The Washington times., 1905-10-25
WALLS UNDERMINED.
BUILDING TUMBLESS
Warehouse Falls Victim to
Depot Digging.
THoR0UGHFARES SINKING
These In Vicinity of Congressional
Library Being Repaired by Dis
trict Engineers.

onaole 10 withstand the weight Of tha
'nouShnds OF tons of earth piled up
nsaihst them in the work of bringing
-n"osachusetts avenue, leading to the
ne" tehhsylvanfa terminal TO a level OF
lh'rty-nve feet. the walls of a warehouse
Formerly occupied by Mcdowell Bros. as
ieed and grain depot Monday after
noon. caved in and fell.
ihs grain warehouse stands at the
intersection OF Massachusetts avenue
aho r street northwest Up to the time
!. was abandoned by the feed and grain
niH' because OF the encroachments of
me raiiroac terminal in the process of
ming in and grading the adjacent
streets TO thirty-foot level. If was usad
as their depot in handling grain coming
10 and from the city
To Allow for Tunnel.
All the streets leading to the new fer
minal within radius of half a mile are
Deing brought to this level to allow for
tne construction of tunnel which is To
De USED by the trains coming into the
CITY from the south. This work of hu-
ing IN and tunneling has been going ON
Tor months and today the neiRhhorhood
ABOUT the terminal has the appearances
OF great hill On which stands n man
NON pile OF unfinished white marble
s.iu Si,u iron orders with the mouth of a
!awning tunnel In the center
hundreds of buildings have been torn
Gown Gown In the progress of the work and
me McDoweil warehouse alone re-
manned While this building did NOT
stand as barrier to the work il was
TOO near not to be affected by the weight
oI tnousands Of tons of earth piled up
aaiIound II Each day as the pile on
massachusetts, avenue grew larger and
larger the terrific weight began 10 telI
On the front and rear walls
Then the Walls Fell.
Finally Monday afternoon the strain
became too great and the overpurdened
walls feil In with a crash. Up to the time
OF It's partial demolition the building
was in good state of preservation. al
though its career ended when the work
OF ieyeiing the streets began.
Today the level of Massachusetts ave-
nue. reaches the second story and the
nniidins is completely shut of from, the
outside world. Nothing apparently re
ms.ins now except its complete destruc-
ton and the work of tearing it down
VIII De done by the owners. it is said, in
Another serious result attendant upon
the work on the tunnel, and one which
Hlomlses 10 cost the District many
or the streets and sidewalks alonp, tbe
route or the tunnel in front of the Ii
nrary OF Congress. Several days ago
o-4b oIiCh pdNtLncnIS tHerc- 1
apcuts began TO crack and sink to am |
alarming extent, making the street al
most impossible for vehicles and a |
source OF increasing danger to pedes- |
trtans.
Commissioners Take Action.
The matter was called TO the attention !
or the Commissioners, and yesterday |
the District engineers took vigorous |
steps TO repair the damage. The pave
ment and curbing were removed for |
more thai a block, and work imme- |
diateiy begun TO I'LL in the street with |
new earth and replace the asphalt
Those in charge of the construction
or the tunnel had intended originally to |
forego the repairs to the streets until /
after the completion OF the tunnel and |
the ground had settled. This plan was |
changed, however, when II was seen
that to delay the repairs on the streets, |
especially First street, would lead to /
serious results. and hereafter the re- |
pairing will be done as the conditions
demand It, In the future close watch /
VIII be kept all along the route of the |
tunnel