The Washington times., 1905-04-23
Enormous Labor EntaiLed
BY Union Station Plans
Approaches and Systems of Track Form a
Vast volume OF Work to Be Done--Two
tunnels Being Constructed.

The magnitude of the terminal work
IN washington is not measured alone
by the immense amount yet to be ac-
compiished on the Union Station plazs
nor ey the LABOR to be spent on the sta
ton itself, IS elaborate as the plans for
this section of the project are,
Ihere IS much more to the undertake
ing thah the mere construction OF a mas
senger station and the surroundinp
landscape To provide Washington with
railway terminal facilities worthy Of the
city ana capable of coping with the inn
ihense lraInc which yearly wends its
way 10 the Capital requires not only a
handsome ana capacious structure but
system or tracks for the accommoda-
iioii oA potn freight and passenger trains
Which Will be eQualled In rev other rail
way centers
New Tracks and Tunnels.
Ie bring these trains by the shortest
route and the best grade from the Dis
trict hne to the station yards has made
necessary large amount of recon
strucuon. The plans provide for tear
ing up the present tracks in many cases
and laying entirely new lines over differ
ent routes. To do this in some IN
stances IT has been necessary to resort
to tunnels
NO part OF the problem which the
railroad engineers are facing requires
more engineering skill or presents moro
interest to the public Any tunnel has
certain fascination for the layman at
the same time that it offers to the en-
gineer a task, the difficulties of which
nave been little lessened during the re-
cent years in which tunneling has be-
come such q common and essential fea-
ture OF railroad construction.
Washingtonians have followed the
progress of the terminal tunnels with
Keen interest. The announcement last
week that the First street tunnel had
been pushed to point east of East Cap
tol street. excited the curiosity of every
passer-by on that thoroughfare.
No Visible Signs.
There is no sign on the undisturbed
pavement of First street to indicate to
the average citizen at what point be-
meath the asphalt the machine shoyels
are in operation at any particular mo-
ment. The underground method can
only be examined underground
Its progress is marked at the end of
the tunnel. which present q succession
Of dates. To the wayfarer above there
Is no knowledge that beneath his vecy
feet perhaps the solid earth is crumbling
before the combined attack of men and
machinery.
But the First street tunnel is not the
only underground effort connected with
the TERMINAL work. While one hundred
human moles are catacombing First
street, another force is engaged IN dig
ging monster ditch in Virginia ave
neu, building a tunnel arch and then
filling with earth again
There is less of mystery about the
Virginia avenue tunnel. There is more
of the spectacular.
The work on the First street tunnel
Tor the greater portion OF its route is
prosecuted by boring, technically known
as The drifting" process At B stree,
south the open-cut method was aban-
doned and will not be resorted 10 again
until the shovels emerge into daylight
AT { street north.
Will Be First Completed.
The Virginia avenue tunnel will be
completed long before the First street
tunnel is open al both ends. Here the
work itself is not hidden from the pub
lie view. The open cut method is fol-
lowed from end to end