning
Rock Greek Park at Calvert street,
will be dedicated tonight and for
mally opened to traffic in a ceremony
that will include parade. a series
Of addresses, music and street
dancing.
Beginning at Eighteenth street and
Florida avenue, the parade, with Col.
John w. Oehmann as grand marshal,
will move promptly at 7 o'clock di-
rectly up Eighteenth street to Call
vert street.
When the head of the line reaches
the bridge the ceremonies Of cutting
ribbons, to signify the span is open,
will be held, with Ann Laser, daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. Elmer c. Laser, and
Geraldine Clark. daughter Of Capt.
and Mrs. Howard F. Clark, using the
scissors.
1t is expected that this ceremony
will be held 20 minutes after the
parade starts and will occupy only
10 minutes, during which the whole
line will be halted.
Route Of Marchers.
If the weather is bad the marchers
will go directly to the Calvert Exhibi-
ton Hall for the actual dedication
ceremonies. But, If the weather is
favorable, the line will turn right on
Connecticut avenue and go north to
Woodley road. then turn east to
Cathedral avenue, and down Cathe-
dral avenue to the bridge.
Directly under the span the dedi-
cation will take place in a special
stand erected for the purpose. After
a brief musical program Capt. H. c.
Whitehurst, director of highways, will
formally deliver the bridge to Com
Hazen, Allen and Sultan.
Each will respond with three minute
address, and then Senator Thomas of
Oklahoma will deliver the dedicatory
speech.
The parade will be divided into six
divisions, each headed by a marshal.
The first section will include the
police escort, the grand marshal, the
United States Army Band, the Bridge
Committee, headed by George C.
Shinn, chairman; the District Conn
miSsioners and the guests of honor.
Military Units Aid.
The second section will be com.
posed of military units from the Dis.
trict Of Columbia National Guard,
Washington High School Cadets, Sons
of the American Legion Drum and
Bugle Corps, Fort Stevens Drum and
Bugle Corps, the Boy Scouts and a
marching unit Of District of Columbia
Federation of Women's Clubs.
The Metropolitan Police Boys Club
will lead the third division, which
will include the Schoolboy Patrol, the
Federation of Citizens Associations.
the v. F. w. and the Democratic
Women's National Council.
John Locher, secretary of the Wash.
ington Building Trades Council, will
act as marshal for the division repre-
senting the men who actually built
the massive structure. Included in
the division will be a group of IL
floats entered by the building trades
and the workmen themselves will form
a marching unit.
The last two divisions will include
marching units of the American
Legion, the Cleveland Park Business
Mems Association, the Connecticut
Avenue Business Mems Association
and more than 30 decorated vehicles.
Has Reinforced Arches.
The bridge is constructed Of rein-
forced concrete arches faced with In
diana limestone. There are three l46-
foot span arches, one over Cathedral
avenue, one over the park drive lead
ing to the Zoo and one over Rock
Greek. The roadway width of the
bridge is so feet flanked by two 12-
foot sidewalks.
The new bridge Is on the exact loca-
ton of the old bridge, which was
moved 80 feet downstream, halting
traffic only for SO hours. After weeks
Of preparation, the actual moving
operations were completed in IL hours
less time than allowed by the contract.
Five horses and two men, each turn
ing an old-fashioned house moving
capstan, shifted the entire towering
steel trestle from its 43-year-old foun-
dations to the new temporary site.
The bridge is approximately 750 feet
long and the height from roadway in
the valley is approximately 125 feet.
1t cost $1,750,000. John w. Cowper
Co, Of Washington was the contractor
and Modjesk, Masters & Case, with
Dr.. Paul P. Cret, were the consulting
engineers and architects.