St. Mary's beacon., 1858-06-10

nave Oeen tic settled policy Of Congress to re-
move and ahate al Instructions End burdens
ON the free right Of ingress and egress 10 and
from the seat Of government The people OF
Virginia and Maryland, in particular, as well
as all others having business in Washington
were subjected TO heavy and unreasonable tax
alton. m their intercourse with the people Of
Washington. Four bridges. two across the
Eastern branch were the private property Of
incorporated companies, and heavy t,,lis were
exacted under their corporate powers from all
passengers crossing the same. This state of
unreasonable Taxation on all visitors to the SEAT
aefgoyernucrrt Ind exikted for a long time.
until, BY frequent renionstraaces from the poo
pie Of Virginia, Maryland, and the District
of Columbia, Congress was induced to inaugu-
rate a system of legislation leading to nitiga-
ton of the evils complained of; accordingly.
on the 14th of July, 1892, Congress passed an
''ict providing for the purchase by the United
States Of the rights Of the Washington Bridge
Company, and for the erection of public
bridge on the site thereof ''-(Sec Statutes at
Large, vol. A, pages 5s2 and 5S3) By this
act 1ic sum of 100000 was appropriated for
the purchase Of the rights Of the company. and
100000 fOr the erection Of a new bridge. And
thus it was that the Potomac Long Bridge was
made free bridge. and has so remained from
dat to the present time. This seems to have
been the first act Of Congress on the subject ::
but it was soon followed by the act Of March
2, 1888, by which Congress appropriated the
sum of $50 900 for the purchase by the Uni
ted States of the bridge near the Little Falls
above Georgetown, and for constructing a free
turnpike between Georgetown and Alexandria.
(Sce Statutes at Large, VOL 4, p. 64G.l And
on the 18th August, 1913, the bridges across
the Eastern branch, the one known as the
Navy Yard bridge" and the otller as 'Ben-
ning's bridge" were authorized by Congress
to be purchased for the United States and
made free, and the sum Of thirty thousand dol
lars appropriated for that purpose.-fSee
Statutes at Large. vol. 8, p 292.) BY the
operation OF this system Of federal legislation
the people of Virginia, the District of Coium-
bia, and the lower portion of Maryland, and
all others having TO pass those bridges in their
approach to the national capital lave been
very justly and properly relieved of heavy and
bur,iense me cxactinns in their business and
.'ther relations with the people Of this city and
the various branches and departments Of the
government. But while this portion Of the
people of Virginia, Maryland aud the District
of Columbia have bOen thus peculiarly favored.
there are other portions Of the people or Mary
Athit civ tiO AtStttdb va SJiuIIlUtd WHO nave
not received the same equal and exact Justice.
at the hands Of the federal government II ie
vel known thai r.rrre are act this tine At.Fae
turnpike roads, the private property Of inc6r-
p"rated companies, leading to the city of
Washington through portions Of Maryland and
the District Of Columbia. on which toll-cates
are erected and kept, and heavy and burden
some tolls cXactcd from all who pass through
them. These are, first, "the Columbia turn
pike road, extending from the eastern end OF
Maryland avenue to the District lne iu the
direction Of B!adcnshnrg; second, the Crock
vile and Washington turnpike road,'' leading
from the city of Washington to Rockville in
Montgomery county, Maryland; and the third
/ the "WaShingtun turnpike read" leading from
! Washington, via Georgetown, to Rockville. In
pursuance of the authority vested in the COM
mittce by the resolution Of the House, they di-
reCtcd an inquiry to be made Of tie president
and directors Of the said several turnpike COM
panics as to tie terms on which they would be
willing scverally to dispose Of their corporate
rights to the United States, with the view oi
making the said roads free, and the abolition
of all tolls and charges thereon, and the com
nittee have received their several answers
which the undersigned bcgs leave to file with
this his report, and to make it a part of the
Aalnes ntltl!cSrcu L, :, ana q.
From these answers it will appear that the
Columbia Turnpike Road Company will
agree to sell IT, the government that portion nt
their road leading from the eastern end of Ma
ryland avenue to the district line, in the iircc-
tion OF Bladensburg, (which is understood Ia
be the terminus Of their road in that direction
for the sum of $4,000. 'reserving the toll
house and lot lrhereon The 9ate-Ie7Jer has. al
LsS Al y
which will not be wanted or required bv the
United States. "The Rockville and WASH
ington Turnpike Road Company" agree to sell
their entire interest in said road for the sum of
S25, 900, and the "WaShington Turnpike Com
pany" their entire interest for the sum Of
S2O, 900 making, in the aggregate. for the
three roads the sum of S57 900. These sums.
it Is said. Clo not approach ANYTHING ike their
original costs T; but still, at these valuations.
the said roads are paving TO their several stock
holders dividend Of six per cent. on these cs-
tiniated values. Under these circumstances
the committee cannot think that their actuaI
vaiuc has been over estimated, as it would be
unreasonable to expect them, or either of them,
to take less for their respective roads than
suln which, If Invested. would bring them
sum equal tn the net ya'ne Of the present tolls
actually received by them. The committee
therefore, as the undersigned supposes, can
make no objection whatever to the prices which
they have severally fixed on their respective
roads.
In view Of these facts. the only question
which presents itself to the consideration of the
committee is, whether il is proper or expelient
for the United States tn purchase from these
companies their corporate rights in these turn-
pike mails with view Of abolishiDg the tolls
and toll-gates thereon, and making the same
free? On this question it seems to the under
signed the committee can have no doubt what
ever The just and equitable policy of the
government on this subject has been too long
and we'll and often, settled to admit now Of
any departure whatever, IF the people of
Virginia, and Of Maryland, and tie District Of
Columbia, who formerly had to pay tolls nn
the Potomac and Eastern Branch bridges. have
been relieved Of those burdens BY the govern
ment, by making the said bridges free and the
sbnlitioyl uf Nh folS fharD,p v-tv sbor1,l ,,o4