Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-05
CUT TO SOUTH B STREET
NEW PHASE IN REGARD TO CAPT.
Toll HILL TUNNEL.
Open Trench Method Through Square
500, but Remainder Of Work to
Be Done Underground.

MT. Elnott WOODS. superintendent OF
Capitol buildings and grounds, today for
mally requested the District Commissioners
to give the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
permission to Open-cut for the LIST street
tunne! from the present terminus of the
work to the inner sidewalk line of B street
southeast. This work IS nearly all in square
go, the site fo- the new Office building for
the House of Representatives. In his letter
requesting permission for the open-cut to
y street south Mr.. Woods states his rea-
sons Tor the request as follows:
Our building line on street is located
within very few Feet of the line of the
'uinei' IN TACT, crosses the tunnel in the
southeast section of square 800. The pres
en- open-cut, which 1 understand to he in
accordance with the original NAV 60.
MY rect, more or less from 3 street nron-
81, ana greater protection will be given to
our building foundations if the railway
onen1o,,t Is permitted to proceed with it's
toned. LIE point men,
linz ~ t.1nsuitlng the plan I find that the
i iiiie vi tEe tunnel will carry this VOL o,,ar
and n,. street near the corner of b street
rasia ay cause some discomfort to the
h .,. near which regret excee1ineIv
49,, ns security of our foundations for fhe
~ Immense structure which we are to erect
neliaa supreme ny s Importance and l am com
this request " laahe
Gossip as to Change of Plan.
- Is peheved that the Commissioners
~ 81 ant 'hls request for the open-cut as
, ,"i DIS the south side of B street southeast.
.ioachInent of the work upon LIST
49,. u ~ learned, will be only for a short
.. ana IN view of the considerations
involved 1t is thought that the District au-
through this small portion of the streat
-, II mas developed within the last few DAVIS
tnat the proposition to build the tunnel nv
tne open-cut method through the Capitol
GROUNDS was advanced because of the en-
sllieering din1culties of the contractors
rather imam because of desire of the rail-
road company to change the original Man
!or constructing the tunnel. This was in
thn a.eu several days ago in The Star when
'n Tb pro yo was under discussion.
me report was in circulation about the
District building late Yesterday afternoon
tnat the Pennsylvania Railroad COMPANY
dlscla1med having made any request for
tne change In plan, and that the whole mat
Ter was concern of the contractor. 1t is
understood that there was some misunder.
STANDING among some of the officials and
engineers of the railroad company with ref
erence 10 the tunnel proposition, but 1t is
learned that the proposition for a change in
plans was presented to the Commissioners
oy the assistant engineer of the railroad
company in charge of terminal construc-
uon work, and that the contractor did not
beyond calling on Commissioner BiddIe in
company with the railroad officials, when
the plan was first presented.
Matter Has Been Adjusted.
Inquiry today with reference to the re-
port of the railroad company's disclaiming
having made the request developed that
the company does not In terms deny present.
ing the proposition through its representa-
lives here. But it is stated that the COM
pany was not so much interested in secur-
Ing the adoption of the change in method
as was the contractor. There is also evil
dence to substantiate the report that there
was misunderstanding among some of the
officials and engineers relative to the tun-
mel proposition.
1t is learned that the railroad company
has informed the Commissioners that the
contract for building the tunnel was let
many months ago, and that it is the con-
Germ of the contractor to build the tunnel
as stipulated in the contract The rail-
road company. it is stated, does not care
by what method the tunnel is built so long
as 1t is constructed to the satisfaction of
the company.
So far as could be ascertained today the
whole matter has been adjusted, and the
railroad officials have decided to drop the
proposition to dig an open trench through
the capitol grounds. The sentiment of the
public and of the authorities relative to
the matter has been ascertained, and, 1t is
stated, the information gained by the COM
pany with respect to the matter has con-
WINGED 1t that the proposition is not
popular one, either with the public or with
the authorities. 1t is believed that the
open-cut proposition will not be brought
to the attention of Congress by the rail
road company, unless in the future such
ol1ncuitles are encountered as make it prac-
a han in ,1o