Evening star., 1901-12-14
A Union Station Suggestion.
the Editor of The Evening Star,

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
The great problem that seems to be dis
turbing engineers, District Commissioners
railroad officials, park commissioners and.
last but not least. the newspapers of this
city is how to dispose of the railroad ter
minals Of the city-frst, in the location Of a
union depot, and. second, In disposing of
the local and through passenger and freight
business with the greatest amount OF ac-
commodation to the railroads for their
present and future use, with the least ex
pense and with the least damage to citi-
ZenS. parks and streets of the city,
ihe hrst proposition then, is to locate a
union station, which ought to be done at
once The location of this station should
be for the best interest Of the largest num-
Der of roads coming into the city. The plan
To have 1t at the present location of the
baltimore and Potomac railroad station on
the mall has been abandone and WELL The
next proposition Is to put 1t In the north
east section Of the city north and east OF
Massachusetts, avenue, which plan seems
to me to be more absurd than that first
proposed. First, because it would be fore
ing all the roads, six in number, coming
into the city from the south and south
west to go to great expense, at the same
time accommodating one road only-the
baltimore and Ohio. Again: believe 1t is
cute the plan Of tunneling the Capitol
grounds, as the District less than a wear
ago put a twenty-foot sewer through the
grounds along its entire south and west
front, It's depth about tide level
Again: There Is tunnel running from
the Capitol building to the Library. The
attempt to put railroad tunnel under the
grounds would destroy this tunnel and the
sewer and thereby do great damage to the
immense sewer system laid out and par
tally built The question is, then, where
can 1t be built to answer the needs of the
city. country and railroads for all time?
My plan is to take the ground on 14th
street southwest bounded ON the north by
street. on the east by 18th street. on the
west by the basin and the south by
Maryland avenue. This ground will give
ample room for all depot and yard pur-
poses. This location is nearer to the prin-
cipal hotels than any place yet mentioned;
1t Is equally accessible to any and all
the street railroads. and 1t would never be
in the way or be crowded by the expansion
OF the city.
Now, how to get the two roads coming
from the north and east to this point. Let
the Metropolitan branch at some point
north curve east to the Eastern branch,
down that stream on the west side until
1t connects with he Baltimore and Potomac
railroad, then on through the tunnel Let
the main line of the Baltimore and Ohio
connect on the east side of the Eastern
branch with the Pennsylvania railroad,
then on through the tunnel of the Pennsyl-
vania railroad, where It comes out of the
west end OF the tunnel, curve to the south,
striking Georgia avenue, along that ave.
nue. to P street. along p street to Water
street, along Water street to the bridge,
thence into the depot grounds. All the
land between the navy yard and the arsenal
south OF Georgia avenue and p street.
which has been worked out by the brick
yards. could be obtained by the roads for
freight yards and for parking trains.
The beauty of this plan Is that II can be
built by the roads without interfering with