Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1865-12-02
RUNNING STEAM CARS THROUGH

RUNNING STEAM CARS THROUGH
THE CITY.
To ths Editor of the National Repsbtfcdn:l
The mansgsrs Of the Alexandria and WASH
ington Railroad having failed to convince
that intelligent and incorruptibls body, the
Board Of Trade, and the citizens of Wash
ington generally, that steam engines with
cars coursing through the heart Of their city
st all times Of the day and night, carrying
freight and travel before their doors without
to enhance the wealth and import.
ance Of rival city, should be tolerated, one
Of the representatives Of the people ha,
taken up their cause, and essays to enlighten
his constituents in an elaborate communica.
tion published IN your issue Of the 9th uIt.
But It Is believed that the people will not be
as easily converted ~ were the Board oI
Common Council. Your correspondent com.
msnces his article by declaring that the late
collision between the City Railway and the
Alexandria Railroad has been used to the dis.
advantage Of the Alexandria Railrosd. This
may be SO; but II this accident has so startled
the citizens, what ought hundreds Of others
that have occurred during the past four years
have done Is IL not notorious TO every
person living in the vicinity Of the Alexan.
dria railroad that accidents have been almost
Of constant occurrence during that time,
and Why is 1t not natural that all these an
noyances should rise to the imagination Of
our citiEensNwhen they are called upon by
one Of their representatives to further en-.
dorse Q company which, II il generally ad-
mitted, are now enjoying the beuehts Of
eighty thousand dollars OF their hard earn
ings r..r g.i'rl
But your correspondent tells us :" that the
use Of steam In propelling cars on the road Is
fixed fact for which the present city au-
thorities are not responsible" That it is a
fact that cars are now propelled by steam
upon our streets, and that II was tolerated
as military necessity during the past four
years there can be no doubt, but that II Is
"a dxed fact, ~ or ever oan become fixed
fact, " without the assistance Of our Coun.
ellis, We do not believe, and that this railroad
company is ofthe same opinion is evidenced
by the fact that they have offered TO adjust
this eighty thousand dollar claim, IL We will
consent to the further sacrifice Of our inter
ests and rights. Congress never has, nor
never will permit, without the consent ofour
citizens, cars propelled by steam to pass
through the centre of our city. .... %
The bill referred TO by your correspondent,
which passed the Councils July 27th. 1855,
authorized and required the Alexandra
and Washington Railroad Company to lay
down and construct single track Of rail-
way" but II gives them not one particle Of
to run cars by steam on this track.
As well might person infer that, because n
corporation gives him the privilege Of wear
ing arms about his person, he is therefore
authorized to use them on any citizen that
may cross his way. This bill was popular in
1855, and 1t is popular now. We are all, as
then, in favor Of authorizing this or any
other company "to lay down and construct q
single track Of rail, " the cars to be drawn by
horses, and not by steam.
In the charter given to this company on
the 3lst Of March, 1868, it will be seen that
Congress was particularly careful in guarding
the city against this nuisance. The second
proviso Of section the first reads as follows:
"dnd proridsd further, That the cars shall
not be drawn In the streets Aforesaid or On the
structure the Potomac river the old bridge)
by steam power without the consent OF Congress
and Of the corporate authorities of the city Of
thereto " ...r .
With this proviso before his eyes, why
should q member Of the Council hold to his
the bug bear that Congress will
give the privilege of using steam on this road
II we do not ?
lie admits that the operation Of the road
by steam power is not desirable, and Con-
Kress has forbidden the use steam of power on
the streets, and therefore its use is illegal
Why, then, should we continue and encour-
age an illegal act in this company by passing
laws directing in what manner the breach Of
ohan ka HtaI Gfaan, ~ M nm
the streets during the rebellion by the war
powers Of the Government; but this compa.
ny has no war powers, yet, for several months,
1t has exercised them, and in defiance of the
laws of Congress have run their cars through
the city by steam, and have not "kept that
portion Of the avenues or streets occupied by
their road in good repair" Your correspond
ent says that II the act passed by the Com
mon Council, permitting steam to te used on
the streets becomes n law, it VIM enable
the Corporation at once to apply to the road
such regulations in reference to speed and
other matters as experience has proved to be
essential for the security of person and prop
erty upon its borders. -"
But there would be no necessity for all
these regulations and restrictions II the act,
which the BOard of Common Council passed
only few weeks since, should become a law.
This act proposed to suppress altogether the
use Of steam "by imposing heavy penalties
on all the employees Of the company who
should be found conducting or in any way
assisting in the propulsion Of cars upon the
road by steam power" Pass this law and all
the difficulties which your correspondent
seems to encounter and anticipate are Mt once
removed. Maryland avenue can be graded SO
as TO make II perfectly easy for horses to pull
the cars through the city; and II the trans
portation through the city by horse power Is
more costly, and will prevent the railroad
company from carrying freight from Balti.
more to Richmond as cheap as from Wash
ington to Richmond, it will be a matter
which we should not regret.
1t is natural that the Washington and Al.
exandria Railroad Company should endeavol
to take advantage Of all the franchise and
privileges that may contribute to their bene
ct, even at our expense but for us to com
placently permit 1t will be source Of won
der, too. An OLD CITIZEN.
P. S-Sincs writing the above have seci
the philippe of Mr.. Stewart against tn,
Board of Trade, but as his denunciations arr
more violent than his arguments conclusive
and as the Board Of Trade are abundant,
able to take care Of themselves, l shall occu
py no more Of your space. &C.