Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-20

from the river, is undergoing a change.
This is due to several causes. Among
them, and by no means the least. is the
location of the freight yard of the south
ern railways in that territory. This is no
ordinary affair of the sort, but a mann
moth aggregation of tracks capable of
handling a large and extensive business.
Within the limits Of this so-called yard
there are said to be fifty miles Of tracks,
which gives some idea of the extent of
the place-at least to any one who knows
what a mile means.
This freight yard is to be the central
point Of distribution of the business be-
tween the north and the south, and 1t
will necessarily become the nucleus of an
army of employees.
The location is about midway between
this city and Alexandria-that is, about
three and a half miles from each place
Between the freight yards and Alexandria
are the two suburban places Of Del Ray
and St. Elmo, but now consolidated into
one town called Potomac and having its
own municipal government. Farther
along toward Alexandra. and about one
mile from the center Of that place. and,
therefore. on its outer edge. stands the
new union station. where all trains be-
stead of going into the city. as formerly
What are known as the Leesburg
trains. however. still continue to run
into the old station in the city, but for
the most part the steam railroad traffic
is no longer carried on within the built
uo parts of the city. Near this sta
ton a number of capitalists have pur-
chased a tract of land which fronts
both on the steam road tracks and on
those of the electric road between this
city and Alexandria and there they in
tend to found town.
For Residence Purposes.
1t is going to start out. it is claimed.
as a full-fledged place with water and
sewer and light as well as sidewalks, and
moreover the company proposes to build
houses SO that all that will be necessary
for the future citizens to do is to buy
them and settle down to enjoy home life
under what II is said will be favorable
conditions.
What has already taken place in that
general vicinity and what is planned for
the future gives the outlook for business
as seen by the electric road that operates
between this city and Alexandria and
Mount Vernon especially favorable as
poets. In fact ever since the completion
of the Highway bridge which separated
the steam traffic from the vehicular and
street car and other travel, the condi-
lions of operating the road have so ma
terialy changed that the prospect Is re-
garded by those interested in the prop
erty as changed for the better.
Means of Communication.
II is now possible to maintain some
thing of a schedule which was practi-
cally impossible while the old Long
bridge was the only means of crossing
the river for all kinds of vehicles. In
addition TO the Alexandria and Mount
Vernon electric line. the cars from the
Falls Church road also come into the
city over the Highway bridge. both
roads using in common the same tracks
Pennsylvania avenue and 18th street.
Besides the features which have been
mentioned as found in this locality it may
be said that op the Virginia side and
just south of the terminus Of the two
bridges is that busting center known as
Brickhaven, where the most of the brick
consumed in this market is made. Still
farther along rs the pleasure resort OF
Luna Park, while to the west and south
lies the military post of Fort Myer and
| the National cemetery of Arlington and
the hundreds OF suburban homes OF
Wash!ngtonians.
Old Sheridan House.
The residence at the northeast corner