Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-06
the engineer department. was selected
for the position.
Elimination Of Grade Crossings and
Union Station.

for the position.
Elimination Of Grade Crossings and
Union Station.
Work on the project for the elirnina tfon
OF grade crossings and the construction
OF the new Onion Station has continued
without interruption during the year.
From the District line to Montana ave-
nue the Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington Railroad Companys north
ern passenger connection has about been
completed, and the bridge carrying the
Baltimore and Ohio road over Its tracks
near Magruder Station has been finished
The foundations and substructure of the
railroad bridge over the Anacostia River
near the Reform School are completed
and the bridge can be made ready for
use In a short time. From Montana ave-
nue. southwark to Florida avenue the
work of grading along the line is being
rapidly accomplished. In that part of
lexington to be used for railroad pur-
poses the grading has practically been
completed, and a substantial brick ware
house for the Baltimore and Ohio freight
depot has been erected at Florida and
New York avenues.
Within the city limits between Florida
and Massachusetts avenues, work on the
viaduct has proceeded rather slowly. but a
considerable portion of it Is now in prog
ress. None of the foundations for the sew
eral structures within the terminal area
have been begun, except those for the union
station. The grading and reconstruction Of
K and L streets, between LIST and Sd
streets. where they are to pass under the
viaduct are nearly completed. The work
of bringing the surface of II street to the
new grade has been begun, but will not be
completed until next year. The street will,
however, be open to uninterrupted traffic
during the winter.
Work is in progress on the tunnel which
will pass under LIST street east, between the
Capitol and the Congressional Library.
abl1tmentS.
the foundations for columns on the elevated
portion of the tunnel approach in the south
east section, have been completed. Work
on the Virginia avenue tunnel Is very well
advanced and Is progressing as rapidly as
conditions will permit. 1t is expected that
this tunnel will be completed in the early
part Of 1906 No construction work has
been done in the southwest section, west of
South Capitol street, as the railroad COM
pany does not believe it advisable to dis
turb present trackage arrangements prior
to the inauguration ceremonies next March.
The railroad bridge over the Potomac
river, to take the place of the Long Bridge.
is completed. Work on the foundations for
the new highway bridge to the west of the
railroad bridge is well under way.
About 80 per cent of the foundation work
on the union station building has been
completed, and it will probably be two
wears at least before the structure Is ready
for occupancy. The character Of the work
Is good.
In the matter of acquiring the necessary
property to lay out the plaza and inter-
secting streets substantial progress was
made. More than one-third of the neces-
sary land has been e,e acquired 0 ana PAID for
agreed to as to additional property, cost
ing about 100000, although these pur-
chases have not been entirely consum-
mated. The balance of the necessary land
to complete the project will. it is estimated.
cost nearly 100000, and as to the acquisi-
ton of these portions only preliminary
steps have been taken. largely from lack
of funds.
The filling of the plaza has begun, and
will be gradually continued in connection
with the railroad work.
Municipal Building.
The contract for the excavation and the
construction of foundations for the new
municipal building was awarded to Am
brose B. Stannard Of New York city, and
the work is now In progress. The contract
requires that these foundations shall be
completed on or before December 81, 1904.
1t was determined by the municipal build
ing commission, consisting of the Secretary
Of the Treasury and the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia, to ask for sep
arate proposals for furnishing stone for the
building and for erecting 1t. Proposals for
furnishing this stone were recently opened.
and it was found, as was anticipated, that
the cost of erecting this building Of marble
or granite will be greater than the amount
available under the present authorization
by Congress. and 1t was decided by the
commission to again ask that the limit of
cost of the building be increased from
100000 to 100000. which was the
amount requested of Congress when the
design Of the building was accepted, and to
withhold action on the bids for stone until
Congress shall have acted on this request.
Under the present limitation of cost 1t
would be possible to erect a building of
brick with stone trimmings, with the inte-
rior facing of brick, but the building Is
C-shaped, and the interior of the q faces
the Mall, the importance of the appearance
of the rear of the building is equal to that
of the front Nor is it believed that a
building, monumental in character, as the
offices of the District Of Columbia ought to
be, should be constructed Of any material
other than granite or marble. It is de-
sired that the erection of the superstructure
should be begun as soon as possible after
the foundations shall have been completed,
and 1t is hoped that Congress will take
early action to increase the limit OF cost
as recommended. so that no time will be
lost in the construction OF the building.
BY the terms OF the act authorizing the
construction Of the building, the tracks of
the Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Railway Company, which at pres
ent occupy e street between Thirteen-and-
half and Fourteenth streets, In front of the
site, will be removed; and the plan of the
railroad company for a new ARRANGEMENT
of their terminal route has been approved
by the Commissioners. The new route will
be as follows: Along the existing tracks to
the corner of Thirteen-and-a-half and D
streets. thence along D street to Twelfth
street, along Twelfth street to c street,
and along c. street to connect with existing
tracks on Fourteenth street This route
was selected after a careful and thorough
consideration of the situation and Is be-
lieved to be the best that could have been
adopted. Work is now in progress on the
new route.
Roadway Pavements.
The prices paid for sheet asphalt pave
ment during the year were $1.51 and ST. II
per square yard. according to the charac-
ter OF the base. and for asphalt block pave
ment $1.SO per square yard. on Portland
cement concrete base. For the next fiscal
year the price of sheet asphalt pavement
Is $1.57 and of asphalt block pavement
SLIT per square yard, on gravel base. An
innovation in laying asphalt block pave
ment was put in practice during the year,
that Is, the laying of about 1900 square
yards OF asphalt block on a 5-inch con-
crete base. the vertical dimension of the
block being inches. This pavement costs
but few cents more per square yard than
the standard asphalt block inches deep,
which is laid on gravel base. The former
pavement Is expected to give superior re-
suits
The former practice Of the Commission
ers OF gradually replacing the noisy gran
fp,h1 NM ant NTH