Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-25
WORK ON DEPOT PLAZA
GRADING TO BE COMMENCED AT
EARLY DATE.
About 700, 900 Cubic Feet Of Earth Re-
quired-The First Street
Tunnel.

The District authorities have found 1t
| necessary to begin as soon as possible the
work of filing in the plaza in front of the
| new union station 1t has been the inten-
| ton of the District officials not to begin
| work on the plaza until next spring. but
because Of the rapid progress Of the work
! on the terminal project and because OF
| other considerations it has been decided
/ to commence as soon as practicable on
| the construction of the plaza. which is
considered one OF the most important
features Of the whole project
| In view of the recent developments in
connection with the terminal work the
| District will make arrangements at once
| for awarding the contract for the filling
| and grading Of the plaza, and to provide
| for the proper distribution of the dirt
necessary for the fill. A total of about
100000 cubic yards of earth will be
quired to make the grade according to
| the plans for that feature of the station.
Arrangements have been made with the
| railroad company to furnish about 100000
cubic yards of dirt. to be taken from the
yards now being constructed in Ecking-
ton. From the excavations for the new
House of Representatives about 10000
cubic yards of earth will be furnished to
the District free of cost.
The contractors in charge Of the rail-
road work have made rapid progress 1t
is stated, and are about ready to deliver
art from the yards being constructed In
lexington. The work is also about to be
commenced on the House of Representa-
ives office building. and because of these
facts the District will have to make ar
ranSements to receive the dirt and dis
tribute it properly.
The contractor engaged in constructing
the railroad yards in lexington Is re-
CURED to deliver the dirt from the ex-
cavations In that suburb to the end of the
me near the station While the District
mas not as yet awarded the contract for
hauling the dirt to be delivered at the sta
ton. yet 1t is presumed that the con-
tractor who delivers 1t in the city will
also be employed to haul it to the plaza
site. since 1t Is considered he will be en-
abled to handle the dirt more satisfactorily
and more economically to the District The
work of filling will be commenced in about
three weeks
First Street Tunnel
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, 1t
Is learned. is getting ready to award the
contract for the construction Of the 1st
street tunnel from d street north to the
station. This portion of the tunnel will
pass under the plaza. and it will be neces-
airy to build the tunnel out of masonry and
fill in the dirt over 1t.
The filling of the plaza will be an i'm
mense undertaking: The amount of earth
required for the fill, 100000 cubic Yards 1t
Is estimated would be sufficient to cover to
a depth of three feet the entire Capitol
grounds between the Peace monument and
the Congressional Library and B street
south and street north
1t Is anticipated that the construction of
the plaza will fill the protest files of the
District Commissioners to OVERLOOKING AL
ready number of written objections have
been filed with the District authorities in
connection with the terminal work 1t Is
expected that the great source of trouble
will be with reference to passing through
the plaza along Massachusetts avenue The
soft dirt with which the site will be filed
will make that thoroughfare undesirable
for traffic
Projected Trestle.
1t has been suggested that a trestle about
1000 feet long be built over the entire
plaza on the line of Massachusetts, avenue
to accommodate the citizens passing along
that street between Northeast and North
is not built over the plaza it is likely that
some of the streets passing through the
plaza will be closed. Additional trouble in
the construction of the plaza Is expected in
connection with the running of trains to
and from the station during the progress Of
the work.
minal project is viewed with pleasure by
the District officials, as 1t Is considered as
encouraging for the early completion Of the
station. The District officials do not desire
that there shall be any delay in the work
because Of their failure to look after the
Districts part of the contract promptly,
and for that reason they will make all ar
rangements soon as possible for perform
ing the work assigned to them.