Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-11

ington between Sd and 11th streets. The
proposition was presented to the Commits
sioners yesterday. as was published in The
Star yesterday afternoon, and in view of
the necessity for prompt action on the mat
ter the officials Immediately took it under
consideration.
In report approved by Capt. Jay j. Nor
row, assistant to the Engineer Commits
sioner. c. B. Hunt. engineer of highways.
replies in brief as follows to the arguments
advanced by citizens in support of the
proposed substitute plan for the terminal
work in South Washington:
This office Is convinced that instead of
saving money to the tax payers, the pro-
posed plan will be far more costly than the
one adopted. 1t does not attach great
weight to the Objectionable features Of an
overhead bridge at 7th street rather than
that the street should go under the tracks
The whole trend of modern practice in the
elimination of grade crossings is, other
things being equal. to carry the street I'M
der the tracks. as in the approved plan
The advantageous treatment of 9th street
In the proposed plan is gained by creating a
far more Objectionable treatment of 9th
street. and the objections to the adopted
plan are thought to be overstated. 1t is not
considered that the possibilities Of final
treatment of reservation 113 in proposed
plan are essentially superior to those in
the one adopted"
Commissioner Biddle's Statement.
Engineer Commissioner Biddle in APP
proving the adverse report of Mr. Hunt,
makes the further statement that "the pro-
posed change would affect somewhat seri-
ously the use of the freight stations as
authorized by the acts of Congress, and
for which the railroad companies have
probably taken steps to procure and pre-
pared to a certain extent for their use.
Further, it is necessary that there should
be further legislation to authorize such
change. which legislation cannot be recon-
mended certainly Until after consulta-
ton with the railroad company as to the
practicability OF the proposed plan.
These changes were considered at the
time of the passage of the bill, and the
course adopted at that time was considered
the most practicable. There is no reason,
however why this communication should
not be forwarded to the railroad company
with a request for it's views thereon at an
early date, and l move this be DONE"
It is understood that the other Commits
sioners will sustain the position taken by
the engineer department relative to this
matter. ~ h.fs
In discussing the details of the plan pro-
posed by the citizens. Engineer Hunt says:
''The proposed treatment at 10th street is
more advantageous than the adopted plan.
is to an almost equal degree, Hess advan-
tageous; the combined advantages or dis
advantages of the treatment of the two
streets under either plan being SO small as
to be not determfnatlve or OF considerable
weight. y & 1saG
No Appreciable Advantage.
"At 7th street instead of crossing valley
of 6.5 feet the proposal is to climb hill Of
s feet. The rates of grade along the street
would be substantially the same, and the
advantages of the proposed plan over the
adopted one would not be appreciable. On
the other hand, under the proposed plan
the District would have to maintain a.
bridge over the railroad, a material -consid
Grafton which is also applicable t. the pro-
posed treatment of 9th street and 9th
street
much better than the adopted plan, due to
the fact that the engineering difficulties
unavodably incident to the treatment of
the street crossing railroad where it's
profile passes from an overhead viaduct
to a depressed subway, have been shifted
in location by the proposed plan to 9Th
street. while under the adopted plan they
are found at the 9th street crossing
'.Any treatment of these difficulties at
9Th street is far and away more objection
able in results than the one approved at
9th street, involving IA it must radical and
harmful changes of grade in a number of
streets intersectng 9th street within the
limits of the necessary change of grade of
that street. No such circumstance exists
at 9th street, ard it was this fact that con-
trolled the adoption of the approved rail-
road profile in this locality.
1.-The belief expressed by the citizens that
the profile was controlled by the original
plan of a station in the Mall, while natural,
is not based on facts. The station in the
Mall was sufficiently remote from the To-
cality in question to remove it as a con-
trolling factor over the railroad grade at
these points.
Important Thoroughfare.
"This Office is confident in its belief that
9th street is designed to become most i'm
portant and heavily travelled thoroughfare