Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-22

avenue and street northeast along Della
ware avenue to the station, connecting
with the City and Suburban lines author
lied in the first section of the bill
This extension Of about two blocks OF
track Will give direct line to and from
the Capitol. little more than three blocks
Instant, and this section is practically the
same as the corresponding section Of the
Senate act, so far 1t relates to the
route and to the Metropolitan Coach Com
pany. The committee, however. thought
best to add proviso requiring within one
year after the completion Of the authorized
extension the removal of the tracks along
the various streets which will be rendered
unnecessary for the operation Of the sys-
TENS a1ter the new tracks are in use.
Along Massachusetts, Avenue.
BY section of the substitute the Cap
ital Traction Company Is given an extern
sion on Delaware avenue from C street to
the plaza and the station, so that the cars
running on Pennsylvania avenue may have
the necessary connections. 1t further gives
tnem a connection from the Tth street line
at ith and K streets by Joint occupatien
OF trackage with the City and Suburban
line, on Massachusetts avenue from 7th
street TO 4th street and from 1st street to
the plaza, and by new construction of
double-track line from 4th street to the
newly authorized City and Suburban line
at massachusetts, avenue and G street The
route proposed In this section of the sub
the Senate act, by following Massachusetts
avenue direct from 9TH street to the pla "a
instead OF reaching the plaza by the indi-
rel route OF x street and North Capitol
eieet. Inc House committee also pro-
Vlded that this extension shall be a straight
one This was done by inserting in section
. Oh the substitute the proviso that the
commissioners may use any necessary nor
uon or reservation IL
Inc committee recommended this route
III preference 10 the one in the Senate act
as oeing more direct and therefore more
e unseIient 10 the public; as involving no
sIeaSer JOINT occupation Of trackage than
me senate route, and a much less installa-
tion OF new track; besides which the COM
hittee received large number of pro-
eestS from the residents of the seven blocks
~ n street, which are largely residential
IN character and along which the Senate
act proposes franchise
relative to the general problem of the
approach to the new union station from the
northwest section the report says that the
plan proposed in the substitute bill Is the
pest mat can be devised having considera-
tion OF all circumstances. 1t eliminates sew
erai 0ad curves embodied In the routes
provided by the Senate and places the
points of connection between the two sys-
TENS all on Massachusetts avenue which
Is VIDE avenue, rather than al points on
narrower streets, where congestion of traf-
nc Is ilaple to give much greater difficulty
For the Northeast Section.
Section three Of the substitute bill also
provides for extensions of the Capital Trac-
ton line from Pennsylvania avenue and
Sth street southeast to Florida avenue and
It'll street northwest. by way Of sth street
east and Florida avenue and also from the
extension at sth and F streets northeast
westwardly along L street to the union
station.
The committee considered this to be
necessary in order to give access to the new
station. although it involves a considerable
extension of tracks.
In his report Mr.. Babcock says that the
residents Of that section Of the District
north OF D. street have no access TO the
station eScept by the H street line, which
requires them to pass west Of the station
thence down North Capitol street and back
east along Massachusetts avenue to the
station or to alight at I'd street and walk
south nearly three blocks.
The extension was petitioned for by all
residents of that section of the city lying
north of Pennsylvania avenue and east of
7th street west; 1t is also recommended by
the District Commissioners, and in addition
the Capital Traction Company Is willing to
construct it.
In MIR. Babcock's report only the reasons
for granting this extension in so far as
they relate to access to the union station
are given Many other reasons were
brought to the Commissioners attention
which are not enumerated in the report.
But Mr. Babcock says that the Commits
siorers believe that this extension should
be authorized without fail by the present
Congress, as it will take eighteen months TO
construct the lines.