Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-03-26
PROPOSED TUNNEL
REPORT OF THE SENATE COM
MITTEE MADE PUBLIC.
No Evidence That It Would Injure the
Walls Of the Congressional
Library Building.

A report of the hearings conducted by the
Senate committee on the District Of Co.
lumbia on the proposed tunnel along the
line of LIST street east to connect the tracks
of the steam railroad companies in South
Washington with the proposed union sta
ton on Massachusetts, avenue has been
made public. This hearing was held for
the purpose of determining whether there
would be any danger to the foundation
walls of the Congressional Library build
ing. and while all the witnesses were ofthe
opinion that mo such danger exists, the
committee decided that as an added precau-
ton the tunnel should be placed under the
sidewalk On the west side Of the street IN
order to further remove it from the founda-
ton OF the library: '~+
Mr.. Green's Testimony.
In testify!ng on the subject Mr.. Bernard
Green, superintendent, of the, library and
prominently identified with the work, OF
experimenting the construction, described
the character Of soil on which the building
is erected and the nature Of its foundation
walls. He said the foundation walls are
but five or six feet below the level Of the
street. 1t has not been determined how far
down the rock Is located but it was prob
ably thirty or forty feet. The bottom Of
the TUNNEL will be ffty-sfx feet below
the surface Of the street. Above the rock
is very considerable depth Of alluvinm.
and in the opinion of Mr.. Green If there
were vibrations they would be far below
the proposed tunnel.
No rock appears about Capitol Hill any
where near it's base. All along Pennsyl-
vania avenue the rock is known to be thir-
ty. or forty and probably sixty feet in
many places below the surface. Mr.. Green
believed the proposed twe-track tunnel
would not endanger the library building,
and especially If In constructing the atun-
mel proper precautions are taken for guard
ing against the settlement of the earth
precautions are entirely within the power
Of the engineers and contractors to %exer-
else.
Baltimore's Cave-In Different.
Senator Wellington referred to a cave-in
and destruction Of building In Baltimore
when the Baltimore and Ohio railroad con-
structed its belt tunnel, but Mr.. VIM. H.
Brown, chief engineer of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, said the cases were not
parallel. That tunnel was In a fiftyfoot
street, and was built good many years
ago, when they did not know as much
about such constructions they do now.
And he regarded it as pretty bad job OF
contracting.
In Philadelphia they have tunnel in
fifty-foot street. on 32d street, and there
was no complaint there. The Drexel peo-
pie, he said, built great building there,
right in front Of that tunnel, and there had
never been any complaint about the tunnel
The center of the proposed tunnel along
the line Of 1st street will be $50 feet from
the library building.
Mr.. McMillan's Suggestion.
Senator Mcmillan suggested that the
tunnel now being built in New York will
come right up to the post Office building,
as they want to handle the mail through it..
Senator Clark asked number Of ques-
lions of the witnesses. his experience in
mining operations making him an expert
on the subject being investigated.
Commissioner Biddle said the work of
constructing sewers in this city showed
that the foundation is all clay down as far
the river. and the superintendent of
sewers had not encountered rock south Of
street. He did not think It made any
difference whether it was clay or rock. He
did not think the building Of tunnel of
the kind proposed would affect the library
building. ..r.. - r..... 4