Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-10
The Union Station.

In the division of labor arranged between
the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Companies 1t has been stipulated
that the former shall erect the terminal
building while the latter provides the via
duct and approaches. The other day the at
rorney for the Baltimore and OHIO an
nounced that Its portion of the work would
be practically finished by March .. 1913. In
season for the next Inauguration. This
gratifying statement indicates the enter
prise which must be displayed by the cor
poration and It's contractors. Meanwhile
public interest is keen on the subject or
the terminal building. which will be after
all the most important feature of the in
stallation from an artistic point of view.
Today's Star contains a special dispatch
from Philadelphia which throws light on
the situation with regard to the station
building. and Tor the first time announces
the fact that The Pennsylvania Company
will do its own work in this connection,
under the supervision of a contracting con-
Germ, and the personal direction of Archi-
tect Burnham and Chief Engineer Brown.
1t is estimated that about three years will
be required to finish the structure in Its
entirety, or about twice long as the time
estimate of the Baltimore and Ohio for the
finishing of the viaduct. The statute
grants five years for all the work
1t is evident from the description con-
tanned In The Stars dispatch that the cor
poration is planning faithfully to carry out
the congressional Injunction to the mon
umental character of the building. While
the act requires that the building shall cost
not less than S4,OoO.00O. the present esti-
mate of the company is that 1t will cost
f,,lI, . u T., I.o, aotY nI
whether the exterior walls will be of gran
tie or marble but in either case the general
design of the structure, prepared by Mr..
Burnham, will ensure conspicuous addi
ton to the city's architectural attractions.
An idea of the enormous size of the termi-
nal is to be had from the statement that the
station proper, exclusive of the train floor,
will cover an area $50 by $50 feet. while
the train floor itself will be 800 by 135 feet
and the waiting room, one of the largest
and finest in the world. will be 200 by $50
feet. 1t is interesting to note that the
plans as now drawn substitute platform
coverings for the convential train shed.
This will ensure perfect ventilation. There
will be Twenty-Five tracks in the train
floor, six of them emerging from the tun-
mel
The Stars correspondent notes that
throughout the specifications runs the re-
quirement that all materials shall be of the
very best quality. This is in keeping with
the stipulation by Congress as to the monu-
mental character of the design. This is a
permanent work, beyond any chance of
change, and 1t is to the interest Of the
corporation. as well as of the city. that
every item shall be as nearly perfect as
human ingenuity or resource can ensure.
There Is a local reinsurance in the state
ment that all of the 10000, 900 bricks which,
1t is estimated will be required in the con-
struction of the terminal. will be manu-
featured in or near Washington. 1t Is also
Interesting to note that in order to finish
the building within the three years 1t will
be necessary to employ $500 men. All of
this has an immediate bearing on the local
welfare. apart from the advantages to be
derived in the future from this splendid
railroad terminal