Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-02
NEW UNION TERMINAL
Outlay of Twenty-Five Millions
of Dollars Involved.
DISCUSSED BY ENGINEERS
Large Amount of Difficult Work Ac-
complished.
10000 cUBIcYARDs oFcoNcRETE
Part Of Construction Twenty-Four
Feet Below Street Level
Progress on Tunnels.

Mauy-of the engineering problems invoiv-
station Tor Washington and its adjuncts
were discussed last evening at an extra
meeting of the Washington Society of En-
gineers. held in the Hubbard Memorial
Hall, corner OF 10th and M streets. The
immensity of the work involved and the
skill with which 1t is being carried out
were the features which impressed the sew
eral hundred engineers who attended the
meeting. Mr.. F. H. Newell, chief engineer
Of the rectama ton service and the chair
man of the committee on meetings. presid-
ed. Mr.. L. D. Bliss served as secretary.
In opening the discussion, Mr.. c. B. Hunt
gave a brief history of the union station
agitation and legislation. The terminal i'm
provernents in the District, he said, first
started in the idea for the elimination of
grade crossings as far back as 1896. No
definite results were obtained. however, he
said, until 1900 and 1901. 1t was then rec
ognized that there was depression
through South Washington near South Cap
itol street, and the new plan was to run
| undergrade through the hills .onseach side
and overgrade in the valley of South Cap
tol street phe necessary legislation for
that Improvement followed. and similar
plan for the Baltimore and Ohio was
adopted. Before the actual construction
work started, however. the union station
idea crystalliZed. The location of the tun-
mel under Capitol Hill was decided upon,
he stated, end the location of the station.
In 100. then the necessary revision and
amendments to previous legislation were
passed by Congress, and the present union
station plan Is the result.
The New Station.
The description of the union station
work proper was allotted to Mr.. Charles
Fernafd. assistant engineer of the District
The new station has a frontage of about
TGo feet on Massachusetts avenue. Or will
be about S5S feet longer than the east
front of the Capitol. From the front of the
building to the concourse Is $50 feet, max
ing the building cover about five acres.
Northward of the main building is the head
house, 627 by 210 feet in size. About 1900
tons of steel will be neeGed in the construc
ton of these buildings.
The tracks will come into the station on
two levels, the higher level to be used by
all Baltimore and Ohio trains, and all
Pennsy Nania railroad trains which end or
start from this city. Through Pennsylvania
trains to the south and trains OF other
roads will enter at the lower level. There
will be eighteen tracks on the higher level
and ten on the lower level there being
twenty feet difference.
1t Is expected, the speaker said, that the
building will be completed and ready for
occupancy early next year. 1t will cost not
less than 100000. In front of the build
ing will be located a semi-circular- park, or
plaza, containing about six acres of ground,
and having a radius of 40 feet.
Engineering Feats.
One of the difficult engineering feats in
the building of the station was in securing
q proper foundation. Owing to the fact that
the soil found was poor clay or aluminium
mud deep excavations were necessary. and
It has been found that the construction OF
the work has caused a. settling of about one
inch The amount of concrete used in the
building foundations, the speaker said is
about 10000 cubic yards, and 100000 cubic
yards of earth have been filled In between
walls and piers.
At 1st and l streets northeast the power
plant for the station and adjacent buildings,
for furnishing light, heat and ventilation. Is
being built. The car shops, round houses
and other buildings for maintenance and
repair of rolling stock will be at Ivy City
The entire area occupied between the con-
course line at the station to the northerly
boundary of the terminal zone Is about 2VJ
acres and will include seventy-hve miles OF
trackage thus showing the size OF the WORK
The entire trackage work, 1t Is expected,
will be completed by July. 1907.
An idea of the depth to which some foun-
dations had to be placed Is given by the
fact that at the west end OF tfle n street
down twenty-four feet below the street
level The II street bridge Is one or the
largest of its kind In the world and one
of It's features in that skyiigntS nave peer,
provided so that artificial light VIII not
be needed in the day time in the bridge.
The total length OF the bridges, by Which
grade crossings are abolished, ID l,ooo teet
costing about 500, 900. On that Work alone
* derricks have been used 81 dinkey en-
zines. 425 dump cars, steam shovels ana
Sailv average of 500 iaborers have been
employed.
Entire Expenditure.
The cost of this entire work viii be ABOUT
$40. 900, 600 to the railroads and So'ooo'ooo 10
the District The cost OF the District IN
cludes 100000 for part payment to the
railroads and about 100000 for street.
grade changes and damages to aouetihs
property holders. 80
One of the troublesome features OF tne
work said Mr. Fernald was the mainte-
nance of travel In the public streets as lne
work was being carried out. AT II street.
where the situation was complicated py nav
ing the street railway tracks, this was espe-
cially difficult, The railway traffic was con-
tinuois but team travel was interrupted
for forty days only. Massachusetts avenue
was not closed during the work. Forty
eight grade crossings are removed py this
work 1t was stated.
Mr. Robert Farnham. jr, assistant engt-
neer of the Pennsylvania railroad, spoke
concerning the railroad entrances 20 lne
station. He first showed several pictures
of the twin tunnels under Capitol Hill. The
Pennsylvania railroad trains will abandon
the present tracks after leaving Magruder
station. and by cutting through the reform
school property will enter the city In the
same section as the Baltimore and Ohio.
The, trainss,to use the Capitol Hill tunnel
will be those to and from the south only.
The tunnel is built largely OF concrete. The
middle between the two tunnels will be
sandstone.
Concrete and Vitrif1ed Bricks.
The arch will be covered with five layers
of yitrified bricks. and above that concrete.
Over the concrete Is q waterproof covering
which drains to each side. and which has
an outlet to the bottom Of the tunnel every
fifty feet. Over the waterproofing to the
woodwork arch construction there is a fill
ing In of earth. There Is about $500 feet of
driven tunnel and 1900 to ]. 800 feet of open
cut work.
paia nracticallyr cornIaletsd and that