Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-23
Progress Made as Shown by
Official Report.
THE ROADBED GRADING
STATEMENT MADE BY THE EN-
GINEER OF HIGHWAYS.
Prediction Made That Two Years Will
Be Required to Complete
Building.


the new union station and on the streets
and roads affected by the terminal improve
ments within the District of Columbia was
summarized for the Commissioners in the
annual report of c. B. Hunt, the engineer
OF highways, which was laid before them
yesterday afternoon.
Between Magruder station, Maryland.
and Montana avenue. in the District on the
line of the Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington railroad" Mr.. Hunt stated.
the grading of the roadbed is nearly COM
pleted and the greater part of it prepared
for the reception of tracks. The bridge
across the Anacostia river near the reform
school grounds is entirely completed and
ready for the tracks The masonry work on
the bridge over and across the Bladensburg
road, at the junction with Queens Chapel
road, is completed and ready for the steel,
which, it is expected, will be delivered in
the coming fall. This part of the work is so
well along that its entire completion is only
a matter of three or four months
Yards and Shops.
1.-The grading within the territory to be
occupied by the yards and shops between
Montana avenue and Florida avenue" con-
tinued the engineer of highways, is about
20 per cent completed, and it should all be
finished not later than the spring of 1906.
Work on the foundations of the New York
avenue highway bridge has been COM
menced, as has also the reconstruction of
the Rhode Island avenue railroad bridge
but nothing has been done toward laying
tracks or constructing the buildings intend
ed in the yards.
Concerning the viaduct between Florida
avenue and Massachusetts avenue, Mr..
Hunt reports the greater part of the ma
sorry work completed, and some of the
steel bridges over depressed streets in
place. Bridges over Florida avenue and
H, X, l. and NJ streets will be in place be-
fore the end of next month.
1t will be eighteen months. If not two
years, Engineer Hunt predicts, before he
union station is ready for occupancy. al
though steady progress is being made.
Foundations for the station nearly all
completed and large amount of the steel
framing and granite and brick work of
the SuperStructure is in place.
Delay on Power House.
The engineers report tells further of the
delay on the power house at the corner of
list and l streets on account of the unsat-
isfactory developments in the sustaining
power of the soil, which necessitated a
radical change in the foundat ton plans.
Work on the express building, corner of
I'd and H streets, has been commenced.
Fourteen to eighteen months will be re-
quired to complete the 1st street tunnel,
says Mr.. Hunt, although the progress
made Is considered good Much subsol
water has been encountered, but otherwise
the conditions surrounding the work have
been favorable" Referring to the surface
settlements noticed at different places
above the tunnel, the engineer of highways
attributes them all to removal of ground
water and attendant causes rather than TO
settlements in the tunnel construction.
Foundation and Masonry.
Further in his report Mr. Hunt says:
1.-The foundation and masonry work Of the
several bridges. from South Capitol street to
I'd street southwest, at the south approach
to the tunnel, are nearly completed, and the
steel work is expected to be erected this
coming fall. The Virginia avenue tunnel is
completed and the connection with it and
the old tunnel, at Sth street and Virginia
avenue southeast, Is expected to be accom-
plshed by October next. Masonry conStruc-
ton the Virginia avenue elevated work,
from South Capitol to AZ streets. is in prog
ress with fair prospects that the bridges
over South Capitol street, Delaware avenue.
LIST, ID and Sd streets, will be completed and
in use. for at least two tracks, before the
beginning of winter.
"A portion Of the bridge over Water
street near 14th street southwest is in use
and 1t is the intention to complete the entire
structure by November.
Progress on the work is generally good
The revisement of street grades and at
tendant work, incidental to the terminal
construction, is progressing steadily and the
work of restoration of surface conditions is
being undertaken as rapidly and vigorously
as controlling conditions will permit and 1t
is expected that by the beginning of winter
H, X, l. and M streets and Florida avenue,
passing beneath the viaduct, will have been
repaved to the new grades. On the streets
changed in grade and newly created under
the union station act, in the vicinity of the
plaza, considerable progress has been made
on the filing work, and the first of the year
should see the greater portion of 1t COM
pleted."