Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-10
AN AVENUE RAILWAY STATION
Trying to Induce the Pennsylvania Com
pany to Buy Square
Tracks Would Cross b street on an
Arch-Secretary Harries of Board of
Trade Suggests n Convention Hall.

Senator Mcmillan. chairman of the Sem
ate committee on the District of Columbia.
is andeavoring to persuade the Pennsylva-
mia Railroad Company to purchase the
square of ground bounded by Pennsylvania
avenue. 9Th, Tth and B streets, in order that
in the reconstruction of their new depot it
may be extended to Pennsylvania avenue
and face on that magnificent thoroughfare.
Senator Mcmillan hopes that the railroad
company may see fit to act upon this sug
gestion and believes that it will not only
be benefit to the city, but to the railroad
company. as well as bringing their station
from off back street to face on the most
prominent avenue of the city. The advan-
tages that will be secured by such a recon-
s;ruction of the depot are-Yery great and
such a change Will give this city ideal
railroad station
As the tracks Will come into the depot
elevated above the surface of the street,
coming in on the second floor, it will permit
r street to remain open, that not only
the present street car tracks that run
through that thOroughfare will remain
there, but all passengers going to the depot
in cabs can be put off under cover. In
stormy weather, especially, this conven-
fence will be very great. and the facilities
that can he secured will be second to none
in the country.
Estimated Value of the Square.
According to the estimate lately made
by the board of assessors of the District,
and published in The Star yesterday in re-
lation to the value of the squares along
the south side of Pennsylvania avenue, the
square that it would be necessary for the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company to pur-
chase contains 1851 square feet of
ground. the value of which is estimated to
be $6I2,iSi. the improvements being esti-
mated worth sri or total valuation
of 10 tfra
square has at present a rental value of
st4 62l
Senator Mcmillan has already taken this
matter up with the Pennsylvania officials
and they now have it under consideration.
Large Hall Proposed.
In relation to the construction of a new
depot by the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany in this city, Mr.. Geo. II. Harries, sec
rotary of the board of trade. today said:
THE Pennsylvania Railroad Company
will have magnificent opportunity while
it is building its depot here to construct on
the floor above it's waiting rooms con-
yention hall of very large proportions.
which | am quite sure would result not only
to the benefit of the city at large. but would
prove to be remunerative to the railroad
company itself. Such a hall would give the
city what it has long needed and would be
patronlzed by practically all the large con-
yentions of various kinds that meet in this
city. Washington is already known as the
convention city, and in the very nature of
things it is sure to be the meeting place of
national conventions. The railroad COM
pany will probably very readily see that
having such convention hall within its
own depot would be very great attraction
to travellers to take that line in coming to
conventions. Such a hall could be arranged
so that 1T could be divided into smaller
halls. so that it would accommodate prac-
ucatly any kind of crowd that might as
semble. 1t is to be hoped that one of our
railroad companies will see the force of this
suggestion and provide Washington with
such convention hall as 1t has long been
in need Of.