The Washington times., 1915-01-25
Argues For . Commodious Street.
car Terminal Ut the Union Station.

Argues For . Commodious Street.
car Terminal 1T the Union Station.
To the Editor Of THE TINES
May l plead the proponents privilege
OF rejoinder and ask space for q few
explanatory words in response to your
comments on my proposed street car
terminal?
You urge the need OF proper shelter
at the station. the demand for which
has been steadily growing. 1t 10 prepos-
ferrous that the present uncomfortable
CONDITIONS should continue. Our winters
are not extremely severe, yet ony one
habitually using the street cars knows
how great the discomfort from even our
low temperature and cold winds can
be: and the exposure under the broil-
ing sun Of July and August IL but lit
tie less disagreeable. while one risks
2 thorough drenching when obliged to
of our violent rains.
There are not two opinions as to the
need: the only question is, what should
be the remedy? You say that an "um-
is a useful article on occasion, but one
does not usually propose it in lieu of q
house for habitual use. An umbrella
roof alone would certainly not give the
neither exclude cold nor wind: and
II side walls were proposed. the diff
Guilty of making such an erection even
tolerably slightly Is manifestly in
creased. In any event the space which
could be so inclosed would not be large
enough for the comfortable arrange
ments required; even If some plan were
devised for excluding the carriages and
automobiles which now use much Of
My proposal was not of mere Sub
wav for unloading passengers in front
of the station" but Of commodious
underground street car terminal. with
plenty of space for car tracks. plat.
all clean. we'll lighted and properly
heated. It would not involve any long
sections of car tracks underground
because the elevation Of the station is
really be quite short. and the present
useless track extensions could be elm
mated.
Nothing resembling the conditions at
the great station In nv0;ysa Msw YORK; which
tracks would be depressed only enough
to take them under the street sur
face. and would thus also. avoid en-
countering the much deeper railway
the station to the railway platform Is
SO considerable that the subways from
the upper level Of the rails would have
only a slight. scarcely perceptible. in
A large number Of railway tracks
are already on the low level, and to use
these platforms passengers must now
climb up and down long flights OF
| stairs. There would be no necessity for
"the equipment Of a mountain climber.
but the common n-sense use Of a clean
lighted. comfortable subway. Only very
short stair cases (or elevators) to the
station floors would have to be utilized
by those who had special reason for
| doing so. There would be space tc
spare on the street car level for ticket
| offices. parcel rooms and other con-
veniences. The baggage rooms are al.
ready on the lower (basement) level.
! Separate subways for coming and
going passengers would prevent COLI.
sion, and the present awkward encoun.
ters at the doors. No sacrifice" is re-
uuired at all. and 1t is believed that the
cost would be justified. II anywhere
in the United States the best possible
conditions may be demanded. 1t should
be here at the Nation Capital.
| THEODORE SOLBERG.
Washington. Jan. q.