The evening times., 1896-03-27
GREAT HOLE |! nls MADE
slsp-Fire Thousand Yards Of
Earth Taken Out.
RETAINING WALLS BUILT
Everything Ready : at Last for the
Building of the Georgetown Street
Railway DepOt-HOw Cars AretO Be
Stored on the Various FlOOrs-When
It Will BE Finished.

Before SS6 shall have passed into history
Washington will have street railway
union depot, unique at least in point of
construction and larger than any other
depot OF like character in the country.
The excavations for this feat OF engin-
eering construction have been almost COM
peted, in Georgetown, just at the end of
the Aqueduct Bridge, and ali that remains
before the actual work of building Is COM
menced is a comparatively small guam
tity of rock yet to be blasted out.
Since the excavations were begun last
November 5000 yards of earth and stone
have been removed. The excavation was
made into the side of the big hill that
leads from Prospect street to Bridge street,
and runs the entire width of the square.
THREE WALLS TO BE BUILT.
Three OF the walls will be built against
solid earth, or rathcrS against retaining
walls, ana the main entrance to the build
ing will be from the south. The roof will
be on level with Prospect street. The
building will be three stories high.
The three retaining walls of concrete
and brick have been completed, and the
foundation for the front elevation is being
ms hOOu as tHt tHt
bricklayers and masons will start 10 work
and the building proper will be rapidly
pushed to completion.
The first floor of the building Will be
used to receive the cars OF the Capital
Traction Company, which has extended
It's line to the bridge. The cars Will run
in at the east side OF the building, around
a loop and out the west side. The storage
capacity viii be sufficient for all the cars
the company now has in use.
On the second floor provision has been
made for the reception of the cars of the
Mount Vernon Electric Railway, or some
other line from across the river, while on
the third floor the Great Falls road Will
enter from Prospect street onto the roof,
and descend TO the third story.
FOR PASSENGERS.
Waiting rooms will be established on all
three floors, and every convenience pro
vded for patrons OF the road. The storage
capa city OF the building YiII be utilized en-
tirely. however, by 3he Capital Traction
Company. as there will not be more room
than they need to store their cars. Car ele-
vators run up the northern side OF the build
ing. tslf
The most interesting part OF the construc-
ton, rs far as il has gone, are the retain
ing walls. These were put up In the early
stages Of the work and before the bulk OF
the dirt had been removed. When the work
OF excavating was begun trenches. several
feet wide. were dug around the three sides
clear down TO a level with Bridge street.
As the work progressed. the walls of earth
were braced until the bottom was reached.
and then the retaining wall, OF concrete.
and brick, was commenced. The braees
were REMOVED as tire trenches filled up. un-
I'll the dirt was lie III III place around the three
sides by solid walls OF concrete.
These walls We're finished off and
strengthened when the bulk Of the dirt was
removed.
The building was designed by Architect
Ward and Chief Engineer CARL Of the Cap
ital Traction Company. and the work has
been under the supervision Of Mr.. CARL aud
his assistants.