Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-26
OPENING OF NEW ERA
Distinct Advance Made in
RaiIroading in Capital City.
COMPLETION OF TERMINAL
America First Railway Company
First to Occupy Union Station.
PREPARATION FOR THE EVENT
COMPLETION OF TERMINAL
PREPARATION FOR THE EVENT
Construction Work at New Depot
of Nearly $4,000, 900.

or signal Importance In the history Oh
Washington will be recorded In the annals
of the railroads of this country when,
early tomorrow morning, the clear and
distinct whistle of a large Baltimore and
Ohio locomotive drawing a train of pas
senger cars will proclaim to its residents
the triumphal entering Of the first railroad
built in the United States and in the
world into the new union station and
terminal at Washington. This will be i'm
pressive In refreshing memory of an evoiu-
ton In railroading from the little pas
senger train which, drawn by two of the
now ANTICIPATED locomotives OF the famous
"grasshopper" type of the early days or
the railway, steamed into the modest little
Baltimore and Ohia station, there to be
greeted by the deafening cheers OF mem
bers of the country's diplomatic corps. In
cluding President Jackson, that menora-
BILE 18th day of August, 1880.
But apace with all the Improvement
that have been made in the construction
Of passenger equipment through ali these
years has been the progress MADE IN
the building of terminals, ana IN tnis
direction the one at Washington Is con-
sidered the most magnificent yet under
taken.
Bustle Of Preparation.
In anticipation of the auspicious event
Of the opening to traffic Of the splendid
union station soon after sunrise tomor-
row, there was much hustle and hustle
today about both the old building and
the new. Venerable citizens spoke feel
ingly of the ancient structure at New
Jersey avenue and c street. which has
so long been occupied as a railroad sta
ton. and which is known as the old
original depot" They recalled scenes and
ago when Washington was yet In It's
swaddling cloths. Pictures OF civil war
times came across their vision. when the
old depot was crowded with excited SOL
diery either arriving from the hortn or
west or proceeding to the scenes OF hos
tility in Dixie, then blurred by the smoke
and carnage OF battle and experiencing in
full measure the horrors of war.
The old-timers also recalled the noted
rest building which was situated near
the depot to the east, where the incoming
and outgoing soldiers were given rest and
refreshments. Many an age-whitened citi-
zen sighed today as he gazed at the old
structure and murmured quiet requiem
for it because it is so soon to disappear
from sight to make room for the pic
turesque plaza or approach to the new
station
1t is believed that many citizens OF
Washington will turn out of their beds
be;ime tomorrow morning to witness the
putting and painting locomotive which Will
draw train 5O4 into the station at Atty
minutes past 8 O'Clock and out again at
o'clock and that they will be ready to
celebrate the event by at least bre eaking
the Sabbath quiet by shouting their ac-
claim.
The work of preparing the concourse OF
the station and other parts Of the build
ing for the opening Of travel tomorrow
was carried on vigorously today under the
direction of Supt. Martin. Scores of
workingmen were in evidence on all sides.
and the interior of the station presented
the picture of a busy bee hive. AT the old
depot there were also scenes Of activities.
and everything portable that was not In
use was prepared for removal to the new
station, beginning at midnight.
Work of Construction.
Groups of men today stood about the
new station and discussed the gigantic
work costing in the neighborhood Of s2O.-
0C0,o and of which Congress appropri-
ated So, 100000. This great work has been
accomplished by the Washington Termi-
nal Company. owned Jointly by the Bal
tinore and Ohio and Pennsylvania rail-
roads. The Baltimore and Ohio had
charge of building the station proper, ex-
press building, various shop buildings,
power house and engine houses and the
north approach while the Pennsylvania
built the tunnel undzr Capitol Hill and
the plaza and portion of the Magruder
connection. The Baltimore and Ohio
work was under the direct supervision of
Mr.. D. d. Carothers chief engineer OF the
road, and Mr.. w. F. Strouse, assistant
engineer Of the terminal company. repre-
Sc nting the Baltimore and Ohio, both Of
whom gave close attention to the cnor-
nous amount of detail arising from time
to time during the course OF construction.
The Baltimore and Ohio engineers have
for more than a decade past expended
every energy and left nothing undone 10
make it what it is today-the most thor
oughly modern trunk line system in the
world. But with all this work no single
Improvement reflects greater credit on Mr..
Carothers and his corps of assistants
than does this monumental improvement mt
at Washington.
The Pennsylvania interests were repre-
scented in the terminal work by A. c.
Shand. chief engineer, and Mr.. Robert
Farnham. assistant engineer on the
ground.
While the construction work was done
by the Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsyl-
vania. the terminal will In conformity
with an act of Congress, be used by all
the roads entering Washington. including
the Philadelphia, Washington. and Balti-
more. Southern. Chesapeake 'and OnIo,
Atlantic Coast Line Seaboard Air Line
and the Richmond, Frederick shurg ana
Potomac railroads.
Faces the Capitol.
Situated at an elevation of about sixty
feet above tide and with a gently-sloping
plaza and approaches to insure perfect
drainage, the magnificent station is built
directly facing the Capitol and the new
Senate office building and is within a few
minutes walk of either. I he station site
before the work of construction was COM
menced was low and fill of about $50, 500
cubic yards was necessary in starting the
improvement.
The station building proper. which is
built of white granite rom Verm ont is
$50 feet 10 inches in length and 20 feet
8 inches in width, and the general height
of the building varies from 65 feet in the
east and west wings, to 100 feet in the
main waiting room. The main entrance,
leading into the general waiting room, is
through three gracefully design ID arches,
80 feet in height. The general waiting
room is one of the finest and m Dst COM
modious in the country and is 22o feet
long by 130 feet wide. The height of
the roof Is about 120 feet and is beauti-
fully decorated with sunken panels or
Golfers. Plenty of light will be supplied