Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-08
UNION STATION WORK
Subject of Treatment in An
nual District Report.
ENGINEEROF HIGHWAYS
THE ELIMINATION OF DANGER
GUS GRADE CROSSINGS.
How Money for Street Improvements
Was Expended-Land for Depot
Plaza Secured.

present status of the work on the new rail-
road terminal project is contained in the
annual report of Mr.. c. B. Hunt, District
engineer of highways. which was submitted
to Commissioner Biddle late this afternoon.
Mr.. Hunt states that Assistant Engineer
Charles Fernald was in charge of all the
work under his Office in connection with the
elimination of grade crossings. The gen.
eral progress made on the work is regarded
as satisfactory. In outlining the work
done and the present condition of the union
station work Mr.. Hunt reports as follows:
From the District line to Montana ave-
nue-the p, B. and w. Railroad Company's
northern passenger connection-the roadbed
grazing Is well along, and can be completed
Wlthln a rev months the bridge carrying
the baltimore and Ohio Shepherd branch
tracks over the p B. and w. near Magru-
der Station, Maryland has been completed
all OF the foundations and the substructure
OF The bridge across the Anacostia river,
northeast OF the reform school, are COM
pleted. and the bridge can be made ready
for use in a few weeks
From Montana avenue southwark to
FLORIDA avenue, work on the grading IS
being rapidly accomplished. In that part
OF lexington to be used for railroad pur-
poses the grading has been mostly COM
pleted' A substantial brick warehouse for
the Baltimore and Ohio freight depot has
been erected at Florida avenue and New
York avenue
Plans for Bridges
Plans for bridges on 7 street and New
YORK avenue have been prepared by the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, but have
not as yet been accepted and approved by
the Commissioners.
within the city limits, between Florida
avenue and Massachusetts avenue. work on
the Yiaduct has been more or less DELAYED.
put a considerable portion of the work
xryi1
erai months yet to complete None of the
foundations for the several buildings and
structures within the terminal area have
proper.
The excavation of and in square III.
which is to be used as central coal de-
pository for the common use of the local
coal merchants, has been completed and
the trestling for the cars begun: this work
mas dragged along very slowing consider
ing It's important relationship to other nor
tfons of the work
ABOUT 30 per cent of the foundation work
on the union station building has been com
pieted, and 1t will probably be eighteen
months or two years before the structure
VIII be ready for occupancy. The concrete
work on these foundations is notably good
and deserving of mention
ne grading and restoration of K and I,
streets northeast, between 1st and 3d
strests, TO pass under the viaduct bridges
is nearly completed. N street northeast
between North Capitol and I'd streets. is
also being graded to the revised levels.
Inc work of bringing the surface of II
street, one OF the main arteries of travel
from the eastern section of the city where
1t will go under the viaduct to the new
grade will be SO conducted as not to inter
fere with travel on the street. In connec-
ton with work on this street it was neces-
Sary TO devise some means of keeping the
street car traffic open, and this will be ac-
complished by grading one side of the street
at time. using a temporary overhead troll
ley while the present underground construc-
ton is being brought to grade.
Capitol Hill Tunnel
"On the tunnel which will pass under 1st
street east between the Capitol and Library
grounds to provide for the Pennsylvania
railroads southern connection, work is in
progress between B street south and the
southern portal at d street southeast, this
excavation being made in an open cut
large and complete plant. electrically oper-
ated, for the preparation and handling of
concrete has been installed, and the con-
tractor is prepared TO push the work to
completion
Several of the piers and abutments, to-
gether with the foundations for columns, on
the elevated portion of the tunnel approach
In the southwest section of the city have
been completed, and much of the remainder
of the work is in progress.
Work on the Virginia avenue tunnel Is
very well advanced, and is progressing
rapidly as conditions will permit
THE east abutment of the South Capitol
street bridge Is completed the pier
and column foundations at that point.
In the matter of acquiring the necessary
property to lay out the plaza and intersect-
ing streets substantial progress was made
More than one-third of the necessary land
has been acquired and paid for at cost OF
about $165. eco: terms have been agreed to
as to additional property, costing about
1900, although these purchases have not
been entirely consummated. The balance
of the necessary land to complete the prof.
ect will, 1T is estimat ted, cost nearly $780,,
000, and as to the acquisition of these por-
tons only preliminary steps have been
taken, largely from lack Of funds
Mr.. Hunt reports that the total amount
of funds appropriated by Congress and de-
posted by corporations and others for dis
bursement by the surface division during
the last fiscal year aggregated about ST.
100000. This sum was expended as follows:
For paving sidewalks and alleys, $235, 600;
for paving new streets and repairs and re-
paving old streets in the city, S325 600; con-
struction and repair of suburban streets
and county roads, $3.50, 900; for maintenance
and construction of bridges, $4,000; in
connection with elimination of grade cross
ings, about $210,0O0 and about $4,000 was
expended in repairing pavements disturbed
by excavations, etc.