The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-09

CHANGES At THE FERRY.
Pennsylvania Railroads
Plans for the New
Waiting Room.
HANDSOME IRON 8 STORY BUILDING
New Structures Will Stretch
Across Exchange Place
Some of the Features.
HANDSOME IRON 5 STORY BUILDING

With the exception of a few details. the
plans for the improvement OF the tram
shed and ferry entrance of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad, al Exchange place. are
now practically complete and workmen
this morning began piiing for the founda-
ton. When the new building is finished
the Jersey City depot Will be one of the
most important in the country, Tor the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company never
does tnings by halves
z. f. Brooks The News is able to give
its readers a general idea OF what the
buildings will look like on the space
now beng demolished. at thd foot OF Elk
change pace. will be built a three-story
iron frame structure, extending lhirty5
i've feet south of Exchange place and
close to the line of what is now the
Brooklyn Annex building. IL will contain
waiting rooms, restaurant and otner ac-
commedations for the travelling publlc
and have an imposing entrance on TX
change place on the north side or the
street.
The plans show that the present train
shed will be extended 122 feet east to the
river and the tracks will be on he's space
which was formally the old station.
There will he six slips and a distinct
feature of the new building will be a 10
foot lobby on the second floor extending
the entire length of the slips and outside
the general waiting room, thus enabling
board the trains without going through
the depot as at present. This lobby will
run at RICH angles to Exchange place.
and between the waiting room and the
river.
In general the new waiting room will
resemble the old one which was Destroy
ed by fire, but will of course be larger.
To reach il from the street the passengers
will ascend by a handsome staircase near
to the site of the present temporary en-
trance.
When it became known some time g
that the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
were contemplating the erection Of new
buildings at the ferry entrance. certain
member of the Board of Trade waited on
Superintendent Brooks and asked him TO
use his influence with the powers that
be at Philadelphia. to the end that Jer-
sey City might obtain a building in keep
the Company. Mr.. Brooks had this in
znind long before the Board of Trade
broached the subject, and he told them
that he had been considering the matter
to to meet the views of the par
ticularly regarding the new entrance 10
the ferries. in drafting the plans the
company,s engineer received valuable
suggestions from Ar. Brooks as to the
style and character of the new building,
which have resulted in an imposing de-
sign, and one about which neither the
company nor the city need make any
apologies.
Crossing as it will the foot of Exchange
place, the new building viii form Il gil
gantic L. with the tail office buildings on
the north side of the street. Near TO
where the entrance will De 10 the waiting
room. at the angle of the l.. there viii be
retiring rooms FOR ladies. The details of
the entrance 10 the ferries on the opposite
side Of the street, adjoining the entrance
to the Brooklyn annex. are not yet COM
pleted, but they will be made known soon-
These and other matters are occupying
the attention of the engineering bureau,
a very busy department of the railroad
these days.