Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-15

perior to those heretofore furnished In
nearly every respect there is a marked i'm
povement, the notable exception to this
being the fact that the depot, situated well
outside the corporation limits, is SO far
removed from the center of the city. How
ever. in the general pleasure OF the citizens
over the erection of a depot in some de-
gree commensurate with the size and i'm
portance Of the city there seems to be
disposition, for the time. to overlook the
evident drawback in the way Of the in
creased distance.
For years leading business men and other
public-spirited citizens have. from time to
time, conducted movements with a view
of inducing the railroad companies to i'm
prove the passenger and freight facilities
In Alexandria. Repeated petitions which
were made were unavaIling and it was no,
until about year ago that 1t was an
nounced that the Washington Southern
Railway Company would construct build
ing at the head of King street to be used
as union depot for the several lines en-
tering this city. Complaint was perhaps.
equally divided between the Washington
Southern depot, at the corner or Fayette
and Cameron streets. and the Southern de-
pot at the corner of Henry and Duke
streets Both of these depots are low and
unpretentious looking frame buildings
which at best would scarcely have done
credit to a village, and which were allowed
to remain almost constantly in state OF
dilapidation. The unseenlly condition OF
the two stations, which, Of course, came
under daily observation by a considerable
portion of the travelling public OF this sec
ton. constituted continual source OF hu-
initiation and embarrassment to the people,
who regarded each building alike as re-
Election upon the city. There was. there
fore. general pleasure when it was stated
that a union depot would be constructed.
Station Practically Completed.
Work on the site selected was duly COM
menced and has been In progress for sew
eral months. The exterior of the building
has been practically completed. while but
little remains to be done on the interior.
If the engineers and the present force OF
workmen are uninterrupted for the next six
or eight weeks, the entire work, including
the auxiliary buildings, and the arrange
ment of the ground and the approaches. Will
probably then be completed Meanwhile
the passenger service will be continued at
the improvised depot, situated on the east
side of the main line tracks and immediate
ly opposite the main building. When the
latter is ready for use the temporary struct-
ure will be removed.
The new double tracks Of the Southern.
Washington Southern and other lines inter-
ested skirt the city of Alexandria on the
west and northwest, passing diagonaily
from the old roadbedS of those lines south
west of the city to st. Asaph on the north
They cross the King street road by an eie-
waited steel structure few hundred yards
west Of the boundary line 1t is In the angle
west of the roads and south of the King
street highway that the union depot Is 10
Gated 1t occupies graceful position on
gently rising ground from the public thor
oughfare. In architecture the building is
of the colonial style Though only single
story structure, Git has high roof with orna-
mented dormer windows. giving 1t preten-
tfous appearance. The front. which faces
the west. Is approached by fine graded
and graveled driveway. The southern end
of the depot. which Is designed as the bag
gage, express and mail apartments, is al
most a separate building, but Is so situated
and constructed that il conforms to the
general architectural design and adds
markedly to the appearance of the whole.
1t Is declared that the finest material was
used in the building and the outlying works.
The walls are built of red brick with gram
lite trimmings. The roof is high and slopes
to the ends as well as the sides of the
house. 1t Is intersected on each side by
three dormer windows and IS pierced on
the north end by an ornamented chimney.
In terrace style below the ewes. another
roof, supported by large white columns.