Evening star., 1900-04-10

not only practical impossibility, but also
would be, in the opinion of the committee
highly undesirable By virtue of the pro-
posed changes this occupation will be great
ly improved so far as sightliness is con-
cerned: and as a result the visitor to the
national capital will not only be landed
near to the heart of the city, but also his
first impressions of the city will be of the
pieasantest possible character
IT Is proposed to remove the tracks of
the railroad from 9th street and to open
that tnoroughfare to public travel; and, in
order to accommodate both the road and
the public, to widen 3 street in front of the
pres station so as to make there a broad
plaza. Then a new and commodious pas
senger station is to be constructed in s1cn
a manner as to make the building one of
the architectural features of the capital
This station building will cost the company
about Il million and d half of dollars From
the station the tracks are to run on an
elevated structure in sotitherly direction
to Join the main lines of the company on
Virginia and maryland avenues and pro-
vision has been made for carrying the pro-
posed new avenue underneath the tracks by
arches having a combined width of 200 feet
an architectural feature that can be made
10 add beauty to the new thoroughfare
indeed, so far as sfghtliness is concerned.
the proposed chan yes will add greatly to
the beauty of that portion of the Mall.
II 1t We're possible to accommodate the
public without the road crossing the Mali
the comfnittee would be glad to recommend
such a plan. When the Mall was laid out
the only land travel was by horses, and to
accommodate this streets were opened
across that park. The invention Of the rail-
road, both steam and street has made n
quite as necessary to provide for such
travel: and the only thing to be demanded
is that such crossing shall be made with
IN nne least inconvenience and unsightliness
The pending measure provides for both Of
these considerations.
ihe proposed Strengthening of the lines
ana the removal of the tracks from 9th
street involves the removal Of the fish com
mission building. and this change the com
mittee proposes that the railroad company
shall pay for, placing the limit at 10000
which Is believed to be a greater sum than
Will he necessary.
Potomac Park Not Used.
The bill as introduced proposed tracks
on water street and the use of a strip Of
land 500 feet wide across the Potomac Park
between the Washington and Virginia
channels Of the Potomac The Commission
ers recommended that these provisions be
stricken out and in these recommendations
the committee concurs
Two Bridges.
fhe engineer officers Of the government
recommend that there shall be but one
bridge across the main or Virginia channel
OF the Potomac, and the railroad people
prefer two bridges So strong is this pref
erence on the part of the railroad company
hi.at that 1T IT Is willing to build the second or
nisnwdy Dradge for the sum that the Dis
trict and the government would be reouired
70 pay as their proportionate sum for a
single bridge. That is to say, the railroad
company would pay the difference in the
coss between one and two bridges
Ihls question was taken I'D at length nv
.ne committee; conference was held with
M MI. w william III Brown, the chief engineer
ot the pennsylvania railroad; Lieut. Col,
Allen, in charge of the Potomac flats i'm.
Provements and Capt. Beach. the Engineer
commissioner of the District. After a full
consultation the committee unhesitatingly
report IN lavor OF two bridges. as providing
sIeater se'ety to life and property. The OBJ.
struction to navigation caused by two
,alu nllaseS is not to be considered when Vt is
remembered that the average number of
times the draws will be operated will avar
age less than one day
ne question as toEwhet1er there should
oe tmo tho prldges across, the Rotomac in place
ot tne present Long bridge is one which
sa'o snouiu pe determined upon the basis of the
ieia1lHe value OF the commerce passing IN
anu =. uown the river and that passing across
desires to have wagon trattic removed row
the railroad bridge on the ground that IN
iar sprte OF an precautions runaways and SINH
lar accidents are centain to occur dua tn
proximity of trains. MI. Brown. the en-.
gineer Of the road, states that at least
s. seven people already. have been killed on
'ne .er, Long 6ridge by such accidents.
ne oh1cer in charge of the river and
that that the interests of navigation would be
pest served by one bridge; that one draw
s,ou WOULD a. form less obstrpctiop, than two, and
tos .so anat taere would be less liability Of an
zee gorge forming with one bridge The
sna only records which have been kept concern
ing the number Of times the draw has been
swung have been kept by the Pennsylvania
ina nailf6ad tpa Company. They report that dur
lns tne calendar year 1899 the draw was
opened $3.50 times, the number Of vessels
passing through being IS. 100, of which 1895
were steam vessels and 5S04 vessels Of
other kinds. Va
1T Is believed that almost the entire
amount OF this commerce is due to the
handling nam OF scows carrying sand. etc. AS
Iar as can be ascertained the number Of
masted vessels that entered at Georgetown
ana 1soo wa Mashngton above the bridge during
were were gwen a greater height 1t would be
very seldom necessary to operate the draw
The largest tug belonging to the port Of
WASHINGTON has the top Of its pilot house
seventeen feet above the water, with an
ornamental eagle on top of the pilot house
Two 1eet high. A number Of tugs come to
this port during the season from Baltimore,
ana IT Is believed that they are somewhat
larger High tide would diminish the
clearance to some extent, but it is believed