Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-08

ENGINEERS REPORT
Valedictory Of Former District Com
missioner Beach.
STEAM RAILWAY PROBLEM SOLVED
Review of Municipal Improvements
During the Past Year.
NEEDS AND SITGG ESTTONS
AM RAILWAY PROBLEM SOLVED
NEEDS AND SUGGESTIONS

| The report of the engineer department of
| the District government for the fiscal year
| ending June 80 last was made public today.
| Inc report was prepared by Capt Lansing
| II. Beach, Corps of Engineers, United
| states army, who was Engineer Commits
! sloner OF the District during the period COW
| ered by the statement. Capt. Beach was
| transferred to government work at De-
| tro1t, Mich, November !, and was sue
| ceeded by Major John Biddle as Engineer
| commissioner. The report is signed by all
| the commissioners. 1t recites that Capt.
Beach had as assistants Capt. D. D. Gail
| lard, Capt. H. c. Newcomer and Capt.
chester Harding of the Corps of Engineers.
| capt. Gaillard served until March, 1901,
| when he was ordered to take charge of
| the engineer office at Duluth. Mimi, and
was succeeded here by Capt Harding. The
hrst subject treated of in the report is
steam railroads, and in regard to them the
| following is said:
The Commissioners feel it to be a cause
| of congratulation that the District is at
| last to have railroad facilities in keeping
| with the dignity of the national capital.
| Congress has passed acts requiring the
abolition of grade crossings, the removal of
the Long bridge and the erection of suit
| five years. Plans for a part of these great
| undertakings have already been prepared
| and submitted to the Commissioners tor
approval, and approved. as required by law.
Union Station in View.
Shortly after the passage of the acts of
| Congress referred TO above, the Pennsyl-
| wanna Railroad Company secured a con-
trolling interest in the Baltimore and Ohio
| Company. This change of relations be-
| tween the two companies has brought APP
parently within reach still further improve
mcnts long desired by those who have the
| welfare of the city at heart. A union sta
| ton, accommodating all steam railroads
| entering the city, together with the clear
| ance of tracks and stations from the mall,
| in addition to the abolition of grade cross
| ings, seem to be within sight.
| 1t is believed that the Pennsylvania
| Railroad Company is willing to do its share
| in accomplishing these desired objects.
| Shortly after the consolidation of interests
! referred to above, its officers intimated to
| the Commissioners that they were aware
| there was more or less sentiment in favor
| of the establishment of union passenger
| station in Washington and they realized 1t
would be desirable to have such a station,
| if the same could be- established in fairness
| to all the railroad interests and the pub
| lie, although the problem was a very diff
! cult to work out. They suggested that
| the only proposition they had been able to
! figure out that would be satisfactory to
|
| timore and Ohio railroad lines on Della
| ware avenue with the Pennsylvania tracks
| on Virginia avenue by means of a double
| track tunnel from the ground just north
| of street northeast, thence following the
| line of LIST street east to 3 street south,
| thence curving into Virginia avenue near
| 1st street west This would permit the es-
| tablishment of a through station on the
| site of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
| Ccmpany's terminal. property at Delaware
avenue and q street northeast and would
| contemplate the rebuilding Of the Baltimore
| and Potomac railroad through Washington
| as already authorized by Congress, with the
| exception of the branch and station on the
mall.
VIII Solve Two Problems.
A large union station could thus be rro-
vided on an eligible site, with a through
station and a substation-the railway COM
pany deeming the latter a necessary es-
sential in Observation-Disclosures the bulk Of
the traffic from the north stops at Wash
ington but of course, it would be neces-
Sary to have a through connection for the
through north and south passenger trains,
as otherwise it would mean long detcur
The Commissioners at once took up the
| matter and a study was made of the pro-
ject as outlined above. No insurmountable
engineering difficulties were found to be in
the way, and the Commissioners feel safe
in stating that the project is not only en-
tirely feasible, but that it offers practical
solution of two problems that have con-
fronted the city for years. namely, the
clearance of the mall of railroad obstruc-
lions and the erection of a union station
accommodating all railroads entering the
city; and they recommend that the neces-
sary legislation be enacted at early a
date as possible to. secure these great inn
provements in terms which shall be salts
factory to the District of Columbia.
Street and Alley Pavements.
The materials used for street pavements
during the year were asphalt asphalt
block and macadam; 40, $50 square yards of
sheet asphalt, 1853 square yards of
phalt block and s2S06 square yards of ma
cadam being laid. This was all new work
upon streets heretofore unprovided with
improved pavement. In connection and adj
dtion to the above, BOG. 900 cubic yards of
grading was accomplished The prices paid
were, for sheet asphalt on six-inch concrete
base, s.. 1917 per square yard, and for as
phalt block on gravel base, SLIT per square
yard. For the coming year the prices will
be s1.72 for sheet asphalt and SLIT for as
phalt block.
Vitrified block and asphalt block were
used for paving alleys, about 1900 square
yards of the former and Is, coo square yards
of the latter being laid. This work was
done by day labor.
The recommendation is renewed that all
granite block pavement in the CITY be re-
placed as rapidly as possible with sheet
asphalt asphalt block. Objections to the
rough and noisy grante-block pavements
are being continually received, and under
the conditions prevailing in Washington.
where smooth pavements are the rule it is
believed that relief should be afforded
Sidewalks.
During the year 67,176 square yards of
cement sidewalk were laid, and 4O35 square
yards of brick idekalk The prices for
cement sidewalk weFe s1O51s and ST. 1sg
per square yard, theAatter price prevailing
upon streets in thea county not provided
with roadway pavenents. For the coming
year the prices wlllsabe SO cents and SLOT
The amount Of brick walk laid has stead
lily decreased from year to year. The first
cost of a brick walksis but little less than
one Of cement, Whu4fhe advantages of the
latter are incornparably greater 1t is al
most impossible1 Aintain smooth brick
sidewalk in Washington on account of tree
and displace the bricks The cement walk,
however. is notsso easily affected, although