Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-03
House Dashes
.Hopefor Action
On Tunnel Bill
Defect of Measure
Leaves City Back.
Where 1t Started

4e@NN@ NS@o ~
avenue.
Legislation to provide q four
lane tunnel beneath the water
was amended to authorize a
six-lane bridge over the river
before the bill was finally killed
in the House yesterday.
Tired after two days Of de-
bate totaifng ia hours, the
House roared its approval of
q motion by Representative
Miller Republican Of Nebras-
ka, to r~commit the bill to the
District Committee.
So many amendments had
been offered-some accepted
and others knocked down.
that by the time the bill
reached its final form it called
for a fixed" drawbridge.
1t was Representative Hoff-
man. Republican Of Michigan,
who completely reversed the
object of the bill. He was sup
ported. rs to As. in an amend
ment substituting the authori-
cation for a "six-lane, fixed
span bridge" in every place the
word tunnel" was mentioned.
Smith Amends Amendment
Representative Smith. DEM
ocrat of Virginia, who has
fought to keep the river chan
mel open to navigation for two
industrial firms, succeeded in
further amending the Hoffman
amendment so the final version
Of the type of crossing was "a
six-lane flxed-span bridge with
bascule span." This is a coun-
terbalanced drawbridge.
This amendment was APP
proved by roll call. 225 to 107.
Representative Broyhill, Re-
publican of Virginia. chief pa
iron Of the tunnel bill, said the
District still has a law passed
in 1854 to rely on. That meas
ure authorizes the District
Commissioners to build a SPAS
million bridge at Constitution
avenue and does not specify
whether it shall be a fixed or
draw type.
Mr.. Broyhill said the District
already has about Sc million
available to commence con-
struction but that subsequent
appropriations from Congress
would be necessary to complete
the project. Brig. Gen. Thomas
A. Lane, former Engineer Com
missioner, had indicated that
If Congress failed to act he was
ready to proceed under the 1854
authorization.
Davis Sees Death
Representative Davis, Demo-
crat Of Georgia. who headed
the District subcommittee in
charge Of the Broyhill bill, was
asked If the House action in re-
committing the measure meant
its death for the current ses-
sion Of Congress.
"AS far as I'm concerned" he
answered. "it's dead forever"
After the House action, Com
missioner Robert E. Mclaughlin
said he would take up with the
other two Commissioners Tues
day the problem of what to do
next.
A main question, he said. is
whether the city should use
funds already in hand to 60
ahead on a bridge for which
authorization has been avail
able for some time. This money
has not been used because of
objections raised to the au-
thorized site. which is between
Memorial Bridge and Roose-
welt Island.
Mr.. Mclaughlin declined to
take a stand on the desira-
bility Of moving forward on
this plan. He said such action
probably would have to be
cleared with the White House,
in any case.
Before the final action was
taken, the House already had
stripped the bill of many of
its principal provisions. On
Thursday. the House eliminated
authorization to spend 81 mil
lion for plans and to commence
construction.