Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-01
LAST LINK UNDER WAY
Contract Let for Local Railway
Improvement.
UNION STATION PROJECT
Elimination Of Grade Crossings in Dis
triet Of Columbia.
PLANS ARE UNDER INSPECTION
Resume Of What VIII Be Accomplish
ed in the Way Of Changes
in Grades.
UNION STATION PROJECT
PLANS ARE UNDER INSPECTION

The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
entered into q contract with the Drake &
stratton Company Of Philadelphia for the
execution Of the last big piece of work in
connection with the railroad improvements.
which mean the elimination Of all the grade
crossings In Washington and the use by the
travelling public Of one Of the largest and
finest railroad stations In the world.
Tho contractors are nov beginning work
on Maryland avenue from 7th street to the
foot of 14th street. and this work marks
the beginning Of the end of the terminal
improvements.
Over this line all the southern trains will
pass to and from the big tunnel under the
Capitol grounds, and while the citizens of
South Washington will be put to more or
less Inconvenience during the construction,
the plans show that when the work is COM
pleted the whole section will be greatly
benefited. and the presence OF railroad
tracks will not operate to endanger lives
and property. For years this section of the
city has been an eye-sore on account of
the presence Of the railroad tracks, and the
work now beginning will correct this and
be In all respects along the line Of the most
modern railroad operation.
District Engineers Inspecting.
The District engineer department is 60
ing over the plans with a view to having
the work conducted in such manner as to
minimize the inconvenience to the citizens
comfort and to the immense amount of
travel necessarily using the streets In the
neighborhood. The efforts Of the local en-
gineers in this direction on the other por-
that the citizens rights and comfort will
be we'll taken care of during the operations
now about beginning.
In the future all trains from and to the
south will pass from the 1st street tunnel
over Virginia avenue to 9Th street west.
and thence over Maryland avenue to the
new bridge over the Potomac river.
The work from the Virginia avenue tun-
mel to 9Th street is nearly completed and
trains are now operated on the elevated
structure to 9Th street. Sixth, 18th, 9th and
water streets. In the new arrangement, will
pass under the railroad tracks, while 10th,
18th and 18th streets will pass over the
railroad tracks on bridges. Eighth, 18th and
131s streets will be closed.
At 9th street the Travelled thoroughfare will
be divided south of the railroad tracks by a
wall. the west roadway passing under the
tracks and the east roadway rising from d
street to the new level Of c street. At this
point the low area is only about thirteen
feet above mean tide. and in order to drain
the same 1t will be necessary to construct
a special sewer in street to 9Th street,
which will cost about $1,000
Operations Elsewhere.
The contractors are beginning their
operations on Maryland avenue between
18th and 14th streets. where between those
streets and D and Water streets will be To-
Gated a large freight yard. which will be
below the level of the street.
The work involved In the Drake & STRAIT
ton contract will cost close to $1,OOO.OOO.
and is one Of the most important pieces of
the whole work from an engineering stand
point. After it's completion the whole prof.
ect for the elimination of grade crossings
will be accomplished, and with the use of
the handsome new station will, it is con-
ceded, place Washington i'm he front rank
Of cities, SO far as railroad terminals is con-
cerned. 1t Is estimated that it will re-
quire sixteen months to finish the work. SO
that about February, 1908, the entire prof.
ect will have been completed
The engineers in charge of the terminal
work report that to date about 70 per cent
of the entire work has been completed. in
GLIDING the station. terminals and yards
north Of Florida avenue. Ninety per cent
of the entire grading and masonry work is
completed and about 60 per cent of the
work On the station building. The new ex-
press building at I'd and H streets north
east is about 80 per cent completed. and
the power house at LIST and streets north
east is about Is per cent toward compile
ton.
The Pennsylvania railroads connection
between MagfuQer ana FlOriQa avenue Is
finished, including the bridges over the
Bladensburg road and the Anacostia river,
and can be operated at any time.
Baltimore and Ohio Connection.
The Baltimore and Ohio railroads con-
nection between Montelfo and Rhode Island
avenue Is completed and will be in use
within week. after which the tracks in
street northeast will be abandoned. The
LIST street tunnel from the station to point
near New Jersey avenue and D streets
southeast is entirely completed.
1t is confidently expected that the new
union station will be used by the Balti-
more and Ohio company by the LIST of next
May, when its present station al New Jer-
abandoned 1t is expected that the Penn
sylvania company will abandon it's 9th
street station shortly thereafter, or In
June, 1907 In this connection 1t will be
the endeavor of the District authorities to
impress Congress with the necessity of
providing street railroad facilities. The
matter was postponed last session, much
to the regret of the Commissioners. and it
was this fact ii is stated, as much as any
thing else that prevented the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad from using the new station
| this winter.
The Street Railways.
Both the Capital Traction Company and
the Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany have prepared plans. and at the meet
| ing Of Congress bills will be introduced
providing for the extension Of both roads
| to the new station. Nothing definite has
been decided as to these routes. but 1t is
certain that the cars will run over Della
ware avenue from c street to the plaza,
and that the Washington Railway and
Electric Company line will run over Massa-
.nusetts avenue from LIST street west to
the station.
The temporary roadways on the plaza
and surrounding streets will be allowed to
remain for some time to allow the fill to
settle. and It will probably be several years
before the streets are permanently paved.
REPLIES TO CHARGES