Evening star., 1907-10-27
BUILDING WILL BE RAZED
Officials in Attendance to Direct Dis
mantling.
AN INFORMAL CELEBRATION
Detail of Policemen to Preserve
Order-Plans for Lighting In
terror and Exterior. 90

of the Baltimore and Ohio rail
road, at the corner OF New Jersey
avenue and { street, ceased to be
a traffic station at ffty-two min
utes past o'clock this morning,
and will hereafter live in memory
only. With its passing will come
the christening of the new and
magnificent union station when
the first passenger train glides
into the train sheds at 8 go o'clock
this morning. with its putting To-
comotive and human freight from
st. Louis, Cincinnati and the
west. The last train to depart
from the venerable depot was the
Duquesne Limited for Pittsburg
and New York, which pulled out
at 2: 81 O'Clock this morning. fill
ing the old structure wiz; hving
echoes and smoke, and the engine
bell ringing a sort of eulogv to
the vacated building. which will
SO soon be leveled to the earth.
Prior to the departure of the Du-
quesne limited Mr.. W. G. Robey. the sta
.tion master. and other officials. with a
large force of workmen. had about DIS
mantled the equipment of the old build
ing and conveyed 1t by freight cars and
large express wagons to the union sta
ton. where all was hustle and excitement
Following upon the very heels of the fly
ing limited. as 1t sped away in the dark
ness, were number of passenger cars
and other equipment, which were hauled
by yard locomotives on both the high
and low level to the union station where
a force of men were busy installing the
effects and getting ready for the begin
ming of traffic later In the morning
The first work Of tearing down and
carrying away was accomplished early
in the evening. when the newsstand and
Information bureau of the vacated struct-
ure were removed to the concourse OF
the new edifice. From that time until
the hour of final vacation, while the
morning stars were yet sing .ng In the
east, the interior of the New Jersey ave-
nue. station wore a breaking up house,
keeping" appearance.
First to Be Transferred
The first load Of equipment from the
old depot arrived at the union station
about 1890 o'clock last night. From that
hour until an early hour this morning
there was a general hustle and hustle
and scurry Yard engines blew off ex-
haust steam while they hauled cars to-
ward the promis land Lanterns
flashed along the various tracks and the
~L.xf,,
an ma as they tugged at the lcaded
vehicles.
The force of men and machinery and
animals engaged in the hurly-burly of
the moving was given by Station Master
Robey as four yard locomotives, two yard
masters. five swtchmen to handle the
switches on K street, two switchmen on
New York avenue. eight express wagons,
thirty-four laborers. twenty five railroad
porters and the members of the train
crews. After the departure of the limited
train at 2:J2 o'clock this morning the
force named at one fell swoop removed
the last vestige of railroad property and
equipment to the new station, leaving
nothing but emptiness and echoes in the
vacated building.
While Mr.. Robey was talking to a Star
reporter last night portly and prosper
Gus looking man approa ched and informed
him that he had the honor of having pur-
chased the first ticket for passage out
of the union station on train J04 the
first one out. at o'clock this morning.
II was explained that the first train to
enter the station is known. officially as
No. !. but after changing engines and
taking on passengers for the east IL loses
its identity as such and becomes No. 5o4.
4 don't know where | am going he
said. but | want to have the record of
having been passenger on the first train
out. 1t Will be a matter of history, YOU
know
Expects Heavy Traffic.
Mr.: Robsy said he expected the traffic
on the Baltimore and Ohio today VIII be
heavy as a result Of the opening of the
union station, and he has therefore or
dered plenty of passenger coaches to be
in readiness for service.
Yes. l expect many citizens Of Wash
ington will be on hama to see the first
train in at $50 O'Clock and the first one
out at O'Clock this morning" Mr..
arrange matters that they can see the
and hear the greeting toots
of the locomotives"
\ long line Of cabbles stood by their
vehicles last night before the old strlIc-
ture and seemed lost in contemplate
over the change. II is understood they
VIII not be permitted TO stand with their
vehicles within the station plaza but will
be given a stand near the corner of Mas
sachus It's avenue and f street nor will
tue drivers be p rnltted to go within the
territory and solicit fares. or
crab for passengers it is termed In
the nighttime vrrnacu ar. Hotel drum
mers and po't'rs VIII also be kept with
out the aza and across the deadline
and Il Is sad the hotel buses must de-
posit their fares at the station doors and
th"n depart for the outside OF the park
ing.
The switch system of the union station
and its approaches will be on the most
elaborate and modern plan, ii was ex-
planned last night. At first men viii be
stationed at the switches to throw them
with compressed air. but later along Ine
switches will all be manipulated from
towers by electricity and compressed air
1t was approximated that there VIII be
from l15 TO 2oo switches in the pant
Work of Removal.
Seven big express wagons lined up at
the Baltimore and Ohio depot last even
ing TO engage in the work of removing
the effects of the railroad company
from the old landmark to the new
union station. Some of the properly
had already been conveyed TO the modern
structure, but the bulk Of 1t was there to