The Washington herald., 1907-10-28

/ for New York City, was the first 10 leave
Washingtons new Union Station. It
pulled out at $50 o'clock yesterday morn
ing. thereby inaugurating a new service
IN one of the finest railroad stations in
the world, and providing another place
for the sightseers that pour into the Capt.
tai every day.
The first train 10 bring passengers into
the new station was Baltimore and Ohio
train 10. from Pittsburg II was greeted
by a crowd Of several hundred sight
seers, who went In and out OF the build
ing all day, Notwithstanding the extreme
ly unpleasant weather.
All the equipment from the old Balti-
more and Ohio station has been moved
into the new structure, and from appear
lances it was dropped wherever convenient
for the corps Of employees. who got out
Of the old and into the new in two days.
Yesterday baggage was received and
checked from the floor in the big con
course, which is so vast as to astound
one whose only view Of the building has
been from the exterior. A part Of the
east end Of the big room. large enough to
accommodate the entire army OF the
United States, was fenced of. and behind
this the baggage smashers held sway,
working on a temporary wooden floor.
laid to prevent the destruction Of the tile
floor. which would make housewife sick
if she would have to think Of the labor
necessary to keep it clean.
Some officials Present.
Among the officials Of the road present
We're Mr.. G. l. Potter. third vice presi-
: dent, who went through on 504; Mr.. o.
H. Hobbs. superintendent Of the Balti-
more division, and Division Engineer
Trapnen There were no ceremonies at
tendant upon the opening Of the big
5 building
o. The station is far from complete. and It
= viii be another six months before the big
rooms that really form the features Of
the place viii be open 10 the public As it
stands. but half the concourse is open. the
' west end being fenced of and stacked
high with the skeleton scafolds used by
p the men who have Just completed putting
a on the coat Of glistening white paint,
q that makes the vast roof look light, and
= the electricians who are putting up the
. arc light. that look like specks against
= such background. Outside. electricians
r were GsJraddle poles, hastily erected, in
c mad haste 20 get the wires taken into
L the building. so there would be light last
b night. Through the eastern entrance.
p which will be used exclusively by the
President diplomatic and official parties
I-.-T.. 4E-. .r-s
. Washingtonians mingled with the incom-
e ing and outgoing travellers. and all were
q put 70 rout In a search for English ex-
pressive enough To tell what they thought
about it.
Only the raised tracks on the west.
some tWenty-f0ur Of them, were in use.
o and these are devoted exclusively TO the
Baltimore and Ohio. The tracks below,
that come out Of the tunnels. viii be put
n TO use after November Il. when the Penn
+ sylvania, Southern, Chesapeake and Ohio.
, and all the roads that use the tracks
south Of Washington begin using them.
Many Visitors on the Scene.
Outside, in the muggy drizzle yester-
day. the curious ones threaded their way
y through streets that were but recently
] mudholes and have not completely for
e gotten their ancestry. Three blocks away
lis about as close as one can get to the
building on a street car. and the con-
gIomeratiOn Of vehicles that formerly
lined New Jersey avenue in front Of the
4 old station, have all taken up their places
along the south front Of the new station.
/ The first excursion into the big building
o came IN yesterday from Winchester. Va.
There were about $50 persons in the party.
and they were personally conducted by
the Valley division Of the Baltimore and
Ohio, the oldest superintendent in the
4 service Of that road. The captain took
great interest in the new station and its
surroundings. The excursion left on the
L return trip about o'clock.
s Mr.. G. L. Potter, third vice president
o was met ar the train by Mr.. George W.
j, Martin. superintendent Of the Washington
= Terminal Company and he, with the
/ other officials, stayed about the station
e last night until they found all the electric
lights would work properly.
The entire terminal system as it stands
cost about $2o000000, Of which the station
proper cost s. O00,0O0. and the Washington
: Terminal Company is owned jointly BY
. the Pennsylvania and the Baltimore and
l. Ohio. The Baltimore and Ohio had charge
f of the work Of erecting the building. ex-
e press buildings various shop buildings
o poWeTn0uSeS, ana nOrIn approach. while
the Pennsylvania built the tunnels from
the south and the plaza
Fi-st Ticket Is Sold.
The last ticket issued at the old Balti
. more and Ohio station was sold at 2:55
o'clock yesterday morning, to Mr.. S B.
Hege. district passenger agent The first
ticket issued from the new station was
sold by Mr.. II. r. HOwser, city ticket
agent, at 3:25 o'clock, 10 Mr.. H P Bald
win. city passenger agent for the com
= pany Mr. Howser was given the privi-
Iege Of selling the first ticket. because he
is the Oldest ticket agent in point Of
service in Washington Mr. S E East
l. burn is the terminal ticket agent. and It
t was he who extended the courtesy to Mr..
= Howser.
The ticket first sold Is No 5S37g. and
was made out TO Laurel. Nd. the old
T. home OF Mr.. Baldwin. Just after he had
c purchased 1t. Miss Kathryn Purneu.
who heads the stock company now at
the Majestic. arrived in the station. to
take train for Baltimore. To her was
presented the first ticket, and she saved
il. using mileage book en- route to the
! Monumental Cir The ticket has been