Washington sentinel., 1854-02-08
The City Railroad.

Georgetown, and the navy yard, praying that
authority may be granted by Congress to Geo.
w. Yerby and others to construct horse
power railroad through Pennsylvania avenue
and other public thoroughfares of the city Of
Washington, although numerously signed by
the principal business men of these several To-
calities, has at length aroused spirit of active,
if not bitter, opposition in certain quarters |;
and accordingly counter-memorial, earnestly
demonstrating against the construction of such
railway, is being circulated among the people
for their signatures. One of those precious
documents has fallen into the hands OF the un-
dersigned, and he begs corner Of your paper
to offer running commentary upon It.
This remonstrance, as was naturally to be
expected, takes direct issue with the original
memorial one very position assumed therein, in
regard to the advantages, physical, social, and
commercial, with which the proposed improve-
-ment is fraught; but it will puzzle q Philadel
phia lawyer to extract from the senseless YER
biage which alone characterizes that notable
production anything in the shape of an argu-
ment to sustain the negative platform which it
has erected for the accommodation of its sign
ers Whilst, on the one hand, it is contended
by the memoralists and proved by the expert
ence of the country, that cheap and commodi-
GUS lines Of intercommunication between dis
tant points Of a city invariably tend to the de-
velopment Of its resources and the consequent
acceleration of its growth, the remonstrance, on
the other hand, contents itself with simple ne
cation of the fact thus asserted and proved, by
going of, halfcocked, with round and unsup-
ported assertion that the proposed railroad is not
only uncalled for by the public or private wants
Of the community, but that it would be actually
hurtfnl to the true interests of the city, and
most injurious to the convenience and beauty
of the avenue, and to the public and private
property located thereon.
In what way however, these direfnl results
are to be produced, it does not appear from
anything which the remonstrance contains
The public it is true, are told that the seeds of
ruin and desolation lie concealed beneath the
surface of this disastrous project; but as three
thousand ofthe solid and substantial citizens of
these several places have already memorialized
Congress for authority to prosecute this identi-
cal enterprise, it is reasonable to conclude that
the opponents of the city railroad are alto
gether mistaken in their apprehension of the
frightful results which are to flow from it.
These memorialists, many of whom are per-
sonaly known to the writer, are large property
holders on the line of the proposed railroad,
are generally men Of shrewdness and pretty
clever business habits; and one would naturally
suppose that they are fully competent to in
vestigate the true bearings Of this measure
upon their interests without the aid Of an
".Amicus or guardian to dictate to and act
for, them. Their interests are strictly identi-
fed with the interests of the city, and, as they
have already spoken out on this subject, Con-
ttion, unless something more imposing than the
,,,a UaA Of he cf,ov,
shall hereafter appear to convince them that
the proposed measure will operate injuriously
to the interests of the city.
AS it regards the predicted injury to the con-
venience and beauty of the principal thorough
fare which is to be produced by this railroad
project, it is altogether imaginary, and rests
alone in the breasts Of the concoctors of this
counter-memorial. One would really suppose,
from the phraseology Of the document, and the
appalling apparitions of deformity and disfgu-
ration which seem to fit across the fancies of
these old .togies, that some structure of huge
and horrifying proportions was about to be in
troduced into the limits Of our city. And when
our citizens are told that this immense structure
is to consist of grooved iron rail- sank into the
earth on an exact lerel acith The surface of the
stone pdvement--not a hairs breadth above it
and Just such as is used in New York and other
cities of the Union, to the great and acknowl
edged convenience of the people, they will be
amazed and incensed, if not too much amused,
at the ridiculous bugaboo which has been con-
jured up to frighten them from their propriety.
1t is manifest to my mind that such road as
is proposed cannot possibly interfere in the
slightest degree with the convenience of the
present arrangements of the avenue; and, as it
regards the apprehended deleterious effect
which it is to have upon its beauty, it is sheer
nonsense to talk about it, since it is apparent
from the mode of construction of the railway,
it will scarcely be visible without the aid of
or the equally efficient help which
may be derived from the promptings Of con-
in matters of taste, whose perceptions
are as keen and vivid as those of the author of
this noble remonstrance.
But, then, the demonstrators say that it will
divide the avenue into two streets, and there
fore greatly interrupt, if it does not suspend,
free and easy communication between the op
posite sides of the street and sidewalks. Here,
again, the author falls into his habit Of naked
assertion, and offers no proof whatever to sus-
tain the position which he assumes. In the abb
sence of such proof it is sufficient for the friends
of this great improvement to say that he is
mistaken; for as the proposed road is exactly
on a level with the pavement, there can be no
Interruption whatever to the freedom and ia
cility of communication as it exists at present.
Carriages, hacks, and omnibuses will pass over
the rails as easily as they now do over the
ground, and footpassengers would not be in
danger of even stumping their toes in conse-
quence of any obstruction occasiened by the
road. 1T evident that there is nothing in the
objection which has been thus started to our
railway, and the whole remonstrance may
therefore be regarded as an utter and arrant
humbug. AS it relates to its interference with
the original plans and designs Of the founders
and engineers of the city, there is evidently mo-
thing in it. The avenue was designed for the
purposes of travel; and, as it is conceded on all
hands that railroads furnish the cheapest and
most expeditions as well as the most pleasant
facilities for travel, the construction Of rail
way through the avenue would seem to be the
best suited of all others to carry into effect the
views of the founders of our city. If such
facilities had existed in their day and gene
ration, we would not be under the necessity of
mooting the propriety of building the proposed
road now.
The age in which we live is fast age,
and we cannot afford no,o-a-days to wait for
the wagon Those old-fashioned vehicles are