Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-14
DUE TO THE STATION j.:
Influence of Railroad Terminal
Change on Property.
AS TO THE OLD LOCATIONS
Discussion of Probable Effect of a
Shifting Of Centers.
EXTENT OF AREA AFFECTED
Westward and Northward Move
ment as Anticipated by Observers
of Current Conditions.

One of the results OF the new Union
depot being Iut in use is leaving deserted
thc-two depots formerly such busy centers
OF activity. The fill effect. especially upon
property values. of this change cannot be
estimated at this time. sufficient IN
terval has not elapsed since the removal
was made AZ is always the case. a3d as
might he naturally expected. some forms
of business have been drawn to the former
depot localities because of the tide OF
travel there each day. Now that the cs-
sential feature of the localities has been
taken away 1t seems probable that some
of the special interests which group about
such places will be obliged to find other
fields
Only. comparatively, a few days have
elapsed since the 9th street depot was
abandoned, and while II was an event that
has been widely known as about 10 take
place, yet as far as could be observed
no changes were made in the uses OF prop
critics In the immediate neighborhuod. and
up to this time such changes are yet 10
be made. 1t has, however, been an
nounced by the proprietor of the fru:t
stands near the 9Th street depot that he
intends TO remove his business. as there
is nothing TO oe done since the closing OF
the depot.
As to Future Changes.
No doubt as the business OF the neigh
borhood adapts itself TO the changed con-
ditions there will be shifting about In
the character of some of the various ines
of activity and perhaps the selection oil
other localities. This seems to be the
process that is going on with the smaller
kinds of business.
AS far as the general character of the
locality is concerned there is no question
that the change will be. on the who-e.
beneficial in so far the nuisance or the
smoke and the dirt and the noise from the
engines is concerned, and also owing 10
the freedom from some OF the rather uh-
desirable features which such a center as
a railroad depot is bound to bring ABOUT
1t.
An Old Hotel Center.
The new depot location has less radi-
cal effect upon the locality of the old b.
and O. station than upon that OF the otn
street station. for the reason that the new
place is In the immediate vicinity OF tie
former while with the latter the shifting
that has been made takes away from that
neighborhood all influence that comes
from such a center.
The chief concern arises, no doubt. In re-
gard to the future of the hotel business
in the 9th street section. AT first glance
it would seem that the hotels were rr
marily there because of tho depot, put the
fact Is the large hostelries in the imme-
date vicinity were all doing fourishins
business years before a railroad entering
the city at that place was even dreamed
of. In fact, the Metropolitan and Ma
tional hotels are the oldest. as far as
their locations are concerned, or any no.
tells now doing business in this city, While
the St James has behind it the record OF
about fifty years.
No Effect as Yet.
Mr.. Levi Woodbury., proprietor of the
last named hotel for the past zthirty-hNe
years who therefore has a basis for his
views in regard to the future of that To-
cality. especially from the standpoint OF
the hotel business, is of the opinion that
| the change is not going to be a disad-
vantage to the hotels located there. Thus
| far he states. he has not noticed in MS
| business that the depot has been moved.
There will be no great change in the
means of access to the locality as far as
| the street car lines are concerned, and
| the mere fact of nearness to the depot,
which was formerly the case with the
hotels there he believes, did not bring as
much business as might be supposed.
People who come to the city, in his opin-
ion, have their minds made up before
they get here what hotel they intend to
patronize so that the selection is not such
first hotel they come across.
As a Passenger Center.
The change which the Union station in
this city is destined to effect in the COM
ing years on business and property in
terests will be due mainly to the influence
of the shifting of the center In this city
of the passenger traffic. The freight busi-
ness and it's points of distribution will re-
,,;, nI,n ha g0ntlnPd
the same portions of the city where II mas
been located in the past.
There is no question but that the i'm
provement In the freight terminals and
the ampler provision made for handling
the business is going to have d wide
spread effect upon the commercial inter-
ests of the city. On this account there
have already been. and they are hkely TO
continue for some time. changes III the
locations of business concerns which have
found better provision by choosing new
location than they had in the old
At the Freight Terminals.
1t is due to this. as we'll as to the fact
of the enlargement Of the means of doing
business on the part of the railroads. that
shippers have also increased their facil-
tiles. and so 1t is that property along the
terminals both in the southern and in
the northeastern sections of the city has
been in demand and has changed hands,
and that improvements Lave been made
There is another consideration of inn
portance in this connection, and that Is
the character and the extent of what
might be termed the direct influence
which such a canter as the new Union
station will have upon the locality through
which will pass the main thoroughfare
connecting it with the principal portion
of the city. It is believed that in conse-
quence of this change, which places the
new depot farther to the north tnan any
thing of the sort has hitherto been, that
it will also la followed by a shifting in
the same direction of the various activ-
tiles of the city as they expand TO meet
the requirements Of growing population
Tendency to the North.
For this reason it is predicted that q
and II streets west of 9TH street. and
also 10 some extent east of that thorough
fare, and also portions of New York and
Massachusetts avenues, with the inter-
secting streets. will be turned into active
business thoroughfares, making an addi-
tion tn the area of the business section