Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-29
CAPITOL HILL TUNNEL
Railway Company's Plan
Still Under Discussion.
EFFECTS OF CHANGE
WIDE EXCAVATION ON EDGE OF
CAPITOL PARK.
Application for Permit for Open Cut
Method Referred to Interior De-
partment Attorney.

The thousands of visitors who may visit
| Washington from all over the country to
witness the ceremonies attending the inau-
| guration of the President of the United
States. the 4th of next March, will be at
tracted, doubtless. by an immense open
ditch, fifty feet wide and about sixty feet
| oeep. through the eastern boundary of the
| Capitol grounds, in the event the authorf-
| ties permit the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
| pany to ADOPT the open-cut method Of con-
| structing the tunnel through Capitol HILL
1t is also believed that an open trench
! across the eastern edge of the Capitol
| grounds will interfere to a greater or less
| extent with the formation of the inaugural
procession from the Capitol to the White
| House, and that the long-estabIshed route
| of the parade will also have to be changed
| When this matter was broached to Col
| Biddle, District Engineer Commissioner to-
| day, he stated that it will be impossible for
| the tunnel work to progress any further
| than East Capitol street by the 4th of next
| March.
The inaugural procession usually ap-
| proaches the Capitol by way of B street
| north, and proceeds along Delaware ave-
| nue. to the plaza or east front of the Capitol
| building. The troops !. soldiers and sailors
| the bands and marching clubs, ETC.. with
| the exception of a small escort usually
| leave the main presidential party at 1st
| street north and durins the inaugural cere-
| Ilonles rest along the streets running into
| the capitol grounds from the east The
| thousands of statesmen, governors govern
| nent office holders, politicians and citizens
| generally occupy practically all of the space
| in the Capitol plaza. The inaugural pro-
| cession leaves the Capitol, as rule by way
| OF the drive directly in front of the east
dc or OF the Capitol, an1 the procession from
the Capitol to the White House forms along
| LIST street and B street south
Difficulties Presented.
| In the event the trench is dug even as
| far as East Capitol street by the date OF
| the inauguration it is thought that consid-
| erabe difficulty and Inconvenience will be
| encountered in forming the procession
| along 1st and B streets, and in any event,
| unless the usual route were changed tho
procession would have to pass along the
tunnel operations. screened by high board
fence, and aFsr HIsat 1st street on
It has beens sftSl sobert Farnham.
| Jr., assistant engineer Charge of the
| Pennsylvania's Railroad Companys con-
struction in connection with the terminal
| project, that cut not more than 200 feet
| in length will be kept open at one time, and
| that there Will not be cut !, 800 feet long
throughout the duration of the tunnel op-
eratlons 1t Is believed, however, that from
the manner in which the tunnel work has
been performed south of B street that al
| though the cut may be filled up as the work
]
stored to their former condition until after
| the whole work has been completed and
| that the route of the tunnel will have to
be inclosed until the tunnel is finished.
| The intimation was quite generally cir
| culated today that the contractors for the
| tunnel work and not the railroad company
originated the idea of changing the method
of tunnel construction to the open-cut plan.
| 1t was also stated that the present con-
| tractors have never before constructed a
large tunnel by the underground method
and it is alleged that one reason for desir-
| ing the change in plan for the Capitol Hill
| tunnel Is that the contractors probably are
| not experienced in the underground method
| of construction.
Matter of Expense.
A prominent engineer of this city ex-
pressed the opinion today that the OPEN
| cut method of construction in the Capitol
| Hill tunnel would not entail a very constd-
cradle additional expense on the railroa
| company, as compared with the under
| ground method. He also stated that the
construction of the Capitol Hill tunnel
should not present any enormous difficult
| ties. The difficulty and danger encountered
in the tunnel through Capitol Hill he said
would not be nearly so great as tunneling
through mountain of rock or under the
bed of a river. In other cities the en-
gineer stated, many underground tunnels
are bored and it is seldom deemed neces-
sary, especially in the case of deep cuts to
tn
obtain good construction.
With reference to filling In the extra
space above the roof of the tunnel~in a
substantial manner, the engineer declared
that that argument should be entitled to
but little consideration, for the filling is
done satisfactorily In other cities and he
believed it could be done here
1t is pointed out that according to the
estimated date of the completion of the
new union station the saving of six months'
time in the completion of the tunnel would
not be of any great advantage to the raiI-
road company, for it is declared the tunnel
would not be used until the remainder Of
the work was completed
Best of Results Desired.
1t is understood the contractor for the
turnel agreed to construct it at certain
specified price by the boring process. The
railroad company, it is pointed out is very
desirous that the best of construction be
obtained, since the railroad company will
be required to keep the tunnel in good con-
dition. This feature of the terminal work
Is entirely the concern of the railroad COM
pany, 1t is stated, and the District officials
are not particularly interested in this par
ticular project. as the railroad company
will control the tunnel, is responsible for
all accidents In 1t, and will be required to
maintain 1t in proper condition for traffic.
1t is therefore argued that the railroad
company desires that the contractors bo
given every opportunity to do good work
in the construction of the tunnel, for If the
job is not properly executed the company
will be put to greater expense in the end in
maintaining the tunnel in good condition.
1t is admitted by engineers in the city that
it is easier to perform good tunnel construc-
tion by the open-cut method than by the
vi derground process. 1t is also admitted
that the work can be performed more rapid
ny by the former than by the latter method
But II is declared, 1t is not only possible,
but probable to obtain good tunnel con-
struction by the underground method
Protest Filed.
The Commissioners today received a pro-
test from Attorney Horace A. Dodge
against the proposition of the railroad COM
pany to build the tunnel by the open-cut
method. Mr.. Dodge says this proposi-
tion is giving the residents along the route
of the tunnel considerable concern Aside
from the annoyance to which all would
doubtless be subjected. says the writer. the
health of the residents of the vicinity
would be endangered by the open-cut. Mr.
Dodge states he understands that the open