The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-24
BlG DEPOT
The Largest Railway station In 1he
World-Ifs Dedication ceremonies

The argess Hallway station In the
World-Iss Dedication ceremonies
Boston Advertiser, December s1st)
Twenty-four prominent buildings Of
Boston could be founded within he
area covered by the main structure OF
the new Mo station: Mechanics
building, city hall. public library, post
office, Exchange building, Ames build
ing, Trinity church, Old South church,
Old State House, Cadet armory, Mason
ic Temple, Hotel Touraine, Hotel Ven
DOME, orinigal portion Of present state
house. FaneuiI Hall, Faneuil Hall mar
ket. Advertiser building and the fol-
lowing minor buildings to fill the small
er spaces: Worthington building, Car
ter building, Hotel Copley, Hotel Aus
terfeld, apartment house, LIE Brun-
Yesterday noon the great Southern
Union Station W a thrown open for in
spection. and a large number OF lnv1t-
ed guests of the Terminal Company
aviled themselves Of the opportunity.
The formal dedicatory exercises were
at l o'clock.
President Clark made a short but in
~teresting resume Of the history OF the
station.
Mayor 0ulllIy All q Gp@@@AAs
in which he described the necessity for
the station and the great benefits that
would result from its operations.
Throngs of both sexes, including dis
tinguished public officials and railway
magnates, swarmed through the build
ing, and had only words Of admiration
for the splendid appointments and ar
chitectural beauties of this, the lar
gest railroad passenger station in the
worid-larger in the service rendered
than any other two such structures in
existence.
h beauty and completeness Of ev-
cry detail appealed alike to the expert
enced railroad official FAMILIAR with
other famous stations and to the gen.
eral public. The ladies especially were
taken with the arrangements for the
comfort of their sex in the apartments
to be devoted to them, and the innoVa-
tons in the way of substantial cots
for young children and rocking cribs
for the babies called forth enthusiastic
EXPLANATIONS of commentator.
The waiting room is a marvel OF ar
chitecture and convenience. The ticket
offices are arranged in a series on the
train house side, and each is plainly
labeled, so that there can be no confu-
sion in buying local tickets, monthly
tickets, and any other kind.
The seats arranged in rows project
IlS HUH liz a III olIofC t. iC oiS
double, or back-to-back, each aisle
bearing the name of a county in a
state through which the various rail-
roads using the station run. By this
method it is thought that those wish
ing to find friends going or coming on
the trains>will be materially aided
There is a large clock at each end
rooms for the convenience Of all. The
walls are covered with a large glazed
wainscoting, and numerous large
windows add to the general CHEEKY eff
feet.
The mems smoking room is at the
extreme end of the head house, next to
the doors leading to the covered car
riage way.
Between this and the main waiting
room are the restaurant, BARRIERS shop,
shoe black and other conveniences.
There are numerous large swinging
doors giving entrance and exit to the
depot, and a numbe of capacious par
eel rooms will add to the convenience.
The train house contains twenty
eight tracks, the baggage rooms being
arranged on each side of the set Of
tracks. In the upper stories, to which
access is gained by elevator and stair
cases, are a number of office rooms for
the various railroads and the Terminal
Company.
Lie oCulCdllIS CACl lSC "01O lC1A AL
the spacious general waiting room, the
beauty and lightnesS of which were
still further enhanced When the myriad
clusters of electric lights at the turn
of a key suddenly she'd their lustre
through the great hall and caused
audible EXPLANATIONS of delight.
FACTS AND FIGURES.
The new terminal station for the
railroads entering Boston on the south
is by far the largest railroad station
in the world.
The entire structure stands on piles,
of which there are about 5000. Tota
area of terminal land, about twenty
five acres; total area covered by build
ing about thirteen acres. Maximum
length of main station, $50 feet. Maxi
mum width of main station, 725 feet.
Average length of main station, 765
feet. Average width Of main station,
662 feet. Area of main station, SOC, 43O
square feet. Area of awnings, outside
of buildings, $4,000 square feet. Height
of main station from sidewalk to top
of eagle, 135 feet. Length Of train shed
proper, COZ feet. Width of train shed
proper $40 feet.
Train shed in three spans, middle
"a 22S feet; two side spans, each III
feet.
Number of 65 foot passenger cars
that can be set against platforms on
main floor of station, 334. Number of
forty foot passenger cars hat car be
set against platforms on lower floor.
loop station tracks, 60, all under roof.
Seating capacity for these ears is 49,
104 people; total capacity of mail and
express yard, 116 cars; capacity of 9TH
er yard tracks, SO cars, making a grand
total of 613 cars.
At one corner of the waiting room is
the entrance to the women's room. This
NJ Sc C4vA4 foot - ~ rte / y
furnished with rocking chairs,
lounges and tables, and for the chill
dren, cribs and cradles.
1t will be possible 10 send out a train
each minute.