Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-12-26
The last rurn Der OF the Until Nate. Ra1roa

0ad kiasag Register discusses the question of the
want Of railroad facilities by the National M,
IIoHoIIs and takes decided ground in favor of
Congressional action TO the extent OF giving
charter aid to Was hin gtOD. The capital city of
the Rited States, built on territory coded ID
1he General Government. is und er the Iuris-
Ilc;IoD of the National Congress: AMI, there
fore, unlike the cities In the States, has No
STATE legislature to appeal to, for acts of IN
corporation 70 built. railroads, 10 b. operated
IN rs behalf.
Washington is the most popuIous city b.
tween Baltimore and New Orleans and ranks
II The hTst class of American cities: but Wash
Iu~tCu is the only city OF its size that has no
IaIlrCad operated from it "a a base, for the
promotion and expansion of It's trade True
iheIr Is = railroad from Washington to BaIti-
more, and road is IN progress from Washiac
Ton 70 he Point OF Rocks. These two rOa1S,
however, ara botn branches end t-igvt4rss, of
the Baltimore and Ohio ratlroSd, which mas its
ieTmiL o. IN Baltimore, and which is operated
mainly Tor tie concentration Of business at
Baltimore and the distribution of ights from
Bal,lmcTe- Washington is a rerense dspen Z
sHrg q The Baltimore and ONO Railroad Com.
IaDy, which, Of course, will carry food supply
40 The National Capital and passengers to and
from the National Capital This, though, is
not the policy which expands a city INTO me-
TcPohtan importance and gives it commercial
Independence. On II tcontrary, il is the policy
which keeps city iii subIection, making 1t
simply TereHue eEst0mer of a railroad eorpo-
ra'lOn that is psrvaded with higher aims ana
srander results for a neighbor city, whose COM
mercisl domination ii spreads from year to
year. over new acquisitions of intertrading
territory.
Washington has in Baltimore a precedent
snd an example for her own course in asking
Congress to incorporate railroad companies to
diverge from Washington as a railroad CENTRE
Washington, the political centre Of the Union,
being without a railroad of ner own in any di-
rectOn, from the National Capital From
Washington south the railroad to Alexandria
Il of exceedingly small commercial account In
comprehensive sense, since it is only seven
miles long, The Orange and Aiexandria Rail.
road reaching through 10 Lynchburg, and
constituting n link in the Southern nail route,
beng IN NO respect a commercial arm OF Wash
ingiOn, since it is dominated by an inf uence
interested in the commercial development of
other Localities. The Richmond. Frederieks-
burg and Potomac Railroad begins at Aqua
Greek, fifty five miles distant from Washing
Ton
The Reqister, referring to these facts and
nOtieIng in the same connection the series of
bills recently introduced in Congress to incor-
Porate several railroad companies, holds that
OF these several projects the "Natisnal Rail-
road North and the aNational Railroad South
are OF the widest significance, and would the
better reimburse Washington city, because they
would make IL a yeTItable railroad centre, in
the network of iron which connects all the in
tsrtrcding cities OF the Union. A railroad from
Washington due north, INTO Pennsylvania
would make Washington independent of Balti-
more over communications of great lesgth and
consequence, stretching north and east. A
r3ilroad from Washington south, to connect
win genuine and hearty ally Of the Chesa-
peake and Ohio railroad would give Washing.
ton direct communication with Cincinnati and
me Ohio valley, also with Richmond and lines
rsaahits into tina ssHntharn ssebverd sstatos
These roads are Indispensable to Washington
10 give NJ status as a city, having a commercial
prospect as well as Government patronage
And IN aid of such projects waship gton and
Georgetown can well afford to subscribe, for
these municipalities need a basis which will
sssure progress and prosperity, IN inlustritI
arts, whether Congress remain in the existing
capitol or move to a new site in the West
Cities are large investments which can only
he reimbursed out of legitimate business; and
Washington in the lap Of the Potomac valley
Win railroads worked from 1t n base due
north into the Susquehanna valley, and du-
west into the Ohio valley, will grow into CON-
mereial consequence and prosper in industrial
development, whether Congress stay or 60
though to change he seat Of National Govern
inert would, as the Register phases it, ..be a
nonsrous act, equally wicked and impolitic,
The proposition 10 incorporate companies
with authority 10 build railroads on routes de.
soribed- so that they may be independent COM
munications with the National Capital LEAVING
Washington and Georgetown, and their CAPT.
Ia;isis and indwellers, 10 raise the funds. is
quite another matter from railroads built with
subsidies voted by Congress.