The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-07-29


The great Union Station. a marhl,
and steel slant of beauty and utility
moves swiftly toward its completion
Thousands of hands. great masses o..
machinery. mighty engines OF many
kinds work together in harmony. 10
bring into the realization of actual ac-
complishment the architects stately
dream.
1t is the fourth focus Of the new
WashinEton-the Washington that ia
Ia become the Greater City. It shares
its distinction with the Capitol. the
" hite House, and the Washington
Monument, the foci planned by F,n-
FAINT IN the ions ago. II is the co1tri-
button Of the Durham Commission to
the foci Discussing the station. in a
recent issue Of Golfers Weekly Samuel
7. Mo0ett has written this;
For the Union Station Mr.. Rurnham
has created a vast Roman palace of
shining white Bethel granite. its CEN
trail pavilion modelled o. the Arch OF
Constantine. and all its outlines pre-
serving the central idea Of a colossal
city gate. Il is about thirteen feet
longer and seventy-three feet wider
than the Capitol. It's construction is q
landmark in American civic ert. for It
is the hrst example on record OF a con
scioUs and costly cooperation on the
part Of any OF our railroads in an at
tempt 70 oeautify a great city. There
have been several such examples since.
Effect of Plaza.
''To insure the building its fun effect
a semi-circuiar plaza l,shO by co feet
has been created in front OF il. with
avenues rHdiatlng TO half the points
OF the compass. Through the central of
these avenues the visitor, emerging
from the main door of the station. sees
the vista Of the CapitoI-the most impos-
ing and appropriate of all possible in
Productions 10 the nations seat OF gov
eminent"
Judging from the remarks heard daily,
there is probably no piece Of work UNI
der way, outside OF New York which
excites more interest md curiosity than
the construction Of the Union Station.
To one connected with the enterprise
and familiar with the details. Il is both
Interesting and amusing to hear the ex-
plantations given as 10 the uses and
purposes Of the various portions cf the
construction, which. when assembled
and elaborated upon, viii one day con-
stitute one Of the finest, If not the finest,
RAILROAD terminal in the wcsld. and the
head house prove one Of the most beau
uful structures arch'tecturaly IN
America.
This great Improvement work is being
done in the name Of the Washington
Terminal Company. which is controlled
jointly ny the Baltimore and Ohio and
Pennsylvania railroads w. F. Strouse.
assistant engineer. representing the Bal
tim1re and Ohio interests IN connection
with tho work gives most complete
and interesting description Of what has
been done in the work now in progress.
No one is probably better qualified for
this than Mr.. Strouse. He Is regarded
as most capable and efficient civil
engineer.
Piers and Walls.
In his description Mr.. strouse says
that the great number OF piers and walls
upon which the head house will stand.
the tors OF many OF which project
twenty-five 20 thIrty-fve feet above the
normal surface of tho ground, at the
intersection of Delaware and Massa-
chusetts avenues. have no doubt been
confusing TO the layman.
Indeed, nothing short OF a very init
mate connection with the work and a
thorough familiarity with the plans will
serve 10 remove 81 confusion. But the
trenches, wall. piers cuts. embank-
uents, and tunnels have all had theb
functions. and today the work is so far
advanced that the general scheme can
easily be traced out upon the ground.
To simplify and minimize the number
OF construction problems which, OF nee
essitv. would have To be met on a work
of THIS magnitude the entire layout was
divided into three separate divisions
the terminal depot building, the north
approach. and the south approach. To
avoid confusion and controversy with the
operating departments of the Baltimore
and Ohio and Pennsylvania railroads.
upon whose respective territories much
OF the work had TO be done, the con-
struction OF the north approach and the
depot building was assigned TO the Bal
tmore ana Ohio railroad. while the
south approach and a portion OF the Ma
grudev connection was assigned 10 the
Pennsylvania railroad
The North Approach.
The north approach embraces the train 1
yard and thirty-Jhree tracks. power /
plant. express building. coach yard haV- /
ing a capacity OF about $50 cars)s engine /
aud repair yards, with the necessary en- 4