The Washington times., 1918-08-01
ENGINEERS IN
|DEADLOCKO ON
POTOMACPARK
|CARL|NEPLANS.
BY BILL PRICE

AhCAC - = OCdAAONh OA w.
pest method of connecting up Wash
Ington street railways so as to
give additional transportation to the
thousands of Government workers in
the Potomac Park region There are
close to 10000 people now employed
in the groups of buildings in that
vicinity and at present their only
way of getting in and out is over
the lines of the Capital Traction
4 Company In a few months there
will be $4,000 people at work in that
region and the necessity for better
transportation will have become
more pressing.
Army and navy engineers, to whom
their respective departments commit
ted the problem Of increasing trans
portation facilities, are not in agree
ment with the plan. OF John A. Beel-
er for a big belt line that will give
free and rapid access to and from
all parts Of the city.
Ask Alternate Plans.
They have asked the Public Utili-
ties Commission to submit alternate
plans, and Mr.. Beeler is at work
,5tpon these questions now, confronted
by many, difficulties owing to the OBJ
1ections of some OF the engineers to
the putting down of tracks on B
street to connect with the Fourteenth
street line of the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company. They do
not like the idea Of tracks on 3
street, which runs between the EX-
ecuttye Mansion grounds and the
Monument grounds. Neither do they
like the idea of extending tracks
down Seventeenth street to B street.
Added to the objections of the
army and navy engineers is the Jug
Cling of the railway companies for
advantages, present or future The
Capital Traction Company has the in
side OF the situation because it has
the only tracks into the Potomac
Park region and is getting good
business.
1t is generally recognized by all the
experts working on the scheme that
either as part of general loop plan ex-
tending through the congested portions
Of the city or as a means OF giving the
Potomac Park employees access to the
Washington Railway and Electric lines
the simplest thing is to build tracks on
Z street from Eighteenth across to
Fourteenth and shift the Sschedules Of
the w. R and E lines so as to turn
cars in that direction whenever they are
needed. This would also be the most
direct route for the majority Of en-
.p1oyes using the W. R and E. lines.
Two Plans Suggested.
An alternate plan suggested is the
obstruction OF tracks from Seventeenth
nd H streets, where the Connecticut
Fenue cars make their turn, south to
ennsylvania avenue. permitting the W.
and Z. cars to run over the Capital
raction tracks. It is pointed out
ough. that this would congest the pres
L tracks in Potomac Park to an al
ost impossible degree. Cars could not
IN close enough together to take in or
ing out anything like the number of
eople working there. Several thousand
nployes now walk across the park 10
arious points to catch Capital Trac-
on or w. r. and E. cars.
Stiff another suggestion is that the
Washington Railway and Electric
ompany be authorized to build
racks from Seventeenth and H streets
outh on Seventeenth all the way to
street, using a small portion of
be Capitol Traction tracks on Seven
zenith, between Pennsylvania avenue
nd G street. This plan is said to
e as objectionable to some of the
nRlneerS as lle % street plan.
Officials OF the Washington Rail-
ay and Electric are proposing a
op plan involving the construction
tracks from Thirteenth and II
reefs, at New York avenue, west
Fourteenth and H, to connect with
cir tracks at that point and thence
est to H and Seventeenth. building
racks down Seventeenth to connecS
vith the Capital Traction lines at
seventeenth and Pennsylvania ave-
bue.
Suggest Temporary Tracks.
Traffic experts connected with the
public Utility Commission are unable
oday to see sound reasons why there
Ehould be objection to extending
racks along 3 street, from Eight
kenth to Fourteenth, IL the under
Handing is that these tracks are to
be- temporary. They point out that
he assumption is that the big build
Ings in Potomac Park are temporary
hnd are to be pulled down at the con-
illusion of the war. The construction
|pf tracks would do no more in mar
ring the beauty of the park in that
region than the cutting down of trees,
digging of excavations. and erection
of unsightly looking buildings. II
the whole Scheme Is temporary, they
argue, then the proposed tracks would
be temporary, to be taken up when
original conditions are restored.
Should the Government never tear
down the buildings, but. instead. use
them after the war, transportation
would be necessary. and the operation
of cars would be no more distasteful
from an artistic standpoint than the
presence of buildings.
Should the Government be unwilling
70 accept the entire original Beeler
plan of a city loop but finally accept
the 3 street connection, it was stated
today that 3 street tracks. to give
people in all parts OF the city who |
use the w. r. & Z. lines the quick
est connections. should really extend |
from around Eighteenth street east
as far as Ninth street. where IT would |
connect with the Ninth, Eleventh /
street, and Anacostia lines. from them
to the east, northeast, /
and southeast. Without a B street
connection there would be much loss
~.