Evening star., 1922-07-23
ny JAMES A. BUCHANAN.

Der OF watCnmeH, similarly equiPpSo
with one hundred eyes each, to gaze
upon the thronGs that pass through
the gates of the Union station, for
in the course of a year 7,196,0oo per-
sons pass in from and out to trains
1t can be safely estimated that each
arriving or departing passenger is
met by or takes leave of friend, SO
1t will be seen that more than To-
OaO. 900 people pass through the por-
tails of the beautiful edifice. owned
and operated by the Washington Ter
minal Company.
The Union station has been pro-
pounced by travellers TO be the most
beautiful edifice of its character IN
the world. 1t is praised as hitting
building for the capital of a great
nation.
The Washington Terminal proper
lies cover an area of twenty-five TO
thirty acres and in order that one
,uay fully comprehend just what this
means he will find. by following the
tracks, platforms, etc. that he has
travelled a goodly distance in the
time 1t takes to traverse the holdinss
Of the owners of the Union station
proper.
The building was formally opened
ON November II, 1907. and, while exact
figures are not obtainable, the cost
Was in the neighborhood of s22000,-
600. and there is little doubt that one
may, with safety, add at least SS'ooo'-
900 to this estimate.
x x
IN front of the station is that beaut-
full art group, the central figure OF
which represents Christopher Column
bus At the bottom of the group is
a fountain. where, on extra warm
days children swim and otherwise
disport themselves in the cooling
waters. In front of the station also
are large grass plots and the very
brilliant greens form a beautiful con-
trast to the whiteness of the struc-
ture. Loops on which the street cars
of different lines run. are so placed
that the arriving visitor may be taken
10 the point of the city he desires TO
visit. while the man or woman about
TO depart from Washington may
arisht at his local journeys end and
proceed directly to the station gate.
vt the western end of the building
are three runways devoted to motor
cars On the one nearest the building
itself are the taxicabs having their
booking offices in one part of the
station. The two others are used by
other taxicabs and private convey
rrces. All OF these runways are COW
10 mr.
h,scd to the elements from the time
n leaves the auto door until he mas
e. entered the station, purchased his
ticket and is ready to board his train
At that END of the building the
entrance leads to the ticket ohces>
where one may purchase transporta-
ton either to town located, per-
haps, in the most southern part OF
the country, or to San Francisco, or
to the very last town in the woods
of Maine He may also secure
ticket that will carry him to point
in Canada on the north or Mexico
on the south. To the left Of this
Aentrance is the baggage-checkinS
\room, and through this and the rooms
on the lower floor 2.12o.oo0 pieces or
baggage are handled each year. Just
beyond the upper baggage room are
the offices of the Pullman Company,
where racks and racks of diagrams
are stored for the days use, and 1t
must be said as a matter OF mere
Justice that officials at the Pullman
company's Offices, as well as those at
the ticket windows, are more courte-
Gus than they are in many other
cities throughout the country.
x X X
DASSING on toward the great vault
ed main ROOM you are confront
cd by the bureau of information. and
at this booth the approximate number
Of people handled is totaled at 1,600,-
600 a year To the left are numerous
Telephone booths, so that the business |
man may give final instructions to
his office force before leaving the |
city, or an arriving passenger may |
rhone to friends that he or she has |
arrived in the city and will meet
them at the station or go to their
home There are telegraph booths
where one may have message sent
There is also a newsstand and place
where souvenirs are sold.
few steps beyond is that part Of !
the lunchroom where one may obtain I
either a hurried bite or a full meal |
This place is equipped with stools !
Through the archway you enter the
main dining room, where one may |
zine in great comfort If time permits
That the appetite of the American |
travelling pubic has not failed can
best be understood by the fact that !
more than 100000 checks for meals |
are turned in to the cashiers each !
year.
Emerging from this room. to the
right you find a large stand where
tempting fruits are displayed. Near
by is the ladies' restroom, where the
tired mother may recline on an easy
couch while courteous attendants look
after her offspring. Then comes the
drug store. Next are great vaulted
arches which mark the entrances of
this colossal structure. There is also
A newsstand. place where one may
buy trinkets of various sorts; beyond
is another drug store. with a tobacco
shop. and farther on the smoking and
wash room for men, where the mas
cuIine traveller may, enjoy pipe or
cigar while waiting for his train, or
the incoming tourist may remove the
SCOT and CRIME of long days jour-
ney. He may also secure the services
II axDart topsorialists NAV he