Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-12-13


prominent citizens and Mayor Bowen, N refer
ence TO The differences existing between the
Baltimore AMI Ohio railroad company and the
Corporation, in reference to the grade or the
track OF the Washington branch railroad.
INVITATION TO THE CONFERENCE.
Han. !Sayles j. BosveR, HCyo., ac.-Sir: You are
respectfully requested 10 attend q meeting OF a
few citizens to be held at Wormley's, corner of
at one O'Clock p. m, TO consider the questions az
issue, between the Corporation OF Washington
and the Baltimore ard Ohio railroad with a
view to the amicable adjustment OF the same.
(Signed by the Comraittee.) Dec. let, iSG9.
To this the Mayor replies:
TIVE MAYORS REPLY.
DECENBRR 3, 1S69.-Wii,tas, H. Phtsip, Esf.-
Dear Sir: have your note OF yesterday inv ting
me to be present at a conference of coEiTnittse
n. citizens OF this city with 9 representativebf
Z more and Ohio Railroad Conpanyfto
q an Worn,ley's tomorrow at one O'Clock,
FOR the purpose of considering tie questions at
issue between the Corporation Of Washington
and the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company,
with a view to the amicable adjustment or the
same.
My understanding Of the conversation had
en- account Of which the cases pending in court
were postponed, was that Mr.. Garrett, ON the
part Of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
would, within a week or ten days, submit to the
corporation of Washington q proposition that
might, ans probably would be acceptable. In
stead OF this, L am now called upon to hold a
and where motives and action Of both parties
are liable To m:sconstrUcti0n and misrepresei,-
tation. J am fully impressed with the impro-
priety Of being present at the conference, and,
alter consulting with several gentlemen on the
subject, have concluded that, duty to the corpo-
ration, as well as 70 myself. requires that
should decline the invitation, which most re-
I win be in my Office during the entire day,
and Il i be deemed desirable by the committee
of citizens 70 confer with me on any matter con-
n.le oil Wit Tho mi. loot I will hn ~
them. Or any Of them, at such time as shall
salt their convenience. And II Mr.. Garrett, or
the representative Of the Baltimore and Ohio
lsaIiroad Company, has any proposition Tor
full and 1nal settlement of the whole matter
Will lie ready 10 receive and act upon it at once
FTankness, however, cOmpels me TO state 10 you
that any proposal that does not copcede TO the
corporation fun power to control the grade Of its
streets, and right TO compel the railroad COM
pany- II necessary, To conform the track OF their
road to the legal grade OF the streets II inter
sects. will never meet my approval. lean never
consent that railroad owned and controlled by
persons in the interest OF rival city shall as
sumo the power TO dictate to this city what shall
or shall not be considered the legal grade of its
streets, TO 80 construct its road as TO prevent the
improvement and building up of a large portion
OF the area OF the city, or in any wise to inter
fere with the execution Of the corporation laws
in reference to grades. Nor can L consent that
the railroad company shall make use OF our
streets for the purpose of making up trains, nor
as room for empty cars, nOr in any way that
impaired thereby"
am as DESTROYS of having this difficulty set
tied as any one can possibly be; still, as I admit
1t vitality important to the city, would much
prefer to have the matter remain as 1t is-tO be
decided by the courts or controlled by Congress
sional aetiOn-than to concede to the railroad
company any of the points laid down in the
foregoing brief and hastily drawn statement.
And am satisfied that our entire population
will insist on these points until they are carried
into effect. 1t is not required that all this shall
a %
yond which the railroad company will abandon
all claims to sovereignty within the city limits,
and before which the track Of the road shall be
changed 50 as to conform to the established
grade of the streets.
think You wjagree with me that negotia-
of take place &C. snn;s this
representatiOHs &C., &c. Very respectfully,
Your 0hedientservant, s. J. Bowen, Mayor.
The;41emittee, Messrs- Philip, Emery, and
otherss Aited on the Mayor this morning. and
presented the resolutions adopted at the con-
ference on Saturday, referred to elsewhere, to
which the Mayor replies as follows:
SECOND LETTER FROM THE MAYOR.
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. Is, lsG9.-GentIkmen
q he Colnn,ittee:-1 regret that considerations of
duty to the Corporation and people OF Washing
ton compel me most respectfully to state that [
cannot accept the proposition submitted i'm the
Resolution adopted by the meeting OF citizens,
as basis of settlement OF the difficulties exist
ing between the Corporation of Washington and
The Following, among Other reasSns, conp le, ne
tn decline:
First. Tie resolution proposes TO settle only
question at issue, ami that but partially, FOR
IL leaves the Railroad Company at liberty to
continue the use OF the track AZ now laid down
at the depot. (Which at this point Is several feet
below the grade OF North Capitol street,) and
north 10 the boundary of the city, without con-
ceding to the corporation the right to change
the grade of its streets at pleasure, and 10 com
pei the Railroad Company to conform the bed of
their road to such grade.
Second. The resolution does not require the
yps.rN Il-.l-
don the use of our streets for making up trains,
and as depot for passenger and freight cars
not in use.
Third. The Baltimore and Ohio Railrod Com
pany should be required to cOncede the right of
the Corporation to tax Its real and personal
property the same as the property Of its citizens,
and the company should be required to pay the
taxes that have accrued from 1855 to the present
time, which il now refuses to do.
Fourth. The legal right Of the company to
traverse LIST street east or any other street in the
pears to be conceded by the resolution of the
committees concession to which can never
Weld, it being against public policy and snbver-
enter the city at all 1t should be on private prop
erty purchased and paid for by the company,
and the streets should only be used where it is
necessary to cross them, and that as nearly at
right angles as practicable.
Fifth. can never weld my assent to the use
OF any part of North Capitol street, between the
Capitol and the Government Printing Cffice, by
"a
TO cross the same. As now used by the company
all travel between the points alluded TO is as ef
fectually barred on that street as If it were bar
rlcaded, and the owners Of property binding on
the same suffer irreparable loss without an fota
OF advantage accruing to them.
A basis of settlement should cover all the
foregoing points, for each is matter of dispute;
and though the question OF grades should be ar
ranged as proposed in the resolution, the others
would remain and give rise to similar difficulties.
And my observation satisfies me that the peO
pie OF Washington will demand that their re-
representatives. shall not yield lot or little of
what have stated as basis Of, and as pre-
liminary to. An adjustment of the whole affair.
Were to be permitted to suggest plan that
that if the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany would enter the city on their present line,
conform their track to the grade of the streets
ii nter>ects, and remove the depot to a point
north of street nCrth and east of Fourth street
east, many complaints would be avoided, and
several of the objections named would be re-
moved. There would then be no difficulty in
streets where 1t intersects them, the impOssi
bility OF elevating the track thirteen feet above
the present bed of the road at the intersection
OF with Second street east being now the great
obstacle to be overcome, and this plan would
remove 1t. The road can in this way use its
present line, and not traverse any Of the streets
nor interfere with private interests. This point
connected with the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road outside the city limits, and both enter the
city one line, and make use of the same derpot.
In regard to the other resolution requesting
the pOstponement Of the suits now pending be-
fore the Criminal Court Of this District, have
only to state that the Corporation ATTORNEY and
his associates have control of that matter and
hot 90 not s,,%n