Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-05
UNCLE SAM IN CHARGE
Sixth Street Depot Passes to
the United States.
POSSESSION TAKEN TODAY
All the Required Preliminaries to the
Transactions Complied With.
FUTURE USE OF THE BUILDING
May BE Occupied as Government
Storage House-Congress to
Determine Matter.

Acting under instructions from Gen.
Mackenzie. chief of engineers of the
army, Col. BromwelI, the officer in
charge of public buildings and grounds.
today took formal charge. in the name Of
the United States government of the old
passenger station of the Philadelphia,
Baltimore and Washington Railroad Com
pany. at the corner of 9th and streets
northwest. That station was built about
thirty-ffve years ago, since which time
the public reservation known as Armory
Square has been practically monopolized
for railroad purposes. It's formal transfer
to the United States today marks the end
of the occupation of the Mall by private
corporations. makes possible the develops
ment and improvement of that section of
the Mall between 9th and 7th streets,
heretofore disfgured by railroad tracks
and auxiiaries
more and Washington Railway Company
gave. to the Secretary OF War as the rep
resentative of the United States, duly
executed deed of conveyance to the old
passenger station at 9th and B streets,
together with all it's appurtenances, in
compliance with the provisions of the act
for the elimination Of grade crossings in
| the District of Columbia and the estab-
l1shment of the Union station, approved
| February 49, 1903 BY this deed the rail-
road company relinquished and sur
rendered to the United States it's right to
occupy and use any portion of the Mall
for passenger station and terminal.
Conditions Suggested.
After stating that the connecting lines
| of railroad tracks specified in the act
of February 49, 1903. had been completed
fIn ,oflr
letter to the Secretary of War that the
deed of conveyance, then given, be not
recorded until the Treasury Department
| shall have sisnifed it's willingness to pay
| the sum of $1.JOO,OOO on account of ex-
penses incurred in meeting the require
ments of the act.
| At the suggestion of Gen. Mackenzie.
chief of engineers. the deed was referred
! to the Attorney General for examina ton
and subsequently that official returned
it to the Secretary of War, with state
ment that 1t was properly executed and
sufficient to meet the requirements of the
act, SO far as involved the actual transfer
of the property and the REIMBURSEMENT
of the rights Of the railroad company.
The Commissioners of the District were
| called upon for report as to whether
the requirements of the act had been
fulfilled with special reference to the re-
moval of grade crossings and the estab-
lishment of the new Union terminal sta
ton as a necessary preliminary to the
payment to the railroad company of the
81, 800, 600 provided for in the act.
About this time the situation became
somewhat complicated by the action of
the Navy Department in securing an
injunction against the removal of the
railroad tracks connecting the Washing
ton navy yard. which are still at the
street level, and also because of the prop
ostion pending before Congress for new
railroad construction along the banks of