Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-29

ing Of the tunnel along LIST street north
of ID street has caused more or less SICK
ness of serious nature ana douptiess more
will be caused. He believes this phase OF
the case should he given consideration ny
the Commissioners.
at was clearly the intention of Con-
press TO have this tunneled through and
not to have an open cut" says Mr.. Dodge
land il seems rather strange that at this
late day the railroad company and con-
tractors should wake up to the fact that
an open cut will have to be made.
."The residents in my neighborhood have
all been subjected to enough annoyance
and dirt. without having this further bur
den placed upon them. When the houses
are removed for the new office building of
the Senate Ton the west side of 1st street,
we shall naturally be subjected 70 more
dirt. and IL does seem as If the railroad
company should be made to carry out the
work on this tunnel in the manner clearly
contemplated by Congress, namely. by bor-
ing or tunneling underneath the surface.
Commissioners Not Alone Responsible.
Engineer Commissioner Bddle stated to-
day that he is not troubling his mind at
present with the tunnel question. He
stated that the Commissioners can take
no action without prior or simultaneous &C
ton on the part of Superintendent Elliott
Woods of the Capitol and Superintendent
Green of the Congressional Library. When
these officials have consented to the plan,
said Col Biddle, 1t will be time enough for
the Commissioners to begin crossing
ton of affairs he does not believe the Com
missioners need to burden their minds with
the troublesome question.
Referred to Interior Department.
Mr.. Elliott Woods. superintendent of the
Inieed States Capitol. stated to a Star re-
porter today that the proposition of the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Company that the
Capitol tunnel be constructed by the OPEN
cut method along LIST street southeast had
been referred by him to the assistant at
torney general for the Interior Department
for adjudication and his opinion to
whether the plans can be so changed under
the existing law, without further action by
Congress.
Mr.. Woods did not express an opinion
on the matter but will hold the question
in allegiance until he receives the opinion
requested by him.
Provision Which Governs
In the urgent deficiency act. approved
February IA. 1902. under the appropi Idtions
for the Interior Department, the following
provision is found: b, -.a-
Hereafter the Office of architect us the
Capltol shall be designated as superin-
tendent of the Capitol building and grounds,
and the superintendent of the Cap toll build
ing and grounds shall hereafter exercise
all the power and authority heretofore ex-
erciSed by the architect of the Capitol, and
he shall be appointed by the President.
Provided. That no change in the arch1-
tecturdl features of the Capitol building
or in the landscape features of the Capitol
grounds shall be made except on plans to
be approved by Congress-
1t is held that to excavate along list
street, as proposed. will result N destroy
ing trees entirely. while the coping and
parking will be temporarily Destroyed. One
of the questions to be decided therefore,
by the law officer of the Department of
the Interior Is whether this can be consid-
cred a change in the landscape feature of
the Capitol grounds" as provided against
in the urgent deficiency act of 1902.