The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-04-21
One of Worlds CrandeSt
Architectural StruC-
lures.
GRADE CROSSINGS MUST GO
Terminal Plans Outlined by Prominent
Railroad officiai-Property Rights All
Secured by Pending egislation-Work
to Cost Millions.

Railroad Company on Saturday discussed
with a Times reporter the proposed
union station and tunnel, to authorize the
construction of which bills are now pend
Ing in Congress. The representative. who
requested that his name be not used. IS
connected with the working out of the
plans of the terminal, and has thorough
knowledge of the purposes Of the COM
pany.
our informant stated that the plans for
the proposed railroad facilities had been
worked out with the utmost care. having
reference alike to the interests Of the
city and the transportation companies.
He EXPRESSED the belief that when details
were irly disclosed and thoroughly I'M
derstooc the people of the District would
md little to criticise in them
Many Conferences Held.
The method by which an agreement was
reached between the representatives Of
the railroad companies and the District
authorities was described as long and
tedious. There were in all, he said more
than forty conferences upon essential
points of dispute. and while everything
was finally adjusted amicably, il seemed at
times as though the points insisted upon
by the District Engineers would threaten
the success of the whole scheme. Upon
the general merits of the plans the rail-
road man said in part:
Washington will have about five years
hence. one of the finest depots in tn,
world. 1t will be architecturally in keep
ing with the Capitol and other public
buildings of the city. AS a railway sta
tfon it will be as near perfect as the &C
cumulated wisdom and experience of the
railroad world can make it.
To Cost Millions.
The structure will ccst more than
sS,c0o.CO0 completed, and within it will be
a marvel of convenience and beauty 1t
will be built with 4 view TO handling large
crowds, as well as to the accommodation
Of regular traffic between inaugurations
and the greater events. On the plaza in
front can be marshaled three regiments
CT men if necessary 10 act as the escort
of the President or representatives Of roy
atty from other lands. II armies are 20 de-
part fer the front there Will be no crowd
ing or confusion at their departure.
he running of trains through the de-
pot ard under Capitol Fill and out over
the viaducts at either end will be a great
advantage to the travelling public. There
VIII be no longer the sense OF having
reached the end of the world SO to speak, |
but rather that of stepping off the train
at closely connecting station. The ar !
rangement OF tracks for the handling of I
trains, the shipments of mail, baggage. and
express matter have all been carefully |
studied and worked out beforehand In |
fact. the ground plan was devised first, |
and then huge building was designed to |
cover it,
Washington Will Gain.
There is one thing that have not seen |
mentioned in the papers relative to the |
building of the termina, which is worthy |
of note About SIS, 900 600 is to be ex- |
pended here for land, labor and materials. |
A good part of this money will go TO bene- |
fit Washington in one way and another. |
The laborers will have TO lodge and be |
fed here. Many of them will live here for !
a time and will spend their wages in the !
local stores and markets.
Washington cannot help feeling the i'm |
pulse of all this industry extended over a
period of five years. Further than that, /
the men in the city who find it difficult !
at times to find remunerative employment. I
"As to the damage which some persons Z
fear to property values, etc, along the /
line of the proposed approaches to the |
station. It is largely ina inary. The ulti- !
mate result will be the enhancement of !
every interest in that part of the city |
through which the lines pass.
Grade Crossing Must Go.
THE fundamental Idea is TO abolish the 1
grade crossings The street traffic will be /
thus made secure. People will not fear TO /
go beyond the railroad to find homes, as /
they now do. 1t is the rankest nonsense |
TO talk about the railroad viaduct stop |
ping the progress of the city. | recollect |
that a great hue and cry was made IN |
Baltimore when it was proposed 10 build |
the Belt line over there.
THE pessimists declared that the tunnel |
under Howard Street would ruin all the /
business property there and that the cuts 1
In North Baltimore would forever stop the 1
growth OF the city in that direction. 1t is 4
quite true that the tunnel caused the .
falling down of the City College Building |
and did some other damage. while the /
underground way was in process of con-
struction. but the ultimate result was
an immense benefit 10 all concerned and
the city has crossed the railway line to
the north and nobody is hurt. 1t will be
80 here. and ten years from now there
will be nobody in Washington to think
Of such a thing wishing TO 90 back to
the Old days of TWO depots and the pres
ent grade crossings.
Property Rights Secure.
Property rights are secured by ths bills
pending. and no householder, be he big
Or little, viii materially suffer from the
proposed Improvement. OF course. in an
enterprise so vast il viii be necessary
Tor property to be taken. and probably
some Will be called upon to give up homes
with their associations. but that is ncces-
sary II the Capital City is to have
Inion station, and no enc thinks OF riding
over the property rights OF anyone.
The terminal. as il has been pldnued
md as the railroad company expects to
AIRY il out. is one Of The most important
steps TO be taken in the future develop
nent OF the city. IL is an undertaking
worthy of the great capital OF the great
American nation in the beginning of the
wentieth century"
Train Derailed by Boulder
WILKESBARRE, Pa, April 20.-A large
boulder rolled down a mountain side and