Evening star., 1927-04-24

traffic through this gateway, it would
seem that immediate steps should be
taken to make certain that their plans
can be carried out at a reasonable
cost
There can be no substitute for the
Washington gateway for the reason
that it is on the shortest line between
the source and destination of great
tonnage movement. Other lines of
communication will develop, as, for
example, the Shenandoah Valley, but
it will be by reason of an increasing
consuming power of districts directly
Contributary, such as the Great Lakes
and central territory. The existing
routes are further established by topo-
graphical conditions. The combined
focusing in this territory of the
Southern. Atlantic Coast Line and Sea
board Air Line railroads and their
tributaries fix this forever as the
main channel of traffic. The proxim-
ity of such important seaportS as Nor
folk, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New
York is influential in keeping coast
ward the traffic flow. Coastwise ship
ping is a mitigating influence, but its
effect is to further encourage industry
and the reaction is reflected as
stimulus to railroad movement.
Passenger Traffic Increasing.
$50 far as passenger traffic is con-
cerned, there can be no alternative
route of any importance. Travel IS
bound to increase. There may be off
years but the general trend Is up
ward. The Washington route is ia
yorite one from East to West and
more and more popular one to the Pa
cifice Coast via New Orleans and the
Southwestern lines.
Assuming that the foregoing n.y.
pothesiS Is correct and that the status
of the District is fixed as gateway
through which shall forever move con-
stantly increasing flow of freight and
passenger traffic, the problem resolves
itself into q determination. first, of
how best to manipulate the traffic
through this city with the least incon-
venience and delay, and. secondly,
where and to what extent terminal ia.
cilities shall be provided to take care
OF a rapidly increasing population,
with its attendant commercial and in
dustrial interests"
Mr.. Hudson stressed the Importance
of the District of Columbia as the CEN
ter of the entire territory east of the
Allegheny Mountains. He pointed out
the Potomac yards and the District
increased from 900, 900 per year in 1907
to 100000 in 1926. and it is continuing
Plans have been made for doubling
the capacity of that yard transfer
point, he said.
Huge Gain i'm Car Movement.
He also pointed out to the commits
sion that the passenger car and en-
gine movement through the Washing
ton Terminal increased from 100000
cars and engines in 1908 to 900 900 in
1925. He told the city planners that
the local terminal station had been
so we'll designed that any increase
could be easily handled there, with
but q few minor additions. The plan
will present recommendations for the
facilities needed for main line freight
and passenger traffic through the
terminals.
Senator Smoot of Utah at the
luncheon discussed the public build
ings program for the structures in
the so-called Government triangle
South of Pennsylvania avenue, and
said that the planning of the Capital
was one of the leading activities of
the Government. The city should be
beautiful of the world, he said.
preventative Cramton of Michi-
gan pointed out that there was an
increasing sentiment throughout the
country, which was being reflected in
Congress, that the District should be
developed into the most beautiful
Capital city. He pointed out that both
the legislative and executive branches
had made mistakes in connection with
the Districts development in the past,
but that all parties should get to.
gether now and attempt to avoid any
mistakes being made in the future
which would detract from the Cap
itals development. He said the zon-
Ing authority over the city should be
increased.
Theodore w. Noyes, editor of The
Evening Star. told of the great inter.
est of the newspapers in the plans for
the development of the city, and said
that they were appreciative of the op-
portunity to present the plans to the
public.
DOugherty Expresses Interest.
Commissioner Dougherty told how
interested the Commissioners were in
the development plans and the work
of the Park and Planning Commits
sion, particularly it's investigative
work, which is developing a great
reservoir of information which would
be invaluable to the Commissioners in
their work in connection with the
city's Improvement.
Frederic A. Delano, a member of
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