The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-21
MANY IMPROVEMENTS AT
UNION STATION.
Building and Track Put In shape
for Tourist Travel.

The repairs and improvements to the
Union Station, which were begun sew
eral weeks ago, will be completed by
Jan. l, and will result in making the
station one of the most attractive, as
it is already one of the largest and best
equipped in the country. A travellers
most lasting memory of city is gath
cred from his first impression, and,
with this fact in view, Station Master
]. C. Blanton, under whose direction
the improvements and repairs are being
made, has left nothing undone that will
add either to the attractiveness of the
station or the efficiency of the service.
Practically the whole of the interior
of the building has been gone over,
plastering has been replaced, where
needed, the entire brick work reprinted,
this time a light yellow, and all the
rooms have been done over, each in
different color scheme. Nothing has
been overlooked for even the eighteen
miles of track that belongs to the sta
ton has been gone over and put in a
condition that makes it the equal of the
main line of any of the most important
roads of the country.
Among the new apparatus installed
is a system of gongs that is intended
to notify both passengers and train
men of the time of departing trains A
twelve-inch gong has been placed at
the gate leading to the tracks and, in
future, this will give the signal of three
rings, representing as many minutes,
before each train leaves. Synchronized
with this is a smaller gong placed over
the ticket agents window, which will
serve to notify not only the agent but
the intended passengers in the rotunda
just how much time they have.
1t is intended that so soon as the
ticket agent has sold tickets to all in
waiting for that particular train he will
notify the gateman by a gong signal
and the gateman in turn will notify the
conductor by a ring of the big gong
that time is up. To prevent possible
confusion to conductors as to whose
train is meant when there is
more than one train in the
station system of dwarf
semaphores will be established, one
over each track, and the ringing of the
gong will cause the semaphores of the
train slgnifled to show the white board,
the signal to go ahead.
Because of the necessary debris
caused by the repair work the neat
ness of the station has been somewhat
impaired during the last few weeks,
but this will soon be a thing of the
past and in future, according to pres
ent plans, order and beauty will be
the most conspicuous features of the
place. The grass plats in front of the
station are to be resown with lawn
grass and kept moved the large sta
tionary vases will be replanted with at
tractive plants and everything that
will conduce to appearance will be
done.
The employees of the station will
shortly be given new uniforms which
will be of blue cloth and caps of black
silk All the buttons and trimmings
will be of gilt. These will arrive about
| Jan. 10, in fact both improvements
| and repairs will be finished by the
| opening of the tourist season proper
which means the Inauguration of the
through tourist flyers, leaving New
York Jan. IL.
One of the most noted and most
needed of the improvements has been
the repairs and decoration of the room
at the southeast corner of the station
which, under the name of the Green
Room" will be formally opened to-
night as an annex to Sommers res
taurant and cafe. The walls have been
done over in green with a frieze in
white of design in game and fruit,
| and in addition to the main dining
room six private dining rooms, sepa-
rated from each other by pine walls in
hard oil finish, and from the main
room by portieres, have been arranged.
The room will be made as attractive
and comfortable as possible. 1t is
planned to make it a veritable bower
of palms and ferns and to give it a
service that will assure its popularity.
AS is the case with the restaurant
the Green Room" will be kept open
both day and night.
Mr.. T. E. Clarke, general superin-
tendent of the Delaware, Lackawanna
| and Western, who has been in Savan-
nah for the last several days, says
| the Union Station is the handsomest
and most complete in it's service that
he has seen south of Philadelphia. Mr..
Clarke and his party left for Jackson
vile yesterday.