The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-19
Important Step Reached in
Proposed Improvement
SPLENDID EDIFICB CONTEMPLATED
Engineers Unite on Main Fea-
tLTeS Of the Building.
COST TOREACHM MILLIONS
White Marble 20 Re Used 50 the sta
tion VIII Conform TO other Pub
lice Edifees in Washington.

The chief engineer OF the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company and the engineers OF
the District TO-DAY reached a definite con
clusion as TO the main features OF the
proposed union station. viaduet aud tun-
mel This conclusion was arrived at
after numerous conferences and after the
most exhaustive study OF the conditions
and possibilities
The plans agreed upon are those srst
presented and involve the construction Of
the station at the intersection OF
Massachusetts, Avenue and North can
itol Street on a grade about forfv
feet higher than the present prase
Of Massachusetts, Avenue and hi. b,,,I7i,s
up OF the adjacent and cross streets 10
correspond with that grade.
To Lower Certain Streets
According to this plan. Il Street and
The other open streets north OF il viii
pass under the viaduct by means OF a
tunnel The Distric1 engineers fought
hard TO keep these streets ous OF tbs
ground. owing 20 the objection fslr by
many OF the residents Of the northeast
section It was found, however. that tie
most practicable way TO deal with he
problem was to run the streets under and
through the viaduct By short tunnels
These VIII not exceed s50 feet IL length
IN any instance and it is thought by the
engineers that as soon as the work Is
completed there viii be no objection IN
the plans.
This agreement between the engineers
having been reached, both sides are now
working out the details and il IS expeet-
ed that within about two weeks the En-
gineer Commissioner VIII be ready 10 sub-
oit his report 70 Congress On the union
station bin
speakins Of the matter today Colonel
Biddle said thai the District eide Of the
problem had now been pretty wen worked
our. and that but little remained 10 be
done before the report would Sc formu-
lated
To Cost Several Million.
Tae proposed new dep0L and vfsduct
VIII cost betT-eea s5oo0.O00 and 81. 1000 OeO.
The structure is 10 be built Of white mar
bic and VIII be two stories high. witb q
frontage Of 500 feet on Massachusetts, Ave
rue The cut marble for its construction
viii be cut in the Vermont guarries and
brought here ready to be laid in place.
The fact that the depot VIII be Of white
marble VIII make it harmoulze well win
the white Of the Government buildings.
aud il viii be in line with the plan for
the assandizement OF the Capital Cftv
The building is TO be two stories high
The bin provides that the cost OF the
shall not be less than 50. 900 0oo
and it is expected that IL the elaborate
idea which the members OF the Senate
District Committee now have in mind is
carried out the depot with ali It's equiD-
ments. VIII cost within a million Of double
that amount
Inc interior appointments via be in
keeping with the exterior adornment and
decoration and on an elaborate scale
Senator Mcmillan declared yesterday that
he had no doubt taat It would be the
finest structure OF its kfld in the United
States and perhaps in the world
VIII Have Many Offices.
On the ground floor there win be The
waiting rooms. dining rooms. baerags
rooms. and other appointments Of rail-
road station, while the second door VuI
doubtless be occupied as general Offices
Tor some Of the various roads watch come
into Washington.
The interior will be fitted out witH hard
wood hnlsh and viii contain the latest
ana most improved facilities and couven-
lences FOR the travelling public In the
rear Of the building VIII be the Yards and
the broad train shed In design ana
architecture the entire structure wiz ba
most striking.
Cost of Present plan.
BY modification Of the present pI
involving cost Of about 100000
Street could be carried through the y
duct and be left as now, one Of the gresr
arteries Of traffic to the northeast sec
tion Of the city. Though no official OPT
ion has been expressed relative to th
matter be- IS understood that the Disrric.
authorities viii streluOusIy oppose shut
ting up this thOr0Ughfare.
The station viii be what is fariliarIy
called dOuble-decker. trains from th.
north coming in on a yiaduct and thoss
FROM the South through the tunnel over q
depression nearly thirty feet below.
Through trains also VIII run on the de-
pressed tracks and unload passengers in
0 he lower story Of the Tau1F