Evening star., 1902-03-17
THE UNION STATION
Grand Specimen of Roman
Architecture.
COST ABOUT S5,OOO,O0O
PLANS FOR THE SURROUND
INGs.
Unsurpassed Capacity Of the Train
shed-Facilities for Hand
ling Multitudes.


east. which were brought here Saturday
for the inspection of Senator Mcmillan,
chairman of the Senate committee on the
District of Columbia, illustrate magni-
ficent structure. the grandeur OF which
cannot be appreciated without a thorough
realization of the liberal proportions on
which the building has been designed. AS
told in The Star Saturday the location Of
this building, the general plan on which 1t
has been arranged with the accompanying
tunnel connection between the station and
the tracks in South Washington are all in
line with the project discussed since the
proposed location was suggested. The plans
in a general way are satisfactory to the
presidents of both the Pennsylvania and
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad companies
and to the Senate committee on the District
of Columbia. The bill embodying these
plans will probably be reported favorably
from the committee to the Senate during
the present week, and then only the ac-
ton of Congress will be required in order
to empower the railroad companies to go
ahead with the work.
Dimensions of the Station.
The grandeur of the proposed union sta
tion be appreciated only when its enor-
NOUS dimensions fully realized. The
building will be the north side of Mas
sachusetts avenue. with a frontage of go
feet between North Capitol and I'd street
east. The axis of the station and the train
shed in Its rear will be directly on the line
OF Delaware avenue. This frontage is
longer than is the Capitol, the extreme
length of which is 151 feet and 4 inches.
To the caves Of the central portion Of the
building the height is 90 feet, and the top
Of the train shed in the rear looms up to a
height of 125 feet. The three main door
ways through which the vestibule is en-
tered are 60 feet high and II feet wide. SO
that within each OF the spaces there could
be placed two wide sx-story houses.
Interior Arrangements.
After passing through this vestibule to
the waiting room there is found an apart
ment 245 feet long and 135 wide. On the
right or TO the east of this waiting room
IL a ladies' waiting room and lunch room
The lunch room is 45 by 16O feet in dimen-
sions On this side Of the station there Is
a private entrance. which may be used on
occa sions of inauguratiOns and when
crowds are gathering here for great cere-
monials. On the west or to the left Of the
main entrance are the baggage room and
ticket room, the entrance the western
end of the building being for cabs, which
will have their stand inside the inclosure.
Beyond the waiting room is the lobby
from which passengers pass out of the
gates to the trains This lobby is eighty
feet wide and $50 feet long. People who
have seen the great lobby at the Pennsyl-
have regarded 1t as of mammoth proper
tions, but that lobby is but fifty feet wide.
Outside the gates the trains will come int o
the depot under three arched roofs, the
central being 80 feet and those on
each side 161 feet wide. Under this train
shed there will be room for thrty-six
tracks. Not all these tracks will be used
at once. or. IN fact, put In place at once.
Probably not over thirty Will be provided
FOR immediate use. The ample provision
for trackage can be appreciated when it
IS known that the station at st. Louis has
thirty tracks leading into 1t. These thirty
tracks cause comment because of their
indication of the immense business trans
acted. In giving space for thirty-six tracks
provision Will be made here for a genera
tion to come and which il is believed will
be equal to the demand made on it during
!naugurations and other occasions OF enor-
nous gatherings Of people who will come in
and go out of the city on the same day.
To Be Built of White Marble.
This magnificent design is to be of the
Roman style of architecture White mar
bic will be used in the building in con-
formity with the plan Of the park COM
mission for the building of public struc-
lures in this city of tha. stone. The vest-
bule. the waiting room and the lobby are
TO be most imposing, not only because Of
their enormous size. but because Of the
magnificence though simplicity Of their
finish.
The Expense Involved.
Tie expense involved In this splendid
Improvement Will aggregate several mil
lions of dollars. 1t is estimated that the
union station alone viii cost 5000 600,
which is TO be borne wholly by the railroad
companies which will use it. The Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad Company has al
ready purchased the land necessary for
this union station. In order TO carry out
the plan adopted it will be necessary to
raise the grade at the. site OF the station a
height of about thirty feet. This raising
Of the grade will not only place the depot
on a more imposing site, taking 1t out of
the hollow now existing In that particular
locality, but II will make practicable the
entrance of the tunnel to run under and
) along the line of 1st street to connect with
the tracks In South Washington, into the
station. nwhich the tracks Will gradually
rise to the level of the proposed viaduct.
which will then be about on level with
Massachusetts avenue.
The large amount OF filing In incident to
this change of grade and the paving OF
streets, sidewalks. etc, will involve an ex-
pense Of about 81 100000. which will fall
upon the District of Columbia and the gen.
eral government on the half-and-h basis
There will be a grand plaza in front Of the
union station and the cutting Of new streets
leading to II will be necessary. The land
for this plaza. about 5O0x1 200 feet in area
under the plan now under consideration
will be paid for by the District and general
government. A new street will run along
the line of the present tracks of the Balti.
more and Ohio railroad from Massachusetts
avenue to the corner of New Jersey avenue
and street. and Ii Is expected that this
land will be turned over to the government
without charge i'll consideration for the saw.
ing of cost to the Baltimore and Ohio rail.
road. because the new plan will save the
expenditure that would have been neces-
sary under their old plan of continuing the
viaduct for their tracks over the portion
of their trackage now to be abandoned. The
land that would in that way be conveyed
TO the city will be worth about 600 OOO oI
$4O0.WO, the street to be made Of 1t being
necessitated for the convenience Of the
union station. The giving up of this land
will also be regarded as In compensation
for the expense of the government and Dis
trict In providing land for the grand plaza
an front Of the union station and for filling
It to the level Of the new grade which is te
be established.
The payment by the District and the gov
eynment to the Baltimore and Ohio Rail