Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-06
ON THE CAPITOL aPLAZA
RAILWAY AND BINKY ENGINE
PERMITTED THERE.
To Be Used for Transfer Of Dirt From,
Excavations at House Build
ing Site.

Within a week or ten days 1t is antici-
pated temporary steam railroad will be
In operation from north to south across
the east plaza of the Capitol grounds This
railroad will be constructed for the purpose
Of hauling dirt from the site Of the new
Office building for the House of Representa-
tives, located at New Jersey avenue and B
street southeast, to the site of the plaza in
front of the new union station at Delaware
and Massachusetts, avenues.
It is understood that Elliott Woods SUPER
intendent Of the Capitol building and
grounds, has consented to allow the Bren-
nan Construction Company, contractors for
.the excavations for the new House of Rep
resentatives' office building, to lay tracks
across the east court of the Capitol and
operate thereon small "dinky" engine and
small dump cars. 1t Is understood that the
tracks for the railroad will be laid on top
of the asphalt pavement covering the court.
and 1t Is not believed that the weight Of
the trains to be run over the line will dam
age the pavement to any great extent.
The Brennan company, 1t Is stated, has
only 100 days within which to complete its
contract for the excavations. and in order
to expedite operations 1t is deemed neces-
for disposing at once of the dirt taken from
the office building site. The dirt is to be
dumped on the site of the new union sta
ton plaza, and 1t Is thought that the best
earth is by means of a dummy" railroad.
the shortest route of which would be across
the Capitol grounds.
Col. Biddle Approves.
The suggestion that a railroad be laid
across the grounds at the east foot of tho
Capitol, it is stated, originated with the
District engineer department. Col. Biddle
stated to a reporter for The Star this after
noon that he has received no official in
formation that a railroad Is to be laid
across the Capitol grounds SO as to connect
the sites of the station plaza and the off1ce
building for the House. He said however,
that in the event the Capitol authorities per-
nit the construction of the narrow-gauge
railroad across the Capitol plaza he will
pany to lay tracks for the road on the
streets controlled by the District, both
south and north of the Capitol grounds.
Col. Bddle said that permission would
not be granted for laying tracks on which
to operate large locomotives or large cars,
but he believed that small dinky engines
and dump cars could be run without doing
any serious damage to the pavements.
Result of Conference.
Mr.. Elliott Woods, superintendent Of the
Capitol buildings and grounds, late this
afternoon held a conference with the con-
tractors relative to the proposition to lay
temporary narrow-guage railroad across
the Capitol grounds. Following the close
of the conference Mr.. Woods indicated to
reporter for The Star that he will
issue permit for the construction of the
temporary railroad in conjunction with the
Commissioners of the District. In other
words, if the Commissioners issue permit
for laying tracks on District streets along
the line of the proposed route, outside the
Capitol grounds, Mr.. Woods will permit the
laying of tracks across the east court OF
the Capitol.
Since there seems to be an agreement
among the various officials to the ad
visibility of building the temporary rail-
road it appears that there will be no hitch
in granting permission for it's construction.