Abstract of contracts for improving Potomac River in the ricinity of Washington, D. C., in force during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887.

Value of receipts and shipments during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887...

Number of vessels of various classes arriving and departing during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1887:

$6,741,647

Ferry and local passenger steamers are not included in the above.

J 3.

PURCHASE AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE AQUEDUCT BRIDGE, GEORGETOWN, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-HISTORY.

The structure known as the Aqueduct Bridge crosses the Potomac River at Georgetown, D. C. Its construction was commenced about 1835 by the Alexandria Canal Company, for the purpose of carrying their canal from its junction with the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, in Georgetown, across the Potomac to the Virginia shore. The structure was originally intended to be a stone bridge with nine arches, but as the funds were insufficient for this construction, the piers and abutments only were built of masonry, and the river was spanned by a wooden Burr-truss bridge, which carried the canal trunk.

On May 16, 1866, the Alexandria Canal Company leased their canal and the Aqueduct Bridge to Messrs. Quigley, Wells, and Dungan for a term of 99 years. The lessees subsequently (September 10, 1867) organized as a corporation under the name of the Alexandria Canal, Railroad and Bridge Company. The old Burr truss, which had become decayed and unsafe, was replaced by a Howe truss; the latter was sub

sequently strengthened by wooden arches. The structure as thus strengthened is now being removed. By act of Congress approved July 27, 1868, the lessees were authorized to erect and maintain, in connection with the aqueduct, a highway bridge, and to charge certain specified rates of toll. A floor system was placed on the top chord of the Howe truss, trestles and spans for the approaches were built, and the bridge used as a highway bridge until 1886. For some ten years prior to the last-named date, however, the condition of the bridge was not deemed satisfactory, and two detailed examinations of it were made under the direct on of the Chief of Engineers and the results reported to Congress. An act of Congress approved February 23, 1881, provided for the establishment of a free bridge, either by the purchase of the Aqueduct Bridge piers and the erection of an iron bridge thereon, or by the construction of a new bridge at or near the Three Sister Islands, 1 miles above Georgetown. The Alexandria Canal Company declined to unite with the lessees of the Aqueduct Bridge in accepting the provisions of this act, and this bridge was not purchased.

Proposals were invited for the construction of a bridge at the Three Sister Islands, but the amount appropriated by the act (of February 23, 1881), $140,000, was insufficient for such a bridge as was deemed necessary and no contract was made.

The act of Congress approved June 21, 1886, repealed the act of February 23, 1881, and provided likewise, but with increased appropriations, for the purchase and reconstruction of the Aqueduct Bridge, or else the construction of a new bridge at the Three Sisters. The act is as follows:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of War is hereby authorized and directed to acquire, by purchase, a title in fee-simple, free from all liens or claims of lessees or others, the bridge known as the Aqueduct Bridge, including the piers thereof, across the Potomac River, and the approaches thereto, and all the rights and franchises connected with said bridge, for a sum not to exceed one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars, the title to be approved by the Attorney-General of the United States; and said bridge when so acquired shall be used as a free bridge, under such regulations as the Secretary of War may prescribe; and the Secretary of War is farther authorized, in case the United States shall acquire title to the said bridge, to repair or reconstruct the same; and for the purpose of acquiring such title and repairing and reconstructing said bridge the sum of two hundred and forty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary for such purpose, is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated; and one-half of the expense of such purchase and reconstruction or repair of said bridge shall be charged to and paid by the District of Columbia, and the balance, one-half of the sum so expended, shall be paid out of the Treasury of the United States.

SEC. 2. That if the provisions of the first section of this act authorizing the purchase of the Aqueduct Bridge shall not be fully executed within six months from the passage of this act, and the title therefor approved as therein required, then the Secretary of War be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to cause to be constructed across the Potomac River, at the Three Sisters, above Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, a substantial iron and masonry bridge, with approaches; and the sum of two hundred and twenty thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby, appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the construction of said bridge and approaches, the same to be maintained as a free bridge for travel: Provided, That the said Secretary of War shall construct a bridge upon such plan as shall cost no more than the amount herein appropriated, and which cost shall include the construction of a substantial iron bridge over the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and highway, and any and all approaches to the said iron bridge, which said bridge shall not be less than fourteen feet in the clear above the water-line of said canal; and not exceeding fifteen thousand dollars of this appropriation shall be paid out of the Treasury until contracts shall have been entered into with responsible parties, and with good and sufficient sureties, to be approved by the Secretary of War, for the construction and completion of said bridges across the Potomac River and the Chesapeake and Ohio Caual, including the masonry, iron work, and approaches, at a cost not to exceed in the aggregate two hundred and twenty thousand dollars, less such sum as may be expended for advertising and making necessary survey: And provided also, That one

