The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-08-29
RAzING OLD DEPOT
prNrxyIyANIA STATION IN WASH
 TNGToN BEING ABOLISHED.
Ps.rsu< of Apcaeht Building Marks an Fr~ su fh~ Progress of America's
 Bemutxfni Capital

The old station of the Pennsyivania Raiiroae at sixth and B Streets is be- ing demolished.
 During the many years 1t stood on that spet, millions of people passed through it. In that building. on July g 1881, President Garfield was shos m the back by the crazy Guiteau. dis appointed offlcesseeker. The attack upon President Garfield was made in the ladies waiting room.
 For A number of years after the death of the Executive. there was a marble tablet on the side of the wall giving the facts of that dreadful oc- currence, and metal star was to De seen in the tiiing to show exactly where the President stood when the shot was fired by the assassin. These markings were removed six or seven years ago. but up tc the time of the abandonment of the old station, never day passed but scores of people would ask to be shown the very spot where the tragedy occurred.
 when one roams through the enor- nous new snion station that has been provided here, the wonder is how the railroads were able to handle the peo- pie who were brought to Washington under such limited track facilities as the companies formerly had. especially at inaugurations every four years. But somehow the companies were able to bring the people in and take them away after fashion.
 The old Pennsylvania station build- ing and . large portion of the tracks were on land owned by the United States Government. It is a part of what is known as the Mall" About eighteen years ago movement was commenced in the House to disiodge the railroad company from this Gov ernment reservation.
 The Psnnsyivante officials, not wish ing to take any risks. got decidedly bold and actually asked for legtsia- ton which would confirm their privi- legee on Government land for ninety nine years. A terrific fight was pre- cfpitated. and 1t began to look as if the company would get the worst of 1t. A motion was made to reeommit the biiI with Instructions to bring in a new measure removing the company from the land. Before . vote could be taken on that motion, an adjourn ment was forced.
 Among those who opposed the rail- road was the late Representative Paul Carrington Edlnunds of Virginia. The correspondent of one of the Richmond papers had been constantly alludtng fo him in his specials as Farmer Ed munds. and as his occupation was that of a farmer strictly. 1t pleased him very much. and made him, he said, pretty solid with his constituents: Tne cerrespondent thought with most peo- pie who had taken a fair view of the controversy that 1t would be great public inconvenience to remove that station from it's central location, and he plainly told Mir. Edmunds that he ought to change his attitude and vote to retain the station.
 "But. my graciousF he exclaimed. eit would never do to have 1t go out to my people that Farmer Edmunds had sided with 8 raiirosd corpora
 .T;li agree to six that" said the cOr- respondent.
 "fIowT" eagerly inquired the Con- gressznan.
 simply by stating in my specials that you voted to keep the station where 1t is because you did not want the people of Virginia, and especially the farmers, to be landed mile or more away from the central part of the city and far from the hotels and subject to the extortion of tho hack men and others who would take ad- vantage of them."
 Farmer Edmunds voted in favor of the company. as did many others who had been made to. see. the light. and MS pOHILkOu was 0AAKAt SN FA0NNSN eA the Richmond paper.
 Letters began to roll in from hls constituents all over the district com niendIng him for looking out for their interests. and he admitted to his dy- ing day that his flop in that instance was the most popular thing he had evcr done. even if he did vote for a proposition pushed by the Pennsyl- vania Railroad Company.
 utt. oaf1 Id that ff twill nTnh- ably be a year or more before the plaza In front of the Union station will be completed. A great deal of hllIuR has been required to leval the ground. and this will have to settle before ornamentation can properly proceed.
 The street car companies are expect ed to have their permanent tracks in front of the station by March I. so that they can handle the crowds which come to Washingtone to witness the rnauguration of the President. At present two cars run the distance of A counle of blocks in order to trans fer passengers from the station to the main lines of the traction companies People who are making their first visit to Washington are greatly please cd of course, with the new station. but they suddenly become disgusted when they have. to board these short iine ears over temporary tracks, and the immediate surroundings are about the worst imaginable in the eapital city of great nation like the United States. Foreigners are simply hor- rlfed until they get an explanation of the causes. But they will see somea thing to admire in the course of a few years.
 The old Baltimore and Ohio Railroad station was about three blocks south west of the new station. That was demolished during the early part of last winter, and then dirt was hauled to i'll up the great low area over which the sunken tracks of this line used to run to get Into Washington.
 The B. & o. station was a positive disgrace to Washington for more than a quarter of a century but the of- acials Of the company acted wisely no, doubt in waiting until a combination could be formed which brought about perhaps the equal Of any union station in America. Tn some particulars 1t is