Evening star., 1901-12-07
The Union Station Site.

| To the Editor of The Evening star:
! Is Massachusetts avenue to be given up to
| a street railroad as necessity OF prevent
ing the present congestion of street cars
around the Baltimore and Ohio depot! mat
will inevitably follow the removal of the
union depot from the present site, where
| it has been since 1851. The first depot, on
PENNSYLVANIA avenue and ID street, remain
ed there but fifteen years, on account of its
ohstructiyeness and for fifty years the
New Jersey avenue site mas peen historic
for peace and war.
If the depot is to be removed farther from
the Capitol which is the chief attraction
to our visitors, it might as well be put IN
South Washington, beyond the proposed
tunnel outlet and where no congestion or
improvements are probable to be for an
other generation. Four or five blocks re-
moval north from the natural tunnel head
Of CAPITOL Hill will lead to a conges-
ton and expense of street cabs, require the
present railroads, which have just been
put down, to be torn up, and leave gaping
depot yard, unmasked by any depot aren't
lecture to blacken the only side of Capitol
Hill by which visitors will approach
The depot placed where President Cassatt
devised on the present site, Will give an
architectural glacis to Capitol Hill and can
be made subordinate to the classical and
renaissance styles of the Capitol and libra
nv. Property has been acquired and I'M
nroved both by citizens and the railroad
on. and about the present site, and some
equity is due to both investors The nature
of the commercial business with Washing
ton is expressed by the term Congressional
Express, - applied to the daily train which
leaves this city at o clock near the hour
of adjournment for the commercial metrop-
oils. Why add to the time the twenty min
utes to walk to more distant site.
New Jersey avenue has street rail-
road upon it, and it is one of our widest
streets at the depot door, 1t is little i'm
proved Massachusetts avenue is the true
carriage route from the West End to the
Capitol yet depot seven blocks northeast
of the Capitol will neither help the travel
ing public nor avert the fate of that long
est straight avenue in the city to become a
common horse car route.
If the union depot is moved back, a gap
ing chasm of shantieS will be the perma-
nent life of Indiana avenue, already boule-
varded for the street railroads.
Philadelphia has its noble depot right
against the city hail. which has cost more
money than the American Capitol, and to
get to that valuable passenger site the
dollars. The Reading railroad moved to the
same center.
A depot of quality is one of the orna-
ments of first-class city, as can be seen
in Edinburgh, Scotland. using the valley be-
tween the old and new towns for steam
transit.
With classical fronted depot along C
street northeast, the miserable opposite
side of Capitol Hill south would have some
incentive to be improved. AS only one
square of ground is built upon from
street to the Capitol gardens, all street car
congestion could be prevented by taking
part or all of that which is scatteringly
and cheaply improved for the street car
service.
l cannot see how Senator McMillan's prop
osition to go back to Massachusetts ave-
nue. is to be ornamental to the environs of