Evening star., 1936-10-04
HARPERS FERRY
PROMISED SPANS
FOR TWO RIVERS
New Hope for Quick End of
Post-FIood Depression
Seen in Negotiations.
CROSSING OVER POTOMAC
WILL COST S600,O0O
Meanwhile, Work Is Started on
Temporary Planking of B.
& 0. Rail Span.
BY GORDON EAMES BROWN,
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

STAFF Correspondent of The Star.
HARPERS FERRY, w. Va, October
"a new hope for an end of the
local depression, which has paraiyzed
commerce since last Springs floods
destroyed two highway bridges here,
was prevalent in this historic territory
today as construction of new spans
across the Potomac and Shenandoah
Rivers became certainty.
Maryland Roads Commission off,
cials said negotiations have been COM
pleted with Virginia for a $500, 900
bridge across the Potomac from Sandy
Hook. just below Harpers Ferry on
the Maryland shore, to q new loca-
ton on the Virginia shore about half
a mile south Of Harpers Ferry. Con-
currently. West Virginia Highway
Commissioner Burr Simpson declared
a bridge would be built across the
Shenandoah as a second link in the
chain of two spans indirectly to join
this State and Maryland.
Meanwhile, work has been started
on temporary bridge across the Po-
tomac where timbers are being laid
on the old Baltimore g. Ohio Rail-
road span to permit the dual trafic
Of trains and automobiles.
Summer Nearly Disastrous.
Local merchants were confident the
Summer of 1887 would not be repeti-
ton of the past six months. which
have brought near commercial ruin
to the 400 residents of Harpers Ferry
and adjacent Bolivar.
Bids for the new Potomac River link
probably will be opened before the first
Of the year. Construction, then, would
begin early next Spring Some $780,
| 600 of the cost will be divided equally
between Maryland and the Federal
Government under the emergency
| flood appropriation distributed through
the Bureau of Public Roads. Mary
land must bear a greater financial
burden than Virginia, since the for.
mer has jurisdiction over the river.
/ Some 2 miles of road extensions to
link the bridge approaches with thor
oughfares on both shores must be con-
structed by the three States.
Plans for the Shenandoah span
have not been revealed. Commissioner
Simpson, however, said last night: IF
Maryland and Virginia get together on
this thing. We will put up the other
| bridge" The route from Washington
through Frederick will cross the Poto-
mac at Sandy Hook. proceed along
the western shore of the Potomac into
West Virginia, and cross the proposed
Shenandoah bridge into Harper's
Ferry.
Inadequacies Cited.
The inadequacies of the Maryland
approach to the destroyed span we're
cited by Nathan Smith. chief engineer
of the Maryland commission. as the
reason for the detour into Virginia.
He said that the narrow road. wind-
ing around a bluff before it reaches
the old bridge entrance, is a traffic
hazard. Topographic limitations pre-
vent changes which would be practical
in, reducing the dangers, he said.
The economic life blood of this ter
ritory is the tourist trade, attracted
here by the locales association with
the arsenals built by Washington, the
pre-presidential life of jefferson and
the vital events of the Civil War
period and the beautiful scenery.
When the traffic of visitors ceases.
commerce ends.
iS fnrcnftaY1
date in local annals. Rising a foot
an hour until their levels were SIS feet
above normal low points, the Potomac
and the Shenandoah, meeting at this
junction of three States. swept through
the town, submerged shops and homes
and drove frightened residents into
nearby hills.
| Immediate damage from the food
was tremendous. But when the turbu-
lent waters carried away the two
highway bridges, that damage was to
become the source of the towns
virtual economic isolation. The con-
tinued lack of bridges meant great
hardships for Harper's Ferry and
Bolivar. Except for railroads. travel
through Harper's Ferry has been
stopped.
The druggist, the taxi driver. the
service station owner, the restaurant
proprietor and the general store
keeper are unanimous in their moross
declaration: Business is terrible.
never been worse"
Lay Planks on Rail Span.
Without bridges since the flood. the
! first remedy came after discussion
between Maryland, West Virginia and
Baltimore & Ohio officials. They de-
cided to lay planks along the old
railroad bridge, flush with the tracks,
so vehicles could proceed cautiously
over the structure. Work on ap-
proaches to the makeshift span, which
will cost some $4,000 in conversion
expenses, has been started. It will
be finished In three weeks.
Only 8 or 10 trains use the route
daily. Once bearing the tracks Of
the main line, the bridge has been
cutoff to Winchester, through
Harper's Ferry, since another span
was built in 1891. Both bridges fork
out from the mouth Of tunnel and
pass over a road on the Maryland side.
Signals and watchmen will be EN-.
ployed to prevent accidents, but ma
tives are convinced the span will be
Stunned by some travellers.
As a temporary remedy, the plan
was welcomed by merchants. Most
Of them feel that the measure will
greatly restore their dwindled trade.
They think their losses, amounting to
some three quarters of their former