The Washington herald., 1907-11-18

Down in the vicinity OF Sixth and L
streets northwest there is an air of quiet
and pervading stiffness that hasn't beer
noticed in that neighborhood for years
It's ali because the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company yesterday morning quit
using lis old station at that point and
began operating its trains into and from
the new structure.
Under the terms OF the act Of Con
gress by which the new SaOOoO,OOO station
was authorized. the old Pennsylvania
station is to be turned over to the gov
ernment. and is to be used in whatever
way is seen nj by the legislators OF the
country The work of drawing up the
formal papers for this transfer. according
10 Pennsylvania official. is now in the
hands Of the leading attorneys Of that
road in Philadelphia, and it will not be
many weeks until the change Of owners
is recorded.
When the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company ran its first train into the new
station several weeks ago. there was
large number of visitors to see just
how everything about this innovation
worked. Yesterday. however. thousands
thronged the new structure.
Would Hold the Army.
The vast concourse which. It is said.
would hold the entire United States
army, was almost filled with sightseers
and would-be passengers.
Officials of the Washington Terminal
Company said there was a little diff
Guilty in handling the added traffic of the
Pennsylvania the Chesapeake and Ohio.
the Southern. and other roads which now
enter the station. but that this will be
obviated in a few days The machinery
of operation, like that Of a turbine steam
ship like the LUsitania, has to be fitted
into the niceties OF its position by use.
The first Pennsylvania train out Of the
new station was No 30. which left
promptly at 6.55 yesterday morning. for
New York. The first train into the new
station-operated by the roads which have
hitherto used the old one-was that Of
the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad which
arrived at $50 o'clock.
The last train into the old PENNSYLVANIA
station was the Baltimore newspaper
train. which arrived from the Monumen-
tai City at 4 O'Clock. The last train out
of the old structure was an Atlantic
Coast Line train which left at 4.20
o'clock. \ special bearing the Ben-Hur
company, however. left the old Pennsyl-
Vania station az 10 o'clock yesterday
morning. With this train. the structure
so long used by thousands Of people was
practically closed as a railway passen-
ger station.
Although the old station has seen COM
pdTatively few years OF life il has wit
messed many stirring scenes besides those
common, everyday affairs that every big
meeting place OF people must see in its
existence Here. in one of its little rooms
small indeed. beside those OF its new ri
val. President Garfield was shot bv the
assassin Guiteau Through this station
have tr0d Presidents coming TO Wash
iugton for the first time. and through il
two Presidents were carried. dead by
traitorous hands.
Crossed Its Threshold.
Statesmen. politicians. Cabinet officers.
diplomats and all that vast array Of be-
lngs who flock to the Capital OF a great
nation like the United States aave
crossed the threshold of this red brick
building Meetings Of friends who had
been apart FOR scores of years. partings
between mothers and sons who never
met again-all the tragedy which any
common building must always see this
old building has witnessed.
That army Of cab drivers. hackmen. por-
ters. and other hangers-on at such \ pub
lie institution. Saturday cast off their al
legance. and yesterday found places
about the new building near the Capitol.
The same old familiar faces the same
hotel cabs. the same loungers were
transposed with the day TO newer fields.
It's a rather good thing they have been
transposed. too, as most people figure II.
because the new station isn't as vet over
run with transportation facilities. The
nearest street car line south is two blocks
away. and the nearest in a westerly direc-
ton is considerably more.
The road which leads 20 the new sta
tion from the western part OF the city
was packed yesterday with scurrying au-
tomobiles. carriages with Iiveried foot
men. and with cabs. It was dusty. and
the thousands OF persons who passed
along its hard surface seemed TO desire
that somebody get out water wagon
and attend 10 IFS evident thirst.
There has been much speculation as
To what the government will do with the
old building. and several Of the old
friends Of that building which had al
most the dignity of an institution to
many, think they have hit upon it's ulti-
mate fate. According 90 these wise men.
the government intends to make the old
station over into clubhouse Only mem
ters of the Ananias Club the mollycod-
ole coterie. and the 'unriding'' officers of
the army viii be admitted
The Policy Club.
The club is TO be called The Policy
Club and will be very exclusive. Ac-
ccrding to these same sources Of mis-
Information. the government will likely
turn the several rooms Of this new club
house into modern bathrooms. Here il is
proposed the club members may give
immunity baths to afflicted corporations
this operation. it is conceded. is best
zone by friends.
In another part Of the building there
will be select writing room, in which
dictionaries containing the very latest
epithets in seven languages will be kept.
Several well-knOwn letters Of history will
be framed and exhibited on the walls.
The office of the treasurer. II is SAID.
VIII be decorated with an eagle in troy
scrs. and the motto. "ln God we trust -
viii be placed upon most Of the walls.
I'm the tower there Will be a room given
oyer TO trophies Of the chase. such as
wolves that have ha.,, HE IL .L.-..,