The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-30
LAW NEEDED FOR
OPEN-CUT METHOD
The superintendent Doubts
Right to Change.
SAYS CONGRESS MUST ACT
Will Wait for Commissioners to Re
port on Tunnel
Plans.

"I am of the opinion that the rail-
roads have no right TO change to the
open-cut plan in crossing the plaza
without special action by Congress"
Elliott Woods. superintendent OF
the Capitol
II was stated definitely today that
neither the Superintendent Of the Lii
brary of Congress nor the Superiuteud-
ent of the Capitol viii take any action
on the proposition 10 build the Fir st
Street tunnel by open-cut method un-
I'll after the District Commissioners
have completed their investigation and
have made a report
Law Is Necessary.
1t was announced. however, that no
matter what sort of recommendations
the District Commissioners might make
Sunerirtendcuts Green and Woods did
not believe that anything could be done
except under special legislation. alter
ing the original plans
81 shall wait until the District Com
miSsioueTs are through said SuperIu-
teudeut Woods. this afternoon. before
/ attempt to take any action iu the mat
ter. II is in their province 10 report
first
Nothing More to Be Done.
THAT settles it, then" was the COM
ment of Colonel Biddle, Engineer Com
missioner, when Informed of the stand
taken by Superintendent Woods.
III DIR. Woods is opposed to the open
cut system" he added, there is moth
ing further TO be done until the matter
Is called 10 the attention of Congress,
providing the railroad company wants 10
pursue that course"
"a ~
he had never expressed himself in IA
vOr of the change desired by the rail-
road, IL hau been his intention 10 make
an investigation OF the proposition if
posed TO IL.
Best Methods Desired.
So far as the District is concerned
Colonel Biddle said, the chief aim is 70
have the best engineering methods used
in the construction OF the tunnel
Now that the plan has been rejected
by Superintendent Woods, Colonel Bid
die IS OF the opinion that the railroad
VIII cali upon Congress for permission
TO sanction the change from the original
plans. lie has not been informed OF
the Intentions Of those constructing the
tunnel however, and as yet is com
pletely In the dark as TO what their mex.
move VIII be.
BaItimore's Experience.
Apropos of the method to be followed
in constructing the railroad tunnel un-
der First Street. the experience of Bal
rimOre. a Few years ago. under similar
circumstance, IS interesting.
In that city the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company built a tunnel be-
meath North Howard Street nearly a
mile long. This subway was bored
from Pratt Street 10 Mount Royal sta
ton, and merchants and residents along
the route rec0iIect to- this day the in
convenience and peril which they went
through while the construction was in
process.
The surface of Howard Street was IN
the most unstable condition for many
months 10 was no uncommon thing for
the street car tracks TO sag at different
points two or three feet. Some times
one rail would go down and the other
remain stationary once the track sub
sided after storm six feet for length
oI thirty feet The surface or the drive
way was $50 FUN of depressiJus as 10 look
like a patch of the open sea.
The displacement of earth caused the
water mains TO leak and the overflow
followed Il= service pipes into the base
meuts Of stores and dwellings. A fur
nltuTe store cellar was flooded on one
occasion TO the depth OF six feet, and
the EraUOlIthic sidewalk I'm front slid