Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-01
DELAY IN THE WORK
REMOVAL OF "DINKIE" ROAD
FROM FRONT OF CAPITOL.
Excavating for House Of Representa-
tives Must Then Of Necessity
Be Much Slower.

The work Of removing the earth from the
site Of the new House of Representatives
office building at New Jersey avenue and
street southeast may not be completed
for two months as a result of the tearing
up Of the "dinkie'' railroad across the
Capital plaza. The removal of the tracks
was begun suddenly Tuesday morning, and
the plaza was entirely free from obstruc-
ton by last evening.
This delay in the transportation of the
earth from the Office building site to the
iii near the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
Is regarded as very unfortunate, especially
in view of the fact that Messrs. Stewart &
Wilmoth. who were given the contract for
the work by the Brennan Construction
Company, were confident of finishing 1t
within the next ten days with the aid of
the railway. Mr.. Stewart said last evening
that with only wagons to depend on, and
the uncertainty of weather conditions to
reckon with. it could hardly be estimated
when they would finish.
While Mr.. Stewart did not criticise any
one for ordering the removal of the rail-
road, he declared that it placed the con-
tractors IN an unenvfable position. The
understanding, he said, was that the dirt
trains would be run regularly until noon
Monday, at which time Congress is to con-
vene, and then that they would be stopped
until after adjournment for that day. Fol-
lowing out this plan, they were to have
continued the work as before, stopping only
during the hours of the meeting Of Con-
gress. The work Of removing the earth
would certainly have been consummated
next week, said the contractor.
These plans, he asserted, had the entire
approval Of Elliott Woods, superintendent
Of the Capitol. and of Speaker Cannon and
other members Of the House Of Represen-
tatives. as well as of the members of the
Supreme Court, which has been in session
since October H. The fact that the justices
Of the Supreme Court, who had ample OPP
portunity to observe the operation of the
road and object. If need be. to its presence
on the plaza, and others, also, favored this
plan for rapid removal of the earth is
inclined to make the situation somewhat
aggravating to the contractors.
The recent order from Superintendent
Woods, it is understood was given by re-
quest of Senator Hale of Maine, whose
horses are said to have been frightened by
the running of a train on the plaza rail-
road Monday morning last.
Praise Transportation Mode.
According to Contractor Stewart, the
people residing in the vicinity of the
"dinkie' road are almost enthusiastic In
their praises of this method of transport
ing earth through the city, since 1t does
away to great extent with the mud and
dirt that always drop from wagons as
they jolt along. What little the cars drop
as they run smoothly over the graded
tracks is kept, 1t Is argued, in a compare
lively small space. Not more than a few
wagon loads of Garth and debris had to
be cleaned off the plaza last evening when
the tracks were gone. 1t is stated on good
authority that the residents in the vicinity
of Delaware avenue and B street and list
and streets northeast will petition the
proper authorities that the earth be re-
moved from the site of the new Senate
office building, soon to be begun on the
square bounded by these streets. by means
of railroad instead of wagons.
The exact quantity Of earth that remains
to be removed from the site Of the House
of Representatives office building is in
doubt. When the contractors began the
work they planned to leave 10000 cubic
yards on the ground to be used in filing
in around the new railroad tunnel, which
will run beneath 'he new building Since
then they have been instructed to make
deeper. which has increased the total num-
Der Of yards to be removed by 10000 Had
it not been for this, 1T is stated, the work
would now be complete.
That earth which is not yet touched by
the big steam shovels includes the extra
10000 yards and the 10000 yards which it
was originally planned to leave behind for
the tunnel. If it should be decided not to
use the earth for the tunnel, 20, 600 cubic
yards will have to be taken out by wagons,
which Will prolong the work that much
more. This situation Is a probable one it
is said, owing to the tentative nature of
the plans of the builders of the tunnel
Two steam shovels are at work loading
wagons with earth. which is being carried
as quickly as possible, by way of LIST street,
to the south side of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad tracks at D street. where it is be-
ing used for grading In connection with
the construction of the new union station.
The ''dinkie" railroad was in operation
from September 16 until late last Monday
night during which time about 10000 cubic
yards of earth were carried over it. There
were no accidents of a serious nature in
ttn tirnf trr,n &c
age done the paving over which it ran is
confined to a few slight breaks here and
there at the crossings. In order to give
some Idea of the quantity of earth carried
by the trains, each of which was made I'D
of eight cars and the engine, the contract
ors told last evening of the accidental
dumping of a single carload of earth on
the streets, and how 1t took the filling of
an ordinary wagon three times to remove
it. The cars were loaded directly by the
steam shovels, while they were in the
trains.