Evening star., 1939-11-26
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
"A strong, popular movement" says
The Star Of November 49, 1889, lis under

way to secure the re-
Petition tor moval or reconstruction
New Bridge of Long Bridge. Peti-
tions have been circu-
lated and have been signed by leading
citizens and businessmen with enthusi-
asm and practical unanimity so far as
the opportunity has been given The
petitions are addressed to the Senate
and House of Representatives and set
forth: That owing to the improvement
of the Potomac fats by the United States
the Potomac River has been narrowed
from mile to 1000 feet in width where
the Long Bridge crosses from the foot
of Fourteenth street to the Virginia
shore; that at the time of the adoption
OF the present plan of improvement it
was contemplated by the Board of Engi-
neers that, owing to the narrowing of
the river bed, flooding would be caused
at times of freshet, and the rebuilding
of Long Bridge was made an early fea-
1882; that owing to the faulty construc-
ton of the Long Bridge the piers are
obliged to be surrounded by masses of
stone built up from the bottom of the
river and forming pyramids to prevent
the piers from being washed out by the
current of the river; that such pyramids
and piers, and, indeed, the Long Bridge
itself, act as dam to the river and at
times of freshet cause the wharves and
the entire water front of Washington
and all the low parts of the city, and
even part of Pennsylvania avenue to be
inundated, the sewers of Washington to
be flooded and the cellars of business
houses and residences to be filled with
water, whereby great damage and de-
struction to goods and merchandise has
been caused; that the time has now ar
yived for the reconstruction of Long
Bridge and that whatever may be done
hereafter with respect to the sewerage
of Washington the reconstruction of
Long Bridge should be executed forth
. with
Congress Is about to convene" saws
The Star of November Is, 1889, "and
the people of the
VuyHlcUt IOt tVS olStIlCL II
Abandoned Tunnel prepare to make
conce r tee and
forcible appeal to their Legislature
against a threatened robbery of more
than a million dollars Washington
needs wise liberality on the part of its
legislators in disbursing the money de-
rived from taxpayers and from the
United States to meet the current wants
of prosperous, growing city; it needs
also the judicious encouragement of spe-
cial projects for the public welfare,
such, for instance as the removal of the
Long Bridge and the building Of new
local post office. Washington is directly
and seriously interested in the action
which Congress may take in respect to
such matters as those above suggested,
but the most important and practicable
question of all from the District taxpayer
to this Legislature is: What will Con-
gress do concerning the payment of the
cost of the abandoned aqueduct tunnel?'
'"The United States undertook in the
first instance to extend the waterworks
system of the Capital as national prof.
ect at Government expense The Ma
ton had constructed the original system
and the Nation proposed to build the ex-
tension, with no requirement, suggestion
or expectation that any part of the cost
would fall upon the District. But after
two years had passed it occurred to the
United States to require the water takers
of the District to share the cost of this
extension, on the ground that they would
profit by the increased water supply, and
this requirement took the shape of con-
gressional legislation. The implied con-
sideration for this charge against the
District taxpayers has entirely failed,
and the exaction based upon 1t should be
cancelled. The water supply has not
been increased, though the Government
has wasted millions, through the miscon-
duct of its agents In digging the tunnel.
now abandoned"