Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-29
Important Conference to Be Held
Next Tuesday.
new PLAN FOR A DEPOT SITE
North of Massachusetts, Ave. and
East of North Capitol St.
ADVANTAGE TO THE CITY

A very important conference concerning
the location OF a union depot ia this city
Will be held here next Tuesday. when Sen
ator Mcmillan. chairman of the Senate
committee on the District OF Columbia:
Mr.. A. j. Cassatt. president OF the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company, and Mr.. Burn
ham, chairman of the park commission and
the architect for the design Of a union sta
ton for this city, will all be in the city.
They will meet here in order to discuss the
questions growing out of the location or
the union station, and il possible TO har-
monize their ideas regarding the subject.
Mr.. Csssatt will have placed before him for
his consideration a plan for the location OF
the depot ncrth of Massachusetts avenue
northwest. and important reasons will be
given him why the permanent location of a
union station, which will serve the popula-
tion of the capital for generations to come.
should be north of Massachusetts avenue
on the line of the tracks of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad.
Plans Presented.
Mr.. Cassatt has already agreed to a re-
moval of the tracks of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company from the mall SO that
that parkway may be beautified. The first
proposition placed before the president OF
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company was
for depot west of 9th street and south OF
the mall. Mr.. Cassatt proposed that there
be union depot and the proposed site or
the new Baltimore and Ohio depot be south
of c street between North Capitol and LIST
street east was agreed on for this purpose.
This plan would make necessary a cause
way 100 feet in length, extending over
Massachusetts, avenue, that thoroughfare
for that length to be through what would
practically be a tunnel. 1t would be e.
Chinese wall separating the city to the east
and west of 1t. 1t would mar one Of the
longest widest and most beautiful avenues
in the city.
To some extent it would add to the cost
of the railroad viaduct. Then the PROPOSE
tion was made to keep the depot back to
the north side of Massachusetts avenue,
where ample room could be found for il on
land of moderate price which has no exten-
sive improvements to be purchased. The
exact location of the depot at that point
would be a matter yet to be decided, but
it would be east of North Capitol street, so
that that broad thoroughfare, giving an
unobstructed view from the Soldiers Home
to the Capitol, could remain open as IL
would be if the site on street We're Sc
lected.
The Massachusetts avenue site would
have other advantages over the c street
location, both in the width of the thorough
fare running in front of it and in fits CEN
short route to the center of the north
west residence section of the city, and IL is
already reached by electric street car lines,
and with little difficulty other electric lines
could be so diverted from their present
routes to reach it. The depot would
face grand avenue giving the very best
opportunity for architectural display. and
1t would be seen to splendid advantage
from the Capitol.
Advantage to the City.
The advantage to the city and the beau
tiication Of the surroundings of the Cap
itol would be very marked, 1t is claimed.
With such location the proposition to
tunnel Capitol Hill in order to bring the
trains from the south to the depot might
not be carried out The southern roads
would probably reach this depot by way
Of the present tracks in South Washing
ton, though the line there might be
Strengthened instead of going up Mary
land avenue from the bridge and down
Virginia avenue to the navy yard, as at
present, in order to have easy access to
the 9Th street depot, and they could reach
the union station on Massachusetts ave-
nue. by way Of a line northeast OF the city.
This plan will be thoroughly discussed by
Senator Mcmillan, President Cassatt and
Mr.. Burnham. 1t will be urged with many
arguments by Mr.. Burnham. whose expert
ence in building great railroad stations has
pressed interest in the project of the park
commission for the general beautification
of the District of Columbia, and IL is be-
lieved he will approach the project OF the
location of union station from a broad
and liberal point OF view.