The Critic and record., 1891-04-24
FOR RAPID TRANSIT.
ACTIVE PREPARATIONS BEING MADE
FOR INCREASED FACILITIES.

Pushing Forward the Work on the New
Cable Lines-BuildiDg, Digging and
Track. k.Laying TO Proceed Simultane-
Ously NJ Various Points Along the
Line-President Hurt Has His Hands
Full Of Business.
The first shovelfull of earth has been
turned in the construction of the new
cable road on Fourteenth street.
Men are now engaged upon the work on
Fourteenth street extended, between
Boundary and Mt. Pleasant. At the re-
quest of the Commissioners the Railroad
Company have undertaken this part of
the work first
The reason for the Commissioners re-
questing this is that they propose con-
creting Fourteenth street extended, and
If this were done before the cable is laid
it would necessitate great amount of
labor ard large expenditure of money,
both to the railroad company and to the
District.
It will require only few days to do
this, and then excavating on Pennsylva-
mia avenue will be commenced, begin
ming at Thirty-second and Bridge (M)
streets northwest and continuing through
to Eighth and NJ streets southeast the
eastern terminus Of the road. After this,
work on the Fourteenth street line will
be continued.
At the machine shops at the foot Of
Seventh street can be seen large force
of men working upon rails which they
are Curving' for the various turnings and
circles around which the cars must pass.
President Hurt of the Washington and
Georgetown Railroad said to-day that all
of the grooved rail has been received and
distributed and that quantity of the
underground machinery has arrived.
The laying of the tracks on Pennsyl.
vania avenue cannot be commenced until
all of the water. pipes are lowered and
Captain Iusk of the water department is
now pushing this branch of the work as
rapidly as possible. Several of the pipes
at street crossings have been already low
cred but IL will be several days before all
of the work will have been completed.
The demolishing of the structures on
the half square on Eighth, between J. and
NJ streets southeast, has been nearly COM
pleted, and on this property will be
erected car shed and machine shops.
The plans for the power-house to be
erected on square 255 a. ID, Thirteenth
and Thirteen-and.a-half streets north
west) have not yet arrived, but President
Hurt expects them from Kansas City al
any time, and upon their receipt the
erection of the power-house will be begun.
| This structure will be six stories above
ground and one below the level of the
Testing piles have been driven into the
earth and the company find that there is
a spongy substance short distance below
the street which is in some places forty
seven feet deep.
Piles will have to be driven through this
| and ii is thought that owing to the quality
of the piles used they will last an indefinite
time, and these will be brought 10 the
city early in the week to come and upor
| their arrival will be driven into the earth
Mr.. d. S. Carl, distinguished engi
neer, has immediate supervision of tht
important undertaking of building tht
| new road.
The Washington and Georgetown Rail
road Company have submitted plans L
the Commissioners for change o.
tracks on j street southwest, in front o
| the Congressional Library, when the neV
| cable line is constructed. The presen
| tracks are in the centre of the street, but
at the request of the property-owners, th
| cable road tracks will be five feet north o
| the centre. The plans have received
Colonel Roberts approval.