Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-03
CAPITOL HILL PROJECT
WILL PROCEED WITH WORK BY
BORING UNDERGROUND.
Railroad Engineer Says on Account Of
Legal Objections Company Will
Not Press Matter.

been raised against the plan, the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Company will probably
abandon for the present it's proposition fol
! change in the method of constructing the
Capitol Hill tunnel"
This statement was made to a Star re-
porter today by Robert Farnham, jr., as
sistant engineer of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company in charge of the company's
construction work in connection with the
railroad terminal project The state
ment of Mr.. Farnham is taken as an in
olcation that the railroad company has de-
cloeo TO make no further effort to obtain
from the District Commissioners and from
Eihott woods, superintendent of the Cant
told buildings and grounds, a definite de-
c1sion on the company's proposition to puild
tife tunnel through the Capitol grounds bv
the open-cut method
ro oiiraaa consioered that in the event the
Iairoao company proposes to further urpe
the adoption of the open-cut plan If viii
De before Congress - "1i1
Whl the railroad company ask Congress
iiniss,9n TO cut through the Capitol
srounds?' Mr.. Farnham was asked
AS to that 1 cannot saw, he ran,,ea
,,j.'. ne matter, l believe, has not been def
nltely settled by the company. hut for the
p1onostinn On V1eW i1 OF the legal objections the
commissioners and Mr. Woods"
Future Plans Not Divuleed
Mr. Farnham stated that there were sew
eiai matters relative to the tunnel work
ho" unoer discussion. Those matters he
s'a'eo' are now out of the company's hands
ioi oecisioh ana Will not be settled for sew
eral days.
AS soon as the plans have been definite
~ decided upon," said Mr. Farnham to the
reporter, Il will have no objection to maxi
ing a statement detailing the whole plan of
the coHpany with reference to the tunnel
ProJect, cut at present 1 am not at liberty
ana nave not the inclination to make any
statement about the future work"
1t is understood that one of the matters
now awaiting a decision is the supplement
tafy proposition to make an open-cut from
the present northern terminus of the tunnel
TO the south side of B street south. 1t is
stated that a turn will have to be made at
this point and that better work can be OBJ
tanned ny the open-cut method 1t is antIci-
pated that the company will be given per
mission to make the Open-cut at this point
since 1t will not cross the street, and is not
likely to interfere with the convenience Of
the public.
The railroad engineer stated that there
Will be no delay in the work on the tun-
mel owing to the temporary abandonment of
It's proposition to change the methods Of
constructing the tunnel The tunnel has
been constructed almost to the point where
IL was originally decided to begin boring,
ana II the company is permitted to make
an open-cut to the south side of B street
tne distance Will be only few yards.
No Interruption of Work.
Mr.. Farnham stated in reply to a question
that the work will proceed by the boring
process according to the original plans, and
that even If the proposed change in plans
should be taken before Congress for de-
cision there will be no interruption in the
work.
THE railroad company has not at any
time been fighting for the change in the
method Of constructing the tunnel" said
Mr.. Farnham. "On account of the difficult
ties and because of other considerations it
was deemed more feasible to adopt q
change in the original method of building
the tunnel. The company merely requested
permission to make the change, believing
that the work could be done more rapidly
and better by the open-cut method, and
also believing that the public would not be
caused any undue inconvenience.
Unexpected objections, however, have
arisen, and the company does not desire
to appear in the light of fighting the mat
ter. Then there seem to be legal objections
to the open cut, and in view of the circu1n-
stances 1t seems advisable to abandon the
proposed change.
'"I'he company does not say, and never
has said, that 1t will be impossible to build
the tunnel by the boring process. 1t IS
possible to construct it by the boring pro-
cess but the open-cut method seems better
to us from every viewpoint"
Late this afternoon two prominent otti-
Gals of the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pany called on Engineer Commissioner bid
Gle at the District building and corroborat-
ed Mr.. Farnham's statement to the effect
that the matter will not be urged any fur
ther before the Commissioners. The rail-
road officials. however. declined to indicate
whether or not Congress would be asked to
decide upon the proposed change.