The broad ax., 1907-06-22
WASHINGTON LETTER
rspeciaI cotr-spondenes.l

| possesses mucn nlStOEICdi hOSAeSe
from a national as well as local view
point With the library and the Office
buildings for the senate and house OF
representatives the area known as the
eapitoI grounds is inclosed by marble
walls. with the exception Of that por-
ton fronting on First street between
East Capitol and B streets, northeast
Doubtless at no distant day the gov
eminent will take the squares first
named as the site Of a temple OF jus
| tice for the accommodation Of the su-
preme court Of the United States.
Historic Ground.
Should q building be erected there
for the highest judicial body IT would
be peculiarly appropriate, for after the
burning Of the capitol IN 1914 the head
Of the judicial system sat for number
Of years In the building at First and A
| streets The quarters mentioned were
! thus occupied from 1916 to 1870. The
1 old circuit court Of the District was
also in this building from 1916 to 1926.
when quarters were provided In the
city hall for the local court, together
with offices for the clerk, the marshal
and other officials.
During the civil war 10 became. under
the name Of the old capitol prison, a
noted place, and here not few eXecu-
tons, some by gallows, others by
shooting, occurred. Captain WirZ of
Andersonville was hanged there. All
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instead is a block Of fine residences.
In one OF which the late Justice Field |
long resided.
The New Railway Station.
washington's new Union station, |
erected Jointly by the Pennsylvania
and the Baltimore and Ohio under Ger
tain concessions granted by the gov.
eminent. Is now more than three |
fourths completed. and Baltimore and |
Ohio trains will run into the new struc- |
ture within a short time. Architectur- |
ally the building will be one Of the
most magnificent In the city. Its d.
mansions are truly stupendous. Alto
gether 100 acres will be occupied by
the new terminal facilities. The north
approach includes train yard Of thir-
ty-three tracks, power plant. express
building, coach yard having a capacity
for about 80 cars. engine and repair
yards. with engine house and shop IA
cIlities.
Finest Building Of Its Kind.
The tunnel under Capitol hill Is the
feature Of the south approach. The
station site when the work began was
on ground less than twenty-five feet
above the tide Of the Potomac. More
than 100000 cubic yards Of material
were excavated and deposited to trans
form 1t into an emlnence nearly sixty
feet above tide, with gently slopIng ap-
brooches II this material were depos-
itedbo an average size city block It
Washington monument. To move all
this material would require about Co.
600 standard gauge commercial cars,
which, II coupled together In a single
line, would extend COO miles, a greater
distance than from Washington to Co
lumbus. II
The general waiting room Of the new
depot will Of itself cover 100 by 30
feet, or two-thirds Of an acre, a greater
area than Is occupied by the average
city station. The roundhouse, shops ]
and engine yards will cover fifty-1ve I
acres, the coach yard sixty acres, the /
train yard thirty-one acres, the station I
proper and a portion OF the plaza nine I
acres.
Professional opinion has 1t that It I
will be the most beautiful station 4
building in the world.
A Remarkable Structure. Q
Within a few weeks the Connecticut (
avenue bridge will be completed and
opened to the public. In fact, there re-
mains unfinished little more than the a
decoration OF the bridge. The bridge
tself Is a remarkable structure. o
1t Is 1921 feet long, 80 feet wide q
and consists Of five 15O-foot arches
and two S2-fOOt arches 1t Is built of
concrete throughout. The o
stone for the concrete work was taken q
rom a quarry about 400 feet from the q
lite Of the bridge. which saved a haul 9
of $1,000 cubic yards of stone. b
LArSost Ooncrepo Bridge.
This Is the largest concrete bridge In Z
he world and is unique, in that 1t is q
lot REINFORCED with steel. The bridge q
apparently trimmed with granite. q
These trimmings are made OF concrete,
asst In blocks on the ground, and In 3
Itead OF using sand for the mortar G
tone dust was used, which, when p
lressed down, gives an appearance Of Il
'ranlte. The main false work Of the 8
structure, which consisted mostly Of !
|eorgia pine lumber, cost the District "
$4,000. 1t required 100000 board II
eet Of lumber for this work alone. It "
, probable that the entire amount of o.
mber required to complete the bridge
Vas IN the nelghborhOod Of 100000
'oard feet. q
Street Signs. o
The commissioners will not be able q
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