Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-19
Conferees TRY
To Clear Way
For Bridge Here

House and Senate conferees
today were attempting to work
out differences in legislation
aimed at clearing the way for
construction of a bridge across
the Potomac River at Theodore
Roosevelt Island. The principal
question is whether it should
include a draw span.
At the same time, Secretary
of Commerce Weeks has recon-
mended that Congress modify
present laws so that the number
of draw bridges across the
country can be cut down.
The Senate version of the
bridge bill which passed a veal
ago, calls for a fixed span. The
House version. passed recently.
specifies it should have a has.
cule, or jacknife. draw. House
amendments also call for six
lanes on the bridge, which would
be located in the vicinity of Con-
Stitution avenue NV.
S1.9 Million Cost Seen
Mr.. Weeks said in his recon-
mendation to the Hill that a
movable span on the bridge
would cost an additional Sl.9
million dollars and that a draw
on a proposed bridge to replace
the old Fourteenth Street.
bridge would cost another $l.4
million.
The Commerce recommended
ton is a follow-up of a report
published last year saying that
draw facilities on 2,247 bridges
cost an additional $754 million
and that another $3.50 million
is being spent annually in main
tanning and operating these
draws.
The House also sent another
bill relating to bridges to con-
ference.
The second bill relates to the
naming of the two Fourteenth
street bridges. The Senate had
named both of the spans the
Rochambeau Memorial Bridge.
The House earlier had given
the two bridges separate names
One was to be named for George
Mason of Virginia, a Revolution
airy patriot, and Rochambeau,
the French military leader, who
helped the colonies win their in
dependence from Britain.
Four Bills Passed
The House. after assigning the
two bridge bills to conference,
also concurred in the Senate
amendments to four House
passed bills and sent them to the
White House.
One of these would permit the
transfer of cases from the U. S.
District Court for the District of
Columbia to the Municipal Court
anytime before trial if it APP
peared that such action would
not justify a judgement in excess
OF $4,000. Present District law
provides a limitation of $1,000
for such transfer.
Other bills sent to the White
House include one to authorize
two gasoline filling stations in
the District to rebuild their
property despite the fact they do
not conform to present residen-
tial coming laws. The stations
are located at the corner of Wis
consin and Massachusetts ave-
nueS NV. and on the east side
OF Sixteenth street between Ar
kansas avenue and Upshur street
NV. President Eisenhower last
year vetoed a somewhat similar
bill at the recommendation of
the District Commissioners.
Other Measures
The other measures sent to
the White House would:
Permit members of the Police
and Fire Departments to live in
the nearby Metropolitan Area
up to 20 miles from downtown
Washington with the specific
permission of the Commissioners.
Strengthened the requirements
for the practice of veterinary
medicine in the District, permit
ting veterinarians living outside
of the city to serve on the Board
of Examiners in Veterinary
Medicine here.