The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-11

AdJLROiD ON PEAASILbAALd AFkAtE.
laerporial signed by Y Dodge ia behalf Of the Me-
fropolan Railroad Company appears Ia the lniegencer
I'd Wednesday morning asking Congress 20 grant 10 said
company the right TO construct railway through fensyi
vsna avenue The menofiallsts Say that The general
assembly OF the State of Maryiand at the session OF 1883
passed bill To Incorporate this company 10 construct
road from Georgetown, la the District Of Columbia 30
Hagerstosn in Washington county, Maryland, &c;
81 and aa ior deemed highly el}ieaf Gat gis road should
* extended through The city Of Waaansaoa," &c, Ar.
An exposure OF the true character and condition OF this
company and Of the nature Of their present application
it ID believed will be sufficient to defeat it, matter
by what secret and selfish Influences it is sustained
For years past, certain citizens of Washington
and Georgetown In conjunction with fe@ enterprisng
capitalists from other places ase earnestly urged the
consideration of a railway in Pennsylvania avenue. Du
ring this time the principal cities Of the North have adopt
ed this mode of communication and notwithstanding
the objections il first encountered in the District IL is
now regarded by very large majority of its citizens as
enterprise which would greatly develop and promote
the prosperity and comfort of all classes This present
opinion is due not only to the influence OF change ia
the general sentiment of the country upon this subject
but 10 the persistent efforts Of individuals in spread
ing before the public the benefits Of such enterprise
AT this moment of probable success, the Metropolitan
Railroad Company seeks TO Appropriate TO itself the fruits
OF the labor and of these private citizens
This company incorporated IN May. 1853 for the
purpose stated. few neagre subscriptions made
by the citizens of Washington aud Georgetown. The
poraton Of Georgetown under sudden visionary belief
feasibility and advantages OF the road became the
subject of close examination and it has long since been
abandoned Georgetown virtually repudaicd the Illegal
subscriptions by its councils and the first instruments col
lected were quickly absorbed salaries and surveys
The Of this failure manifest The road Of
fered certain advantages of local trade travel
Again the Manassas Gap railroad had projected branch
road from Alexandria virginia, 10 Harper Ferry, and
has been prosecuting it slowly, but surely, for years
and is now in condition TO complete this lateral exen
zion 1T an early day
Gap, having connexon with the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad Mt point desirable Harper FerTycofsti-
tutlng will the line of intercourse between Eastern
and Northwestern Virginia. and from all the points in the
West by the of the baltimore and Ohio railroad 10
the city Of Washington the question that it would
be folly itself construct the Metropolitan road Yet
ii s under these circumstances Of utter insolvency and
total abandonment OF its original purpose that the
Metropolitan road seeks to appropriate to itself the pvi
lege OF passenger railway Pennsy lvania
This railroad company thus chartered uaa fue
years ago to construct road to Hagersown, not the first
rail of Which has been laid upon which has
single spadeul OF vet been moved now deems
expedient to ecd Me road through the city OF Washing
oand ia consideration of such grant they gem
erously offer and 'pedge themselves at all times and
forever to transport the mails free of all charge
pcsaton their entire road and its lateral branches
from the city of Washington to its connexon with the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad the Point OF Rocks +
This is certainly magnificent promise to carry the
mails road OF the construction Of which there
| not the most remote hope OF possible necessity !
1t u.s. ia fact unjust effort under the authority and
supposed prestige of its original purpose, which will
be executed to appropriate to itself the labors of
others by obtaining the control Of enterprise wholly
foreign to its charter intended for local
passenger railway and il there should be any further
tempt to build the road beyond the District then this
local road or in other words the citizens OF the District
would be indirectly made to pay for enterprise which
they have condemned visionary But there is OBJ
lection conclusive in its character This passenger rail
destined in few years receive the travel of the
Noytf, apaS In
and Ohio railroad the Orange and Lynch
burg, the Manassas Gap, and the Loudoun and Hamp-
SHIRE all interested it would be unjust and
inpolie to give to the Metropolitan any one Of these
roads the exclusive control of this link of connection which
must he used by all and should therefore be open all
In the hands of there would be discrimination and
extortion independent there would be such motive
In the hands of the Metropolitan Company would also
be independent of the corporation OF Washington by the
bill from the House it is under the control and may be-
come its property.
The memorial of the Metropolitan Company contem
plates enson through the avenue, and their ogi
nal purpose should be carried out are to have not
local road designed for merely local purposes
the transportation OF passengers exclusively-but
freight road, also with all its concomitants of wide
tracks heavy rails and immense cars numbering up and
dcfacing the main artery OF city, Of the most
beautiful avenues In the world IT cannot be possible
that such thing will he thought Of for moment The
idea is preposterous. The design OF Mr. yanderTerken
and associates the contrary to furnish TO citizens
and sojourners cheap, easy comfortable, and expedi
to the other and thence into the city of Georgetown
The tracks TO be narrow, the rails light the grooves
small the cars but little longer than omnibus light
and graceful in their style and each " one horse
in fact to provide, for local purposes only mode of
transport for passengers tnot freight through tho avenue
superior in all respects to any plan heretofore adopted
| any of northern cities
The advantages of such road can the plan pro-
posed 10y these gentlemen, he made available at once
The houses and stables ready horses and ar-
ready and by the time the could be
sructed the rails would be laid All be done during
the OF Congress And by the time Congress again
meets the road would be in full operation On the cne
hand, whilst this preension OF the Metropolitan Com
plny defunc body receives countenanoe whaey er
from the citizens either u Washington Georgetown
the expression of public opinion III both places been
most emphatic in favor Of the bin from the House The
former seeks TO play the part OF the dog in the manger
the latter gives every OF its ability and sim
oerity.
The New Orleans cayune has received from Williams
port Louisiana full blown cotton bloom Of the finest
appearance This for the FIRST of June speaks we'll for