The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-03
TUESDAY EVENING,

ritory, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona.
Hawaii and Alaska. In addition to these
he hopes to have the support OF some or
the congressman, so altogether he Will be
In a position to get some notoriety out OF
1t. and to decker with the probable Win
ner.
Few changes will impress future visitors
to Washington more than those brought
about by the construction of the new
union station. Heretofore the passenger
terminals have not been in accord with
Washington's needs. While this is not a
large city, traffic here is very great, and
as railroad center it is fast becoming
one of the most important III the south.
The Potomac river Is not bridged between
here and the ocean and probably never
will be. This sends all the rail traffic of
eastern Virginia and North Carolina to
the north by way of Washington. Two
Of the great lines west from New York
loop as far south as Washington, while
1t Is in the direct line from New York
and Philadelphia to the westerly parts of
the south. In spite of the growing pro,ni-
nence of Washington its stations have
been crowded and uncleanly. But this
will soon be a thing of the past Efforts
are making to have the new terminal COM
pleted in time to handle the inauguration
crowds, but that this can be accomplish
ed seems improbable. 1t is more likely
the great building in process Of construc-
ton, but that their own trains will be
unloaded on sidings in the lower part Of
the city.
This great structure Will occupy es-
sentially the place designed for it in
the Burnham commission plans for the
improvement of the city, not far from the
site of the present Baltimore & Ohio sta
ton, at the foot Of Capitol hill. It Is
too early yet to predict how generally the
recommen ton of the Durham commits
sion will be carried out; in some particu-
lars they are already disregarded, while
| in others they are finding acceptance. No
one questions the beauty of the Burnham
designs; the only thing omitted was the
human nature element as it relates to the
selection by congress of property for i'm
provement, and no commission could see
that long In advance.
The proportions of Washtngton's new
building seem likely to be impressive.
Much of the interior embracing an area
| approximating 100000 square feet, will
| have a clear space overhead Of 100 feet
The main waiting room will show hun
dred-feet high ceiling barre! vault-and
will be single apartment 100 feet In
width and $50 feet In length. The main
dining room Is IS by 100 feet, while
a barrel-yaulted ticket lobby Is Sc
feet high, so feet wide and 100 feet long
These are but a trio of the spacious halls
|
ming proportions Of the passenger con.
course, an innovation as to it's appoint
ments as well as its dimensions. Sever
| hundred and sixty feet long by 100 feet
wide, with a height Of 80 feet, it Is tc
be no bleak, uninviting place Of train ap.
proach. Twenty thousand persons coulc
move about without overcrowding, 10000
have a square yard each in which to be
at ease while 5000 would hardly be char.
acterized as a crowd.
1t Is the spaciousness and the luxuries
Of American railway stations that foreign.
ers find in such contrast to what the,
| are accustomed to at home. American.
themselves will find some new things il
these lines when the new Washington sta
ton Is ready for public use In no re
spect, perhaps. will it be more gratifying
than In the realization of the architecture
triumph Durham has achieved in wha
he has APPLY denoted the gateway to tn,
nations capital. In conceiving the Rom
anesque, as typitied In triumphal arches
as in cOnsonancy with structural perma
nence, rather than the more or less eph
emeral fancies Of the day he has laid doW1
its fundamental plan.
A structure Of $50 feet frontage with
depth of $50 feet and a height of 10
feet presents a mass of granite. It's ar
arches each 30 feet in width and SO fee
in height opening into a vestibule witt
triple dones 60 feet high and 35 feet ii
. diameter.
!; Major Pangborn, who has been makin
a special study of the work, says: Ger
!. many's foremost station, and, at thi
time in many respects the greatest abroad
that at Frankfort, will be relegated t
second rank when the new Hamburg sta
ton reaches completion. But neither tn
Hamburg nor the Frankfort, or the ney
station Of the Orleans railway in Paris
the great station at Dresden, not to nam
others claiming prominence, can be re
garded as being in the same class as tn
--latest American station. Perhaps Ham
burg, Paris, Frankfort and Dresden sta
ton will compare with the Washingto
in the actual movement of trains, the &C
tual detail strictly pertaining to opera
tons. No station anywhere excels thos
| in London In this respect. In and out
the Liverpool Street station-that Of tn
Great Eastern Railway there are almos
double the number of trains daily of an
other in the world-upwards of HOO. Nc
[ body gets hurt and it is a whirl In ever
morning and out every afternoon, that
one Of the remarkable sights Of Londol
: But the station is as barn-like and ran
5 shackly as most others in London. Du.
: and dirt would seem to be at premium