Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-06
TERMINAL BUILDING
Statement Covering Plans for
New Union Depot.
IMPOSING STRUCTURE
CHANGE MADE IN THE FORM OF
THE PLAZA.
Conveniences Provided for President OF
the Union and His Guests
General Outline.

The architects Of the new union railroad
station for Washington this afternoon gave
out official statement relative 10 lie
plans for the terminal building. This state
n.ent constitutes the first authentic ana
complete description of the proposed ter
mInal building proper that has been given
to the public, and il embodies all the
changes in the plans which have recently
been made, including the change IN me
immense plaza from semi-elliptical form TO
scmi-circular
Architect Pierce Anderson. who is asso-
ciatcd with ID. II. Burnham Co. of Chi
cago, who have charge of the construction
of the union station, received the plans
ana specifications from Chicago today. ana
tomorrow morning they will be formally
submitted to the District Commission
for their approval. Representatives If the
PENNSYLVANIA and the Baltimore and ph
railroads and the architects VIII Also be
present at the District building tomorrow
morning when the specifications are ore
senled to the District authorities. Il is
stated that as soon the CommsSl 'ners
have given their approval OF the ~ tlls
work the project will commence lmhe-
dia tely.
The truly monumental character of the
proposed terminal building is set forth in
the description of the immense structure
given tN those who nave prepared iit pdHS
and specifications and who will ais" Super-
intend the construction of what is described
as the great test railroad station in the world.
An interesting feature of the new station,
as shown by the drawings, is the provision
which has been made for the accommoda-
ton at the depot of the President of the
United States and his official guests. The
whole pavilion at the east end of the sta
ton has been set aside for the use of the
chief executive Of the nation, and will be
called the state entrance. In this portion
of the building will be large reception
room and several private rooms. and the
entrance will be private. There will also be
a private driveway TO and from this part
of the structure. This provision is made by
facilitating the handling of crowds on state
occasions, as well as for other reasons.
Public Pavilion at West End
At the west-ond of the station will he a
public pavilion. The central vestibule and
end pavilions are connected by an open
air portico or loggia, which extends tine
entire length of the station. The passenger
concoirrse is larger than any other train
lobby in the world, and there are several
other features about the new terminal
building which make ii exceptional I'm con-
struction and different from other buildings
erected for a similar purpose.
The site for the new station. at the in
tersection Of Delaware and Massach chusetts
avenues, although involving serious changes
of street grades, is regarded I'm every
other respect am ideal one. and II is con-
SIdered as one meeting all conditions of
utility and beauty. The natural advantage
of the site as center of distribution has
been Furthermore greatly enhanced by the
creation of a plaza 500 feet wide by about
,O0o feet long. Into this magnificent space
come nine distinct streets, three of which
are new and two are old streets whose di-
rectionS have been slightly altered for Il
short distance by way of adjustment To the
MIA Th.a stat laS at 10 -
of just such system of radiating avenues
would have been provided for it in Gen
eral Washington'S original plan OF more
than a century ago had the railway sta
ton been at that time. as now, the one gate
way to the city. Through these conVerg-
ing avenues large bodies of people can
leave or enter the station without difficulty,
while the plaza, with ample space for mass
ing troops and spectators, affords adequate
space for those public ceremonials that
take place in front of the gateway OF
city.
Vestibule Of Capital.
The station faces south, directly toward
the dome over the Capitol of the United
States which is half mile distant, and
the terminal building will be treated in an
architectural style in conformity with ITS
character as the vestibule of the capital of
the nation 1t is considered that a freely
Interpreted classic has become the recog-
nized architecture for public buildings in
Washington, since many OF the govern
ment buildings have been inspired by III"
architecture of Greece and Rome. The new
union station is regarded as the one gate
way of the capital, and for this reason its
architectural motives have been drawn
from the triumphal arches of Rome. The
plaza itself, sloping gently away from the
station will be decorated with balustrades
and fountains, and terrace separating 1t
from the fore court, about 100 feet wide,
surrounding the building Itself.
Constructed of Granite.
The station building proper is TO be Gao
feet long and from 65 to 12l feet in height,
and. according to the plans. will be con-
strueted of Bethel white granite, desciip-
ton of which stone was given I'm .ester-
DAVIS Star. 1t is further stated that gran
ite will also be used on the interior Or
iinarily it is said, the interior walls wouid
be of plaster. The three entrances arches.
fifty feet i'm height, far exceed in scale their
Roman prototypes The columns 81 nS .ns
main entrance will be Ionic in style ana
abou: the arches will be numerous hsures
and pieces of statuary. The central dooi
ways lead into vauted open-air Nesu-
blue and thence into the main waiting
room. .,,
The 4O-foot arches of the end pavilions
are both carriage entrances me one
toward the east is for ofhciii use anu
leads to a suite of apartments exclusively
for the President and the guests OF the
nation The central vestibule and end pa
yilions are connected by an open-air poru-
co or loggia with railway offices IN the
second story above. The portico and the
vestibules together constitute continuous
covered porch running along the front OF
the entire building. affording at every point
protection from the elements. No matter at
what point one approaches the building, ne
ca at once be under cover-no ins gnlhcant
matter in a building measuf ng l.loo ieet
on the sidewalk line of the front and two
ends.
A Roman barrel vault ninety feet high.
and decorated with sunken Golfers or
panels after the manner of the baths OF
Diocletian covers the general waiting room,
which has clear width of 40 feet and a
length of 228 feet. 1t is lighted by semi
circular window seventy-five feet in dia-
meter at each end and by five semi-circular
windows of thirty feet diameter on each
side. According to Mr.. Anderson, the archi-
tect, not even imperial Rome at her great
est possessed hall of such proportions.
Around this hall grouped the dining