Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-05
THE INCONVENIENCE IGNORED
EXTENSIVE EXCAVATING OPERA
TONS IN SOUTHWEST.
Citizens Delighted at the Prospect Of
Obtaining Vastly Improved
Conditions.

Although the residents Of South Wash
ington are at present undergoing much in
convenience by reason Of the railroad ex-
cavations which extend through the entire
southern part of the CITY," said a member
Of the Southwest Washington Citizens As
| ISOLATION to a Star reporter, I'VE are 80
glad that they are under way and SO de-
lighted at the prospect for this section OF
the city in the near future that we do not
complain at the temporary Inconvenience.
Indeed the southwest and a part Of the
southeast section of the city will be en-
tirely metamorphosed In two years, and
the change from past conditions will be
most welcome. In fact, the residents OF
other sections of the city do not realize,
unless they make trip within our borders,
how much is really being done and what it
means to US when the entire scheme OF I'M
provement Is completed.
The work has been necessarily SLOW py
reason of the many obstacles encountered
and the necessity for the continuous run
ming of the trains just the same as thoush
the improvements were not IN progress ne
| excavations and the cement retaining WaiS
at the property and freight station at MARY
land avenue and 14th street for about one
half of the projected work have already peen
completed and over dozen OF the side
switches are. now in place. There Will also
be a station at this point for local passeno
gers, and it will prove great coilN eni '.
to out of town regulars ana uahsleh's
living in Virginia. ,,,
mel beyond Delaware avenue the Flduucl
has been practically completed Inc tlaiI ,s
for the most part now run thereupoi CIV,
the grade crossings in this sectloh Vi III,
CITY will soon be a thing of the past Al
sun street there is sharp dip IN tne nlie
| and the tracks will be spanned by priq n
The cut in this section mas iliea az. +racL
made a double line of rails lald the iiaeH
| rock baIla sted and the retaining wall VI
| cement on the north side is In piace. ~ re
| the work is complete and the DEBRIS re-
moved Maryland and Virginia avenues wan
| scarcely be recognizable
The New Bridge.
| A. tho terminus of 18th street southwest
| the new arched cement bridge just east "
| N. oates to the sluiceway from the re-
! ceivng basin has been completed anu NV
| iron framework of the Alexandra trolley
is in place, though the bridge Is ho' Se'
| thrown omen for traffic This Improvement,
| however will be one of the first or the
| many now going on in this section or the
city which will be completed. ana lhe ;ou
| will be done and the trolley raii coiiiieeo-
made in a few weeks. IL.
| neglected and the highway parallenng tne
! railroad one of the worst IN the Dis'i ic..
| Now however with the exception OF lew
hundred yards of the highway on the south
| side of the new cement bridge, the new
solid cement highway surface mas Deeh
| laid and extended to the Highway pri9se
spanning the Potomac half a mile beyono.
This particular piece Of highway surface
| is unioue and worthy of more tnan pass
| in, attention, and the practical test OF JUS
| endurance will be watched win much III
terest by all concerned. These improve
ments have changed this highway from d
mudhole in wet weather and a sahara OF
sand and dust in dry, to the smootnest ana
| solidest boulevard in the District, while
along it's entire length. from bridge 10
bridge on the north side, has been lad
| wide, smooth cement sidewalk lor peoes-
| TRANS.
In fact, old residents who have not visited
the southwest section in years Will be sur
| prised to note what has been done with
| the former marshes encircling the south
side of the receiving basin and what is yet
in store along these individual lines OF loca!
improvements. The smooth macadamized
roads are models of the roadbuilders art
and together with the intersecting paths
for pedestrians, are laid out with serpentine
and artistic effect. The lawns are now
well-rounded and smooth, the newly plant
ed trees of sufficient size to begin to show
to advantage, while the sunken gardens
near the highway bridge have progressed
so rapidly as to at once attract compli-
mentary attention.
Improving the Reclaimed Lands.
Yet it was but a few seasons ago that
fishermen and others who sought the sea-
| walls of the basin on this side fought their
way through tangled and thick underbrush
| to the waterside Now, with the protecting
| hand rails along the seawalls, the smooth
! roadways, the fresh green lawns, well-set-
| out shrubbery and neatly arranged Hover
| beds. there is presented the appearance of
beautifully kept water park which IN
few seasons more will be one of the most at
| tractive resorts in the city for autoists,
| carriages and visitors
The west portion of this reclaimed strip
| of the promised effects of the original
| scheme of the contemplated whole. Though
| the macadamized driveway has been extend
! ed under the railroad tracks along the
north river frontage into the east portion
of the strip the active Improvements of
| the east section have not yet been seriously
undertaken. The realization of this fur
| Their improvement in southwest Washing
| ton however is not far off, and once it is
| completed and thrown open for public use
| few cities in the world will boast of a more
| perfectly appointed and kept water park
| than the capital.
In the east portion the natural growth of
| trees is much more abundant and larger
! than in the west and when the driveways
| beneath their foliage finished they will
| be source of delight to all who may be-
| sire to use them. The completion of these
| improvements, with the demolition of the
historic old Long bridge marks the passing
| of the ante bellum conditions in this part
| of the capital.