Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-04-20
THE ROCK CREEK TUNNEL
The Plans which the COmmissioner,
Desire 70 Carry Ous.


NEITHER THE FEDERAL NOR TIE DISTRICT GOVERN
MINT 10 AcQUIRl PossrssroN OF RECLAIMED
LAND-rHE EXTENT OF TIE MPRoyKNENT-rRI
COST AND THE kxrEcrED BENEFITS
The proposed Improvement of Rock Greek. pro-
1oeo Tor In the bill prepared by the District Com.
massaonefs. ana sent to Congress. will make avail
able large amount OF ground. now rendered com.
paratively useless by tho meander1ng OF the deep
vaiey through which the creek runs The owner.
snip ana disposition Of this ground have been
matters considered by the District Commissioners
IN tnear discussion OF the project. At nrst It
was suggested that the whole area directly
sasc1eo oy the Improvement could be condemned
auu tue ground reclaimed or made available by
the improvement sold, the proceedings going into
tne treasury and compensating the Government
STAR reDorter % tne WoTS MAJ Raymond toll
Dstrlct nad oeen consulted on this point, and in
Iolmed tne commissioners that the law would not
Land could be condemned only for public structures
or streets and only so much as was actually
needed ior public uses. They were advised also
That tne owners or ground on each side OF the
creek owned TO the middle or axis OF the creek,
and the Government acquired no title by filling
up the stream. All thatit is proposed 10 do at
10 construct the tunnel which will follow the line
OF 25th street and the arch over the creek from o
street to to Pennsylvania avenue. The tunnel wiz
DIVERT the creek from Its course around the long
bend from Lyons Mill to street. leaving a deep,
wind ng valley without a creek. The Government
will then extend the streets across this valley,
making embankments to carry the streets over on
and leaving between the streets great holes The
private owners, In order TO secure the benent OF
me Improvement. will have TO NIL up these holes
to grade.
THE EXTENSION OF STREETS.
The project involves the extension OF all the
streets Of Washington between Pennsylvania ave-
nue. ard r street across Rock Creek into West
washington. OF And Q streets will cross the
the embellishments described above, and the streets
south OF Q street where the tunnel ends viii cross
the creek by filings made over the arch. The land
property by condemnation, and this ground will
be used In the extension OF 2th street. AT present
there are but four streets leading from Washing
streets and Pennsylvania avenue, which cross the
creek on bridges. Major Raymond said the Dis
tI1ct government would gain tothing directly by
OF large area OF property to the city, taxable at
ratea
TIE TUNNEL AND TIE ARCH.
Captain Symonds who has made the plans and
estimates for the tunnel and arch, said to a STAR
reporter to-day that he did not believe the cost
would exceed the $3.50. 900 asked for. The most
uncertain element In The calculation is the prOba.
bic cost OF the arch over the creek below street.
1t is not known where pockets or treachero1s
the foundation or the arch. The tunnel from Ly-
on's mill TO street Will be double tunnel or
In fact, TWO tunnels 80 feet apart. The tunnel Is
sary horizontally, instead OF vertically. Each
tunnel viii have width at the bottom OF 90 feet
and height OF IL feet. They are placed 30 feet
done In one will not Imagn the other. The arch,
while appart ntly q single arch above, Will have
two tunnels under II; These viii be 30 feet WIDE
calculated the dimensions or the tunnel and rch
so as TO provide for carrying OF all the storm
Water tnat Is likely to now into the creek. The
Tunnel and arch evpntually a
sewer or outlet for carrying on storm-water. II
Is not intended TO use it Tor ordinary sewerage
purposes.
THE RECLAIMED LAND.
Captain Symons has calculated the amount OF
land now, almost valueless, which will be made
available by the improvement from Pennsylva-
MIA avenue to street, as 2 l3l, EOS square feetADr
40 acres. The Government will acquire possession
Symons thinks there may be spaces in the valley
OF the creek not covered by existing titles that
will fall into the possession OF the Government.
The District Government, he said, would berthe
gamer directly by having q large area now as
sesSed at thr-e cents a foot so improved that II
will be assessed at dollar or more: The exten-
sion OF the streets, he thought, would make prop
erty In West Washington as valuable as that In
the northwest. The Improvement, too, he thought
ing an unsightly creek and gulley which olighted
q large area where people did not care to build.
c pit Symons thought that the division OF the
cost between the Federal Government and the
District, the property-owners being required to
pay ior nlling up their own land, was fai- one.
The bed OF the creek Is from 40 SO feet below the
grade or the street. Owners OF the ground, In or
der to derive beneflt from II, will have to do a
great deal OF nlling. As adjacent hills are graded
down earth can be used in making these nlungS II
Is proposed to prosecute the work on the tunnel
and the arch at the same time. Then the material
from the tunnel can be used in making
the nnings over the arch, where the streets win
cross
DEATH OF REV. J. W. ANDREWS D. D., IL D.
This distinguished scholar, divine, and teacher
oied at Hartford, Conn.,, On the 18th inst at sew.