The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-09-06
Georgetown Union Depot Is Rap
idly Nearing Completion.
GREAT PIECE OF ENGINEERING
Superb Structure Which Will Form the Western
Terminus Of All the Street Rail-
way Lines.

OF Thirty-sixth street halfway bet ween the
TWO streets, where the massive granite wall
SHOWN on the left OF the ACCOMMODATING cut
was constructed to a level of Thirty sixth
street and that street graded and paved 10
the top Of the wall
A granite stairway of seventy four stems
affords means of access to II street from the
Heights.
Much ofthe excavation was through solid
rock and the amount OF blasting, coupled
with other Inconvenience suffered by prop
erty-hoiding residents of the gh6orhoc1
brought about almost endless delays, du.,
TO various intunctions and counter-injunc-
tons against and on behalf OF the construct
ors and Others
| More than year elapsed between the
beginning OF the excavations and the actual
Work OF construction Since that time
the building has progressed rapidly, and,
as can be seen by the accompa nying cut,
| work Upon the roof will soon begin.
CHANGES IN THE PLANS.
The original designs called for four
stories, since it was thought that -four
companies would be housed in The strnc-
turc. The withdrawal of the Metropolitan
Company reduced the number OF stories
to three, and later Developments seeal
to indicate that the Capital Company Will
occupy the building alone, though the
three stories are being completed Con-
lgress made impossible the plan which the
Washingtonand Arlington entertained. That
OF crossing the Aqueduct over trest,c
work by passing measure prohDitirg
the use OF the bridge for railroad pur
poses; and the Washington and Great.
Falls road. which has only lee II comp,.te.l
as far as Cabin John Bridge, has de-
cided not TO take advantage of the %.
portunity offered for conjunction with
the Capital line.
The depot, therefore, is Union more in
name than in fact The cars Of the Capital
Traction Company will enter the depot
BY the archway at the right, as shown in
the cut. and will exit by similar arch
way on the left, making a semi-circle loop
IN the building, and will then be ready
for the return trip without any of the
delays now occasioned by recourse to a
switch.
The interior construction of the building
is an ingenious commingling of attrac-
tiyeDess and economic Arrangement and
the architect Mr.. waddy B. Wood. OF this
city.has shown rare ability in ma king his
plans serve to such delicate nicely the
purpose of the builders
The floors are ali similar in design and
provide for the offices of the company.
toilet and waiting rooms for the benefit
OF the travelling public, and rooms for the
convenience of employees. The tower space
will be used for elevator shaftipgs, for the
conveyance OF passengers and cars TO be
stored in the upper stories. The ma ior
portion OF the floor space is reserved for
purposes of storage
The interior wood work Is to be in oak
and white The walls will he of sand
finished plaster, ornamented by narrow
borders of gilt line and figure work
Tie stairways throughout will be of
ornamental iron work. with oak balusterS
Decorations OF iron work and brass Mt
elevator shafts and windows will com-
plete the ornamentations. BY device Of
the architect the joiSts of the various
floors are of the same form and material
as the rails used in the street. and Will
serve for tracks upon which the cars can
be stored, all connecting by means of
transfer tables. connected with the GEN.
trally-located car elevator, upon which the
cars will be removed from story to story
UNIQUE PIECE OF ENGINEERING.
These hundreds of steel beams and snip
porting posts for each of the three .floo-s
are now securely in place. and prescott Il
veritable tbreadwork OF steel, huge
skeleton of Possibilities. and all is now
in readiness for the brick work and floor
Ing to complete the work of construction
In the matter of flooring a unique feature
Mr.. Wood. for the first time in this city
The plan adopted is known as the RansoIn
system of concrete flooring, composed Of
a combination of twisted steel and cement,
possessing at once all the benefits derived
from the greatest tensile strength Of tie
steel and the greatest conipressive strength
of the concrete. arranged for Most adj
use and possessing the least
possible weight in proportion to strength.
This flooring has been proved by actual
est made by the chief engineer of the rail-
Dad company TO be capable of resisting n
OF 2.OOo pounds per square foot
The use of steel exclusively for girders
Ind joists and of concrete for flooring rem
icrs the building absolutely fire proof and
he erection of escapes other than-the two
elevators for passenger use and the one
designed for car conveyance have not been
pecificd in the plans as the granite stair
way leading from n on Thirty-sixth street
o Prospect avenue affords ample protec-
ion. Owing to the height of the rear ex-
AVIATION the third floor of the building is
N line with the bed OF Prospect avenue
nd here neat stone ornamented entrance
oDnects by long passage the center
( the third floor with the elevators in