EEPOET OP THE SECEETAEY. 85 



several yards was also built up sufficiently to bring the metal work of 

 the partitions above the damp floor. 



A section of the boundary fence of the park was largely rebuilt 

 and other portions repaired, and much of the metal work of cages 

 and inclosures was repainted, including the flying cage and eagle 

 cage, bear yards, antelope yards, and the outside cages of the small- 

 mammal house, 



NEW BRIDGE ACROSS ROCK CREEK. 



The sundry civil act for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913, con- 

 tained the following item: "For the construction of a rough-stone 

 faced or bowlder bridge across E-ock Creek to replace the present log 

 bridge on the line of the roadway from Adams Mill Road entrance 

 and Cathedral Avenue, $20,000." The act also includes the follow- 

 ing provisions : " Hereafter all plans and specifications for the con- 

 struction of buildings in the National Zoological Park shall be pre- 

 pared under the supervision of the municipal architect of the District 

 of Columbia, and all plans and specifications for bridges in said 

 park shall be prepared under the supervision of the engineer of 

 bridges of the District of Columbia." 



In accordance with this requirement the matter of preparing plans 

 and specifications for the bridge was taken up with the engineer of 

 bridges very soon after the sundry civil act was approved (August 24, 

 1912) . A considerable amount of preliminary work had already been 

 done when the engineer of bridges died. The matter was taken up 

 again with his successor and plans and specifications were prepared 

 and advertisements made for proposals April 28, 1913. A contract 

 for the construction of the bridge was entered into May 29, 1913. 

 The old bridge was removed as soon as possible, and work on the 

 new bridge was begun about the middle of June. The bridge is to be 

 of reinforced concrete, faced with rough blocks of the blue gneiss found 

 in this region. Stone for the concrete is to be obtained in the park. 

 The span of the bridge is to be 80 feet and the total length at the 

 road level 114 feet. The bridge will be 39 feet 6 inches wide from 

 outside to outside, with a width of 36 feet 6 inches between the para- 

 pets. There will be a macadam roadway with concrete sidewalk 

 on either side, but the construction of roadway and sidewalks will be 

 deferred until the earth fill has thoroughly settled. The work on the 

 main portion of the bridge covered by the contract will amount to 

 about $10,800, while the cost of material furnished by the park, prep- 

 aration of plans, superintendence, and other expenses will probably 

 bring the total cost up to $15,300. The appropriation, therefore, 

 will be sufficient to add wing walls if desirable, and to complete the 

 approaches. It is expected that all work under the contract will be 



