Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-12-03
Conference Today Between Senator
Mcmillan and President Cassatt,
4 new BILL TO Be DRAWN
Massachusetts Avenue Site for
Station Urged Upon Railroad.
THE SOUTHERN LINES


Columbia today. Mr.. H. A. Cassatt, pres
ident of the Pennsylvania railroad.
present, accompanied by Mr.. Brown, chief
engineer of the road, and other officials.
Senator Mcmillan, chairman of the District
committee, and Mr. Burnham, chairman of
the park commission, which has under con-
sideration the beautifction of the entire
District. were the other chief members of
the conference. During the progress and
after the exchange of views that was car
ried on. Senator Allison, chairman of the
Senate committee appropriations, and
other prominent leaders of the Senate, Wis
tied the room and discussed the project
with Mr.. Cassatt.
Mr.. Cassatt. after a general discussion,
appeared to view quite favorably the propo-
sition. which has been put into form by
Mr., Burnham. for the location of the union
station north of Massachusetts avenue and
east of North Capitol street. Plans were
exhibited showing not only this. but other
locations, with their relation to existing
street car lines, and other conditions affect
ing their practical operation, so that COM
parison could be made the merits of the
various sites. At the conclusion of the con-
ference Mr.. Cassatt visited the Massachu-
setts avenue site and then took train for
Philadelphia.
Bill to he Introduced.
Senator Mcmillan will draw up a bill
which he will shortly introduce in the Sem
ate amending the railroad bills passed by
the last Congress. providing for the elimina-
tion of grade crossings. and so forth and
the Improvement of the terminal stations of
the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad companies.
This bill will be drawn in relation to the
proposed Massachusetts avenue site. OF
course. the introduction of the bill and it's
promotion will naturally be affected by the
attitude of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany. because it would hardly be practical
bic TO force such a measure if there should
be foreibie opposition on the part of that
company.
President Cassatt's Position.
The conference this morning lasted sew
eral hours Mr.. Cassett indicated the en-
tire willingness of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company to cooperate in the recon- !
structon of its terminal facilities in this
city with those who are interested in the
Identification Of the capital. He expressed
his qualification that there was such a
strong sentiment being crystaIized for
beautifying the District of Columbia, and
said that as an American citizen he nat
urally felt pride in seeing this work sue
cessful. and that so far as would be con-
sistent with his duties as president Of the
endeavor TO cooperate in manner that
would bring about the best results. so far
as railroad trackage and terminal facilities
were concerned.
He expressed his Willingness to have the
Pennsylvania railroad tracks removed from
the Mall. and said that his company had
determined that it was desirable from sew
eral standpoints to have union station on
the site of the proposed station of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
north of c street and between North Cap
itOl and 1sJ streets east. He explained that
there were many advantages in the location
of the Pennsylvania railroad station on
the present site of its depot and that were
there intense railroad competition those ad-
vantages would be very great indeed. But
In view Of the manner of railroad organi-
ZatiOn at the present time, SO far as this
city was concerned, it would be entirely
practical to have the roads join their forces
and utilize a single station.
The Southern Lines.
At the present time the tracks of the
Southern railroad coming into this city and
proceeding to 9th street, and the tracks
leading from the depot to the navy yard
form an obtuse angle by running on Mary
land and Virginia avenues The park com
mission has desired, in view of their plan
for the removal of the tracks from the
mall. 10 straighten the course of these
tracks, placing them south of Virginia and
Maryland avenues This proposition was
lald before Mr. CaSSatt and he expressed
his entire Willingness to see it realized pro-
vided the railroad company could have in
Its new location in that section of the city
equal facilities with those il now enioys
there. After Mr.. Cassatt had expressed his
desire and willingness also TO have a union
station on street between North Capitol
and lst streets east Mr.. Burnham produced
several maps which he had prepared show
ing the location of the depot on that site
and also on the proposed site north of Mas
sachusetts avenue.
Congestion at the c Street Site
He showed that with the depot located
on the brow of the hill at C street there
would be a very considerable congestion of
street car lines on that street. There were
other disadvantages that he pointed out
from an engineering standpoint, and he
then produced map with the site on Mas
sachusetts avenue indicated in red
Ihis showed depot with about eight
huhured ieet frontage on Massachusetts
avenue large enough to accommodate
thirty tracks According to this plan the
tracks of the Southern railroad would be
carried from South Washington through
tunnel underneath Capitol Hill and locat-
ed between the Library and the CAPITOL
emerging IN the depot at Massachusetts
avenue and there rising to the level of the
tracks on the masonry viaduct. The plan
Tor depot on that site showed a semi
circular space Immediately in front of the
osPot' with the several street railway lines
OF the city approaching the depot from
diHerent streets converging at that point.
It showed that unlike the location on G.
street there would be no congestion of the
street car line, but the most ample facII-
1tles would be provided. The trackage of
the proposed union depot on Massachnsetts
avenue would be about double the track
age in both the Pennsylvania and Baltimore
and Ohio railroad depots in this CITY at
present.
Mr.. Cassatt Favorabiy Impressed.
Mr. Cassatt viewed this plan with a good
deal of favor, and said that it seemed to
have much merit, and the great interest he
took in 1t indicated to those present that
he was viewing it favorably.
At the conclusion of the conference, Mr..
Sassatt, accompanied by Mr. Brown and
MT burnham, visited the site on Massa-
ehasetts avenue, and looked over the
ground very thoroughly. They all con-
SIuoed that depot there would be extreme
~ accessible to the different sections of the
eity which would chiefly patronize the sta
uon' and that there was a magnificent op-