half of the expense of the construction of said bridge shall be charged to and paid by the District of Columbia, and the balance (one-half) of the sum hereby appropriated shall be paid out of the Treasury of the United States: Provided further, That the Seeretary of War shall, as soon as possible, cause a survey of the river to be made at the Three Sisters, determine the length, width, and height of said bridge, and thereupon advertise for plaus and price for the construction of said bridge, such advertisement to be inserted in one or more daily newspapers published in Washington, District of Columbia; New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Detroit, Michigan; Philadelphia, Pennsyl vania; Chicago, Illinois; Richmond, Virginia; Saint Louis, Missouri, for the space of one week: And provided further, That the sum of fifteen thousand dollars shall be available at once for such investigation and surveys and such contingencies as the Secretary of War shall deem necessary.

SEC. 3. That if in the purchase of the Aqueduct Bridge under the first section, at any time, it shall be deemed necessary to obtain from the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company, or its grantees, any release or conveyance of any portion of the ground upon which the northern abutment of the Aqueduct Bridge rests, or right to cross the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal from the abutment to Bridge street; or if a good title can not be procured by contract to any property required in the construction of a bridge under the second section, the same shall be acquired by the Secretary of War by condemnation in the manner provided by the act approved May eighth, eighteen hundred and seventy-two, entitled "An act making appropriations for the legislative, executive, and judicial expenses of the Government for the year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, and for other purposes": Provided, That the condemnation proceedings, if any such proceedings are necessary, shall not prevent the taking possession, on payment of the purchase money, of the Aqueduct Bridge by the United States, and opening the same to the public as a free bridge, if the same shall be acquired under the first section: Provided further, That the sum of ten thousand dollars of the sum hereby appropriated shall be available to meet the payments under condemnation proceedings, if any shall be had.

SEC. 4. The act approved February twenty-third, eighteen hundred and eightyone, entitled "An act to authorize the construction of a bridge across the Potomac River at or near Georgetown, in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes,” is hereby repealed. Approved, June 21, 1886.

The work was assigned to my charge December 22, 1886.

PURCHASE OF AQUEDUCT BRIDGE.

Under the provisions of section 1 of the act of June 21, 1886, negotiations had been opened with the Alexandria Canal Company, owners, and the Alexandria Canal, Railroad and Bridge Company, lessees, for the purchase of the Aqueduct Bridge. The provisions of the act were asserted to by these companies, the deed executed, and the first payment made within six months after the date of the act, as required by its provisions. The act provides that a clear title to the bridge shall be acquired. The Attorney-General, upon investigating this question, found certain claims and liens against the property of the Alexandria Canal, Railroad and Bridge Company which affected the title of the bridge. In order to insure to the United States a clear title, it was proposed and agreed that certain sufficient amounts should be reserved by the United States from the appropriation of $125,000 for the purchase of the bridge, to await judicial decision or friendly compromise of the said liens and claims as follows:

Eighteen thousand dollars, to provide for payment of certain judgments, the property of Isaacs, Taylor, and Williams.

Four thousand five hundred dollars, to await adjustment of a claim by the District of Columbia on account of a bonus of that amount paid to the Alexandria Canal, Railroad and Bridge Company several years ago by the corporation of Georgetown, 9. C., with the proviso that the amount should be returned in the event of a purhase of the bridge by the United States.

Fifteen thousand dollars, to await adjudication of a claim of the District of Columia for certain unpaid taxes.

This agreement having been approved by the Secretary of War, the bridge was transferred to the United States, and $87,500 of the pur

chase money was paid December 20, 1886, the balance of the $125,000 appropriated for this purpose, viz, $37,500, being retained as above stated.

An agreement having been arrived at in the case of the above-named judgments of Isaacs, Taylor, and Williams, they were satisfied in full by the payment of $15,061.90 on April 14, 1887, the balance of the sum retained for this purpose, viz, $2,938.10, being paid to the Alexandria Canal, Railroad and Bridge Company April 22, 1887.

Judicial decision having been rendered in favor of the defendants in the case of the claim of the District of Columbia for the return of the bonus of $4,500, the amount was paid to the Alexandria Canal, Railroad and Bridge Company June 27, 1887.

At this date there remains unpaid $15,000 of the purchase-money awaiting adjustment of the claim of the District of Columbia for certain unpaid taxes.

