Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-09
0pponentsC Call.
EStreet Bridge
'Ruinous'
Spun Would Destroy
Roosevelt Island,
Lawmakers Told


Opponents bitterly attacked
the proposed E street bridge to-
day as "ruinous" to future de-
velopment of the Roosevelt Me-
mortal Island and said it's
authorization would be a bare
faced breach of faith" by Con-
gresS.
The attack was launched be-
fore a House District subcom-
mittee considering bills for new
Potomac River bridges at E
street NV. and at Jones Point,
Alexandria.
The initial blast in the E street
opposition, as expected, conferred
around the high-level six-lane
bridges crossing of Roosevelt
Island, a heavily wooded tract
lying near the Arlington shore.
The island was decided to the
United States in 1892 by the
Theodore Roosevelt Association
as an enduring memorial to the
former President in the form of
a park and wilderness preserve.
Congress, in accepting the island,
provided that no development
inconsistent" with this purpose
could be made without the asso-
cations consent.
Oppose Bridge Piers.
Association leaders argued
that the bridge. dropping three
piers to the island constitutes an
inconsistent" development. Dis
trict officials. strongly backing
the bridge as essential to the
relief Of downtown congestion.
have argued that Congress must
decide this issue and also deter
mine if it should be allowed to
block the bridge.
Former Ambassador Joseph c.
Grew, a Roosevelt association
trustee. led today's formidable
opposition force. 1t included
also testimony by Assistant In
terror Secretary Orme Lewis, Gill
more c. Clarke, former Fine
Arts Commission chairman, and
Herman Hagedorn, Roosevelt
association secretary, and mes
sages from Federal Judge
Learned Hand and Mrs. Alice
Roosevelt Longworth, daughter
OF the late President.
Arthur B. Hanson, general
counsel of the Marine Corps War
Memorial Foundation, testified
that as the E street span is now
planned 1t would thrust APP
proaches right along side our
monument"
Concern Over Memorial.
He did not oppose the bridge.
But he urged Congress to make
certain that if it is authorized
there will be action to preserve
the Marine site. Our view is
that there is room for ALL" he
said.
Mr.. Grew blasted the E street
proposal as a direct violation"
of the plan to develop the island
and said it was IAN effort to
persuade Congress to break its
word"
Asked how the bridge would
harm the island, Mr.. Grew
stressed that its purpose was to
provide a public park which
would retain a state of wilder
ness. He said, for example, that
a terrace and balustrade would
be the only artificial construc-
ton on the island at its full
development.
1T is essentially a place of
solitude and repose." he declared.
Praised by Auchincloss.
Representative Auchincloss
Republican of New Jersey, a sub
committee member. said he
thought Mr.. Crews argument
was very compelling"
Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican. of Virginia said he
thought a Theodore Roosevelt
Memorial Bridge would be a
much greater memorial than
that wild island that looks like
the very devil right now"
The Virginian also said he
questioned 81 people on the
street during trip to Richmond
last week end about the island.
He said only one of the 81 had
ever heard of it, while IS of the
81 had heard of the George
(See BRIDGE, Page A-4.)
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