Evening star., 1897-01-05
Commissioners viii Report on the
Mcmillan Bill.
new STATION Site
They Oppose the Proposition to
Sink the Tracks.
AGAINST GRADE CROSSINGS

1t has been nearly a year since the bill
offered by Senator Mcmillan to abolish
grade crossings along the line nf the Penn
sylvania railroad within the city limits was
referred to the Commissioners for report
and Recommendation. To be more exact,
the year will be up on the 11th of January
1t is promised that the report will be sub
mitted before the year actually expires In
fact, that it will go to Congress this week.
In the engineer department there has
been great activity since Congress con-
vened to get this bill in shape. The
draugntsmen have been busy drawing
maps of the situation, showing the to-
biography of the country. and giving in all
detail the extent of the improvement, to-
geiher with an estimate of its cost to the
District and the railroad company.
The report will exhaustively consider the
railroad situation in South Washington.
Most important of all is a Recommendation
Of the Commissioners as to the best means
OF doing away with grade crossings. They
have decided to recommend an elevated
structure. This decisioin was only reached
after a careful investigation OF the subject.
While the chances for securing relief
seemed better by adopting the plans of the
railroad for depressed system the Com
missioners decided that it was in the best
interest of the city to insist upon an ele-
waited structure. They were guided in this
Dy careful consideration of the COMPARE
tive cost of doing the work.
In the depressed plan they were met first
with an item of some 100000 expense
which the engineers had figured out it
would cost the District to make the change
irrespective of the damages that would
certainly accrue to the property Interests
along the line. Then the plan was mad
visable. they thought because 1t was not
depressed system in any sense of the
term and further its adoption would re-
III permanent closing
streets in South Washington-streets that
were well travelled and absolutely neces-
sary to that section.
The Commissioners have two plans for
elevating the tracks. One plan contem-
plates an elevated structure running along
the present lines Of the railroad: the other
shows change in the location of the COM
pany's tracks coming in from the east.
AS soon as the train comes out of the
tunnel instead of swinging slightly to the
north to follow the line of Virginia avenue.
it follows the line of X street southwest
to Sth street. where it swings north to the
station.
Another important point is the contem-
plated change in the location of the depot
in the Commissioners plans They do NOT
consider in either plan the STATEN at the
corner of 9Th and B streets, as at present
located. Their plan shows me- gnificeht
depot taking up squares 410, 43i and 464.
the K street line of the railroad is fol-
lowed, and at an elevation of some fifty
feet if the present route Of the railroad IS
followed.
One Viaduct.
According to the plan Of the Commits
sioners, the viaduct on Virginia avenue or
on X street, whichever plan is adopted
shows single viaduct containing four
tracks. The grade sheets show that 1st,
I'd, Az, 9Th and 7th streets, Delaware
avenue, Half street west. South Capitol
street and New Jersey avenue are carried
under the elevated tracks without change
of grade, and that I'd, Sd, 4th, 5th, I and
+ streets east, and 9th. 10th, 11th, 18TH
18th and Water streets west are carried un-
der the railroad by a slight change Of
grade.
Where streets intersect with the viaduct
the plan shows space the width of the
road and two sidewalks On Maryland ave-
nue.. Delaware avenue, South Capitol street
ard New Jersey avenue, this plan is not
carried out, and only fifty feet is allotted
viaduct. The railroad crosses the streets
at proper elevation by spanning girders.
The important feature. as intimated
above, Is the removal Of all tracks from
9th street and the relocating Of the depot.
Certain streets, however, will have to be
closed, and these are ID, G, E and H, 1st
and Half streets east, Sth, 18th and 131s
between d and E south, Maryland avenue
between 18TH street west and line drawn
from the northwest corner of square 267 to
the southwest corner of the same square.
system have heretofore been printed In The
Star, but will not. has already been
stated, be recommended by the Commis-
SiOnerS