The Washington times., 1905-09-25
WORK ON UNION
STATION PUSHED
May Be Two Years. How
ever, Before 1t Is Finished.
PROGRESS UP TO DATE
Engineer Department Satisfied With
the Work as Far as 1t has
Gone
PROGRESS UP TO DATE

Gone.
In two years. according to estimates
by engineers OF the District the Union
Station and all the accompanying im-
provements VIII be completed, giving
10 Washington one of the finest terminal
systems in the country. Day By day
the work goes on with consistent regu-
larity- Only one obstacle is ever recog-
nized and that is bad weather
The model OF the futed column that
will be on the right side of the main
arch, the principal architectural feature
OF the station, has just been completed
The model is of plaster paris and shows
the column fun size just as it will be
when finished in marble and erected as
part of the building.
The model has been under construc-
ton for several months and was built
to show the architects just how the
real column will look.
The arch Will be one OF the most diff
fcult parts OF the building TO erect
All possible care is taken to have
everything exactly correct.
The figure on top of the column is
one OF the many figures that will adorn
the new Union Station.
From block north of the Baltimore
and Ohio passenger station for a width
OF several squares on out into the coun-
try is heard the ceaseless hum OF in
dustry. Many persons who have been
away from the city for year OF so
gaze in wonder ut the transformation
which has taken place. Where houses
and streets once appeared great stone
foundations. tunnels. irestles. tracks
and other parts OF the great system are
nov seen.
Unless observer understands the
plans, o. is something OF an engineer. il
i almost impossible to make heads or
tails out of the countless lines OF stone
Work. excavations. tracks etc To the
pracueed eye however. the whole sys-
lem is plain, and all of these things
which appear unrecognizable TO the lay
man present an almost perfect picture
OF what VIII appear two years from now
10 the well informed.
The work is progressing TO the entire
satisfaction ofSthe engineer department.
Commissioner BiddIe mas one or two OF
ms assistants making constant inspec-
lions cAthe work a recent report OF
these inspectors shows the following
( condition OF the work:
Grading Nearly Completed.
On the line of the P b. & W. r r.
Company's northern passenger connec-
ton. between Montana avenue and Ma
grucer station in Maryland. the grading
OF TIE road bed. IS nearly completed. ard
the greater part OF It prepared for the
reception of tracks. The bridge across
she Anacostia river, near the Reform
school grounds. is entirely completed.
and ready for the tracks
The masonry work on the bridge over
anu across The Bladens5Grg road, at the
Junction with Queens Chapel road is
completed and ready Ior the steel. which
IL Is expected. VIII be delivered in the
coming fall This part OF the work rs
50 well along that It's entire comple
eoh IS only Il matter or three or four
Within the territory 20 be occuniad
Dy the yards and shops. between Mon
Ina avenue and FLORIDA avenue about
20 per cent of the grading is CONNECTED
put no work has been done on the seo,,
strucuon OF tracks or the several h1fld
ln4s intended in this locality: this grad
-As Should De entirely completed bV me
sprirg OF 1906 Work on the fol,nd,t;f,- -
oi the New York avenue highway brtdee
ras reen commenced, as has also the
nue. railroad bridge ~
Mtnin the city limits, Detyeen E-,orido
aiau .alass3ehusetts avenues, the arearer
viadnct Is completed ard SOM 81, va ne u
is In place. StEeSlS
init ~ Is 5,e expected that all steel entering
hrs4e s4 tHe construction or the railroad
1seS over II, X, L, and II sTraeqSA
Sasi, S,,u Z siorida avenue. VIII be IN place hs,
- SSPbSu4Dtr next
Soil Disappointment.
ORR on the express building. at tho
4ofeH"esl corner OF Second ana ~
streets northeast, and on the nou,ar-
mouse, at First and 1 streets has hsa,
commenced. altnough on tho 1attor
Duiiolng very lite has been tbue far
oecolupAshed. owing TO unexpected and
uiisatisiac'ory developments in the sDs
'ain5 power or the soil, requiring a
radical reYisement Of the foundatioT
plans -0a'ioii
Work on the Union Station h,,ua,,
has progressed steadily, the fo,,nSatforS
are nearly all completed: vorE 60 80
superstruSture W has commenced; a large
and a portion OF the eTanjts srd
brick work IS IN place ''"''e ana
before w the ee baiId5g bsIhtsen mo mHnths yet least
ior occupancy, possibly two years
on the First street tunnel excellent
work Is being done with good nroeress
but II VIII be from fourteen 70 Pto ~ ess,
months before the work will bt. Com
Considerable subsoil wate- -
encountered: but otherwise the condi.
lions affecting the progress oS Soi,1l ,n
work nave been very favorahIe e
Some slight settlements In m. S,,,-.
over the line or the tunnel are roftca
able. due. ii is believed. noore ~ ,t
removal or ground water and dependent
causes than TO the settlements in tbs
tunnel construction. although there are
some slight settlements in the tinhar
Ing OF the tunnel work This worL e
being done under careful and dfIi4ent
Inspection, and In a very thorough man.
ner. man
The foundations and masonry v,or,,
OF the several bridges, from South Cant
tol street TO Second street sonfbJ-aSt
at the south approach to the tunnel aro
nearly completed. and the steel wort Is
expected to be erected this coming faiI
The Virginia avenue tunnel is com
pleted. and the connection with IN and
he old tunnel. at Eighth street and
Virginia avenue southeast Is exnecfed
TO be accomplished by October next
Masonry construction on the Virs,lnfa
avenue elevated work. from South cant
tol TO our-and-a-half streets. IS in
progress, with fair prospects that the
bridges over South Capitol street Della
ware avenue, First. Second and Third
streets, VIII be completed. and in noa
for at least two tracks, before the he
ginning OF winter.
A portion OF the bridge oyer Water
street, near Fourteenth street south
west, js in use. and II is the fntentton
TO complete the entire structure by No
Gember /. 1905.
Progress on the work is generally
good.