The deed conveying the bridge, piers, and southern approach to the United States was recorded in the land records of the District of Columbia December 24, 1886. It was then sent to Alexandria for record in the office of the county clerk. The deed was recorded, but the clerk declined to return it to me, except upon the payment of a tax levied by the State of Virginia, amounting to $125. On January 4, 1887, I submitted to the Chief of Engineers the question whether I should pay this tax or not. At the date of this report no reply has been received, and the deed now remains with the county clerk in Alexandria.

CONDEMNATION OF SITE OF NORTH ABUTMENT.

Under section 3 of the act above quoted it is provided that the title to the site of the north abutment shall be acquired by condemnation proceedings, and $10,000 of the sum appropriated is made available for this purpose. Steps have been taken toward the accomplishment of the above requirement, and the matter is now in the hands of the disrtrict attorney.

RECONSTRUCTION.

In compliance with the requirements of letter dated office Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army, December 23, 1886, a project for the application of the funds pertaining to this work was submitted by me January 12, 1887.

Some months prior to the purchase of the bridge by the United States it had become unsafe by reason of the decay of its timbers, and had been closed to public travel by order of the District Commissioners. A peti. tion having been submitted to the Secretary of War by Hon. John S. Barbour and others, reciting that the bridge had been closed to public travel, as above stated, and requesting that a skilled bridge engineer be employed to examine said bridge to determine its condition and give his opinion as to whether it could be safely used for public travel, Mr. Edwin Thacher, chief engineer of the Keystone Bridge Company, of Pittsburgh, Pa., was employed for this purpose. Mr. Thacher, after a careful examinatation, considered the bridge unsafe for public travel and rendered a report to that effect, a copy of which was submitted with my letter of January 12, 1887. The bridge has, however, been kept open for the use of pedestrians.

The project submitted by me January 12, 1887, was, by S. O. No. 11, Headquarters Corps of Engineers, January 19 1887, referred for consideration to a Board of Officers of the Corps of Engineers, consisting of

Lieut. Col. William E. Merrill, Lieut. Col. Peter C. Hains, Maj. William R. King, with Lieut. Irving Hale as recorder.

The Board assembled at Washington, D. C., and submitted a report January 24, 1887, recommending certain detailed specifications, and that the bridge be rebuilt of iron, with a draw. The report covered a petition signed by H. H. Dodge, W. W. Corcoran, and others, expressing their views as to the importance of a draw. The estimated cost of a bridge with a draw, however, exceeded the amount available for reconstruction. It was therefore decided to reconstruct without a draw, leaving to Congress the question of providing a draw by further legislation.

An appropriation of $25,000 for this purpose was contained in the deficiency appropriation bill, which failed to become a law.

Proposals were invited by public advertisement, dated February 3, 1887, for an iron bridge of the following general description, the bidder to furnish the design, subject to certain limitations.

The bridge to be rebuilt of iron, upon the existing piers and abutments, and to have a clear width of roadway of 24 feet, with two sidewalks, each 6 feet wide in the clear.

Commencing at the north end in Georgetown, the new bridge to consist of

One through span of 164 feet over the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, resting on an abutment and a pier to be built; a clear head-room of 14 feet to be maintained over the water surface of the canal.

About 127 feet of trestle over the existing north abutment.

Nine deck spans of 114 feet each over the river, resting on eight piers and two abutments already built.

About 700 linear feet of earth embankment, constituting the southern approach.

Separate bids were invited for the bridge and for the earthen embankment approach.

In reply to the above-mentioned advertisement, bids were received and opened Monday, March 7, 1887. An abstract of the bids is hereto appended. After a careful examination of the plans and canvass of the bids the proposal of the Mount Vernon Bridge Company, of Mount Vernon, Onio, the total of which was $30,905.50, was considered the most advantageous to the Government, and a contract was entered into with this company under date of March 21, 1887, the contractors agreeing to complete the structure by October 21, 1887. A plan and elevation of the proposed structure accompany this report.

Messrs. Breen & Feely, of Alexandria, Va., were the lowest bidders for the earthen embankment and slope paving, and their bid of 25 cents per cubic yard of embankment and 453 cents per square yard of slope paving was accepted, and a contract entered into under date of March 21, 1887, the work to be completed by August 15, 1887.

Since the award of the contract the preparation of iron for the new bridge has been in progress at the works of the Mount Vernon Company. But little progress has been made, however, with the masonry. More vigorous action on the part of the Mount Vernon Bridge Company will be required, in order that the masonry may have time to thoroughly set before any portion of the iron superstructure is placed upon it.

Breen & Feely, under their contract, have made good progress, and have at the present time placed in position about one-half of the embank ment which will be required.