Senate Passed Drawless Bridge Bill

The Senate of the United States on the motion of Senator H. C. Lodge '71 passed the bill drawn by R. H. Dana '74, which allows for the construction of a drawless bridge over the Charles River at Boylston street, yesterday afternoon. In the morning the Committee on Commerce voted to substitute this bill for the amended McCall bill which was passed by the House last June.

The bill authorizes the Metropolitan Park Commission or any town, city or other public body so authorized by the Commonwealth, to construct at any time hereafter drawless bridges across the Charles River connecting River street in Cambridge and Cambridge street in Brighton, and at any other points upon the river. The clearances must be at least twelve feet above the ordinary level of water in the basin over the main ship channel. The construction of piers and other obstructions to the flow of the river are to be subject to the approval of the Secretary of War.

Representatives McCall, Peters, and Weeks, whose Congressional districts touch the river, must now secure the agreement of the House to the substitution of the Dana bill for the amended McCall bill, which was passed after the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce had reported it. This bill placed the Charles River under the law giving the War Department control over structures built across navigable streams.