Evening star., 1901-10-05

will be run over the Reading and Jersey
central tracks from Philadelphia to New
York instead of over the PENNSYLVANIA
tracks, as some have anticipated IL is be-
lieved by the management that more pas
sengers can be obtained by such a separa-
tlon than by closer communion of in
terests The roads will be rivals for pas
senger traffic largely as before and the
union station scheme for Washington will
not bring them together except at the sta
ton 1t is pointed out that In MANY cities
riVai roads whose ownership is absolutely
separate hnd union stations a great ad-
vantage to themselves and the public For
instance, all railroads in st. Paul have one
station, yet at least six are rival roads be-
tween Chicago and that city. Three rival
ROADS from the west and northwest enter
the union station I'm Chicago while All
roads center at the union station in ST
Louis. Many advantages of a union sta
tion are recognized by both the railroads
and the travelling public, and these con-
slderations, II is said have operste5 ,o
bring about the movement for one station
IN the national capital
The Mall to BE Cleared.
The union of the terminals on the b. and
" site would absolutely solve all problems
Whlch now perplex the experts who are
pianning for the general improvement of
the capitals parks. For many years the
c'tlzens of Washington have sought to Sc
cure the removal of the tracks from 9th
street and the mall, in order that the latter
might be restored to its original nurnose
of an uninterrupted stretch of mark from
the Capitol to the river. But the Penn
sylVanla railroad has successfully resisted
all such attempts and prevented the adop-
ton of an amendment to that effect in the
House last spring when the grade crossinp
nllis were under consideration there
after the passage of those bills the SEN
ate provided for the preparation of an
elaborate park improvement plan. and the
experts summoned by the District comp1jt
tee Tor this purpose soon declared thai no
comprehensive, beautiful project for mall
Improvement could be executed unless The
station building and the tracks were locarad
to the south of the reservation When thsv
went TO europe to secure suggestions for
the grand plan they held in view the IDEAL
OF the mall restored to its proper condi-
tion.
1t Is understood that their arguments In
taVor OF a clearance of the mall have had
thelr weight with the railroad aut ao,ities
IN shaplns the decision which 1t is now said
mas been formed to build a union station
Ihis end could, of course be ACCOMPLISHED
without uniting the stations by merely
moving the Pennsylvania terminal TO the
southern edge of the reservation In that
case as has been pointed out to the rail-
road officials, the beauties of a fine station
building would be enhanced by the pres
ence OF fine park Immediately In front.
Business and Beauty Both Considered.
But railroad considerations have entered
into the case in addition to those suggested
solely by the esthetic requirements of the
government in its treatment of the capi-
tals parks. These considerations have led,
1t is now said, first to the adoption of the
union station principle, second to the
choice of the B. and O. site for thst pur-
pose. Thus the park improvement plan is,
according to the project now believed to
be in view. to be given the fullest possible
scope, without the intrusion of even a sta
ton building removed to the edge os the
reservation
The advantage to be derived by the pubItr
IN this clearance of the park is not vet
to be fully estimated, for 1t depends IN
farse degree upon the character OF the
great scheme which the expert Commission
Is now formulating. The mall was early
chosen as the backbone of the park sys-
depend in great measure upon the free
dom with which the landscape architects
could propose drives, mounds walks or
other features. The presence of the tracks
and the station building was almost pro-
hlbftive of any satisfactory arrangement
1t Is not yet announced whether the re-
moyal of the Pennsylvania station from the
man VIII erect complete removal of all
the railroad construction from the south
ern part of the city. though 1t is believed
In some quarters that the Pennsylvania
ROAD Will seek to retain fits facilities in the
vicinity Of Garfield Park and its freight
terminals. These matters are details which
are either not yet fully determined or have
been closely guarded by the officials In
charge of the preparation of the project