Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-09
A Smokeless Terminal.

At all stages of the union station project
Congress has had in mind a model terminal
for this city, a monumental building. a
thoroughly up-to-date equipment and facil-
tiles OF every description for the convent
ence and safeguarding of the public on
liberal scale. In this purpose the railroad
companies have expressed their intention
and desire to cooperate. Taking them at
their word. some citizens and here and
there a member of Congress have lately
been prone to ask why The lines which are
contributing to and which viii use the ter
minal should not seek to produce that emil
nenuy desirable creation, a smokeless sta
ton.
Such a terminal without coal-burning
power is not only possible but feasible
from practical point of view. The en-
gineers In charge of the work could read
fly devise a scheme of traction by cleo
Notwithstanding that smokeless loeomo-
tives are out of the question-which would
be at once safe and expeditions
1t may not be successfully denied that
the day of the locomotive is drawing TO
close. Many railroad engineers are working
to the end of supplanting It. recognizing
Its inferiority in many respects to the cleo
trio motor The devices for transmitting
electric currents over long distances from
The source OF power are now so highly de-
veloped that It Is no longer regarded as
impracticable to operate thrd-rail lines over
several hundreds Of miles The present
generation will probably see the operation
or such lines between New York and Wash
ington. perhaps over longer routes
Why should not the Washington terminal
he ahead OF the times In this respect? 1t
is built for all time. It is on large scale
II put on electric basis at the outset
the day of general electrIfcation of long
distance lines will doubtless be FASTENED
thereby.
There are striking reasons for making
this terminal smokeless. At present the
railroad smoke nuisance is an abominab BILE
evil. 1t is unaffected by the drastic laws
now In force. When concentrated as at the
union station, 1t will be intolerable. Scores
of locomotives putting at once within
comparatively narrow space will send forth
vast quantities of SCOT and gas. In close
proximity TO the station building will soon
arise number of handsome structures,
hotels and the like, built to accommodate
the travelling public at this new center of
activity These and the grand group of
public structures Just to the south the
Capitol. the Library and the House and
Senate office buildings, will receive the full.
effect of dense volumes of smoke emitted
at the station whenever the wind is from
the north. Some day this group of public
buildings will be enlarged. as by the addition
OF such a creation as the Supreme Court
house. Are these costly, beautiful piles of
marble and granite to be grimed to a
dirty hue by the avoidable smoke of the
railroad station? Is the capital of the
United States to be reduced In It's artistic
aspect to the level of a manufacturing city
without heed for It's appearance?
Now Is the time to take this matter into
consideration. Whether the train shed be
OF the umbrella or the arch type, the smoke
nuisance Will be great evil. It be
avoided and it should be. whatever may
be the first cost OF the solution.