Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-01-18
Public Patronage to be Withheld from the
Railroad.

tpc HuTpose Oh auOplInS measures 20 compei j1e
Washington and Georgetown Railroad Con.
pany to pave that portion of Penns ylvania a 80
nue., surrendered to its use, between 1st and 18th
streets, the same as other portions of the ave-
nue.. Among those present were Messrs W. G..
betZeroti, Samuel Bacon, ). 5. Smoot Geo w
COcnrane, John W. Boteler, j. l.. Barbour. j.
=: Dodson,, VIM. b. Moses, Thos. Parker, F.
Filling. r.. Harris, Columbus Alexander, VIM
Orme, Henry SeDken, w. II. Clagest, j. F.
Mitchell, Col. ID. q. Cox, Jos. Shliington W.
~ Morrison, &. s. Moves, SamI. W. owen, Jno
r. Ennis, ID. Burns, T. Julian, and other prom
. ent business men.
The meeting was called TO order by N. W
VIlt, EsI., and on his motion Mr.. Samuel Ba-
con was called to the chair, and MIR. Geo. W
Cochran elected secretary. The chair having
stated the object of the meeting, the secretary
rtad the call as published in The STAR, and
DIT. Gait moved the appointment OF COMMITTEES
sense OF the nut citing. The motion was adontei,
ana the chair appointed such COMMITTEES
Messrs. 81. w. Gait, j. l.. Barbour and w az
Metzerott, and they subsequently reported the
following
PREAMBLE AND RESOLUTIONS.
whereas Congress at its last session passed an
act requiring that Pennsylvania avenue be-
tween the Capitol grounds and 18th street
should be paved in such manner as the com,
mission named therein should direct, and re-
CURED that the whole cost should be borne by
private individuals owning property thereon,
by the corporation of Washington, and bv the
Washington and Georgetown Railroad Company
in stated proportions, (the general government
or the property OF the general government bear
ing no share thereof y And whereas the spaces
lying between and within the tracks of the rail
road company aforesaid have not been paved 10
correspond with the other parts OF the Avenue,
and the said company, in direct violation of the
spirit OF the law upon the subject, formally and
stubbornly refuses to pave the portions snrrep-
dered TO Its uses uniformly with the sides there
OF thus sacrificing its appearance, damaging its
value as thorOughtare, and DESTROYING TO a
great extent, the object in view in causing An
improved pavement to be laid; And whereas
such discrimination in favor OF the interests OF
of the corporation upon different footing from
that OF private individuals; therefore, be il
Resolred, That Congress be, and Ii il hereby
requested to pass specific law. as to the terms
or Which there can be no misunderstanding re-
curing the spaces whiting and between the
tracks OF the said railroad company to be paved
to correspond with the sides OF the Avenue,
where improved payments now are, or hereafter
may be laid.
ResOlred, That until such improvements be
compelled and made the citizens or Washington
withhold their patronage to the greatest extent
possible from said W ash ington and Georgetown
Railroad Company, and take such steps as NAV
be necessary to make themselves indepenfen t of
its filthy and OvercTowdedm cans OF CONVEYANCE.
and its illiberal and graspiRg management.
The committee also reported the following
BILL TO BE PRESENTED TO CONGRESS
with the resolutions:
a BILL to secure proper paving in the avenues
and streets OF the city OF Washington.
sec. l. That the pavement of the spaces
Washington and Georgetown Railroad Com
paDy, on Pennsylvania avenue. shall be made
10 CONFORM IN every respect 10 the pavement
now laid or which may hereafter be laid on
sueh portions OF SAID avenue as said road may
Sec. 2 That the provisions of the first section
OF this act shall apply TO any all other streets
and avenues in the city OF Washington now oc-
eupled or which may hereafter be occupied or
used by the tracks Of any street railroad COM
pany.
Sec 3. That ali acts or part. of acts ircon-
slstent with the provisions OF this act be. aud
the same are hereby, repealed.
-. Mr.. Smoot moved tie adoption OF the reyolI-
tons and bill.
Mr.. VI. W. Calf deemed il unnecessary to saw
anything in support OF the resolutions as eyetv
man as satisfied of the justice of the cause OF
The meeting. He had been net by those Who re-
itcteu the sentiment OF the railroad COMPANY
and had been told by them that it was irnpossi
bic Tor the citizens of Washington 10 effect the
OBJECT they had in view, because
HE RAILROAD COMPANY WAS TOO POWERFUL
tive cent railroad company too much for the
people CT this city! In other words, dealers in
'eeonG hinu usS.a,. on Cha -
crk, pIotes: lave ths Congress of the Gnited
- =. ,-en pockets. The people of Wash
iDgton would not fail, and he secuted such
ter fairly and quarely before Congress imme-
diately.
A gentleman unknown 70 the audience, but
whs announced himself as Tucker,--Dr. III.
Tucker said he was not a property holder On
Pennsylvania avenue, but he had contributed
twenty years labor towards the predictions Of
Washington. He thought Mr.. CAT had in a
greatest conveniences which Washington pos
sessed. To his personal knowledge the cars
were cleaned out every day, and completely re-
newed every year. He could not see the con-
sistency Of business men of Washington enter.
ing into TRADE against the railroad company.
1t was only by the greatest and strictest economy
that dividend could be declared. All the hOI e
now paid no dividends; the exception was the Sd
avenue railroad in New York. The washinsto
and Georgetown Railroad Company could not
for paving the Avenue; besides wood pavement
was not as good for the horses rs cObblestones.
A system OF persecution against the railroad b al
been con n,enced, but he could not see how any
one would be benefited by it. He thought the
managers Of the railroad were doing all in their
power Tor the accommodation of the people OF
the city, and this tuade against the company
" as unjust.
Mr.. Calf was much obliged to the gentleman
for his frankness in this matter. The railroad
company complained that it was expensive to
pave. The property holders on the Avenue
might with The same propriety refuse 10 pave in
front OF their premises on account OF expense.
AS TO the economical manag cement OF the road,
he understood the president of the company re-
ceived SIC 600 per annum.
If THAT WAS ECONOMY,
he could well understand how it was that the
road did not make money. If this railroad com
psny was not satisfied to live In this community
and abide by the laws thereo they could take
up stakes and leave. fGreat applause He was
prepared to say, further, that persons were
present IN the room tonight who would paw
the company dollar for dollar for their valuable
franchise. The company should be compelled
to do as Congress made the citizens do; no
more, no less.
MIR. Metzerott inquired of Mr.. Tucker If he
knew the value OF this railroad stock
Mr.. Tucker was unable to say.
Mr.. Metzerott.-Tben the whole OF your argu-
ment is OF no consequence whatever. The par
yalne Of this stock is $50 per share, but really
cot the company only $50 per share.
Mr.. Tucker hoped the chair would compel
gentlemen to be respectful.
The chair replied that no gentleman had ex-
ceeded the limits Of respect.
hr. Jno. K. Ennis was not disposed 10 enter
into any defence OF the company represented by
Mr.. Tucker; but as he INT. IT, could no. givs
any idea Of the value Of the stock Of the road,
he would inform the meeting, upon the authority
OF Mr.. j. e. Kennedy, that when the charter of
the company Was pending before Congress the
company authorized him fMr. Kennedy TO saw
TO the committee that II they would grant the
franchise provision might be put in the bill
requiring the company to pay go 600 Per snnun
10 the corporation for school purposes; but by
some means that clause never GOT In the bill,
and the company got this
VALUABLE FRANCuIBE rOR NOTHING.