Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-15
THE RAILRotD DEf0I QUESTION.
Proceedings Before the House Com.
mittee On the District of 60.
lumbfa To-day.

The House Committee on the ID iSrrict of
Columbia having design ated this morning for
the hearing of arguments of the Interested par
ties on the question OF the proposed Union Depot
at the intersection of Maryland avenue and
plans for which were submitted to the committee
few days since by President John W. Garrett
OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
quite large crowd was in attendance at the
committee room, where they met for business
Col. thomas a. Scott with his private secretary
MI Barclay first put in an appearance and he
was soon followed by Mr.. Garrett, who was ac
ccmpanied by his engineer Mr.. Randolph, and
his private secretary Mr.. Potts. Mr.. j. l..
harbour, president of the Orange and Alexan-
dfla road, was also on hand to look after the
interests of his company.
Whs the committee was called TO order Mr..
HaTmer asked if it was intended that that the
Whole subject should be again re-opened or
whether the parties would be heard on the sab
ject OF q Union Depot only.
Mr.. Eldridgc said he had understood that
ter the recent discussion before the committee.
Messrs. Garrett and Scott held a consultation
and had agreed that each one should Law before
tie committee such plans as they might deem
SEATED to the interests OF each company. Mr..
Scott had already stated his plans. and he
understood the plan filed by Mr.. Garrett covered
what he wanted.
Mr.. GARRETT IN FAVOR OF A UNION DEPOT.
Mr.. John ". Garrett said the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad had endeayored TO submit plans
looking TO the satisfactory arrangement and
accommodation OF both his company and that
represe nted by Col. Scott; that plan was now
before the committee; the object of it was to
protect alike the interests OF these competing
roads, both of Importance to the people OF
WashD gtOn and the interests OF those people
CeTeTai Chapman had made a suggestion I'm
reference to joint depot, and acting upon that
suggestion he (Mr. Garrett) had prepared the
plan, which proposed the tunneling of CapitoI
Hill 10 reach "a point Oh Maryland and Virginia
avenues, between 9Th and 9th streets, where
such depot could he located to answer the mr..
poses OF both companies. Arrangements could
tie made for the construction OF fine station
There which world accommodate the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad, the Baltimore and Potomac
read, the Richmond lines, and the Orange and
Alexandria road.
PRESIDENT EARBOUR's VIEWS
MT. j. l.. Barbour, of the.atrer road, $ Aid all
he asked was that his road should he allowed to
como INTO the city OF Washington on the most
favorable terms. His road was the northern
outlet for the Tennessee road and the new KEN
lucky hne-the Chesapeake and Ohio road
which VIII soon be completed. He did not de-
sire Col Scott 10 have better facilities than en-
loy6d by himself and in making his connections
ne VIZ; 3D. Gid not want to be confined to one
read. 1t was his desire to connect with bo-h
The Baltimore and Ohio and the Baltimore and
Pots mac.
WHAT COL. SCOTT SAID
Col. Scott said this whole question had been
gone over pretty thoroughly. The question sub
United to the committee Ow was whether or not
the acton OF the city of Washington should be
endorse III giving the and 9th street lot "a
his company with the right to establish depot
there. He was very anxious to have the matter
dc cided, as his road was nearly completed and
he wanted this depot matter determined upon
he asked Congress TO approve the act OF the
city. The District formerly proposed giving
the Baltimore and Potomac road half
million Of dollars, but instead of that had
given the depot site at 9th and streets
80 far as Mr.. BarbOur's road was concerned he
(C9l. y. badhad two conferences on the subject
with Mr.. Barbour, and terms had been agreed
upon between them that his (Col Scott's) depot
could be used by him tMr. B. for his southern
connections at a reasonable COMPENSATION. tba,
10 hri1 loo
could connect with Mr.. CARROTS road if he
chose, by a tunnel under Capitol Hill, as sug-
Rested. He (Col. Scott now thought it very
Unfair for Mr. Garrett to come I'm here aud ask
that tie public be delayed until somebody else
should be ready: he did not see why the RaItj-
more and Potomac road should be DELAYED nv
any such action. Let Congress give to MIR. Gar
lett everything he wants, separate and distinct:
the city is large now ard going to be larger
and would accommodate both roads. The
Baltimore ana Potomac road had progressed i'm
regular way; they first went TO the city and
got the right TO the property, now they come TO
congress and ask that the action of the city be
confirmed Why not require Mr. Garrett 20 90
through the same formula they had been
through, and he had no doubt that eyerytbing
rea enable would be granted him?
MIR. Barbour did not want it to be understood
that any contract had ! cen entered into be-
tween Col Scott and himself.
Col. Scott did not SO state, sir.
Mr.. BaTbOur.-We have had negotiations |
DEsIhE TO CONNECT WITH BOTH ROADS,
but certainly with the Baltimore and Ohio road
continuing MT Barbour SAID he did not desire
that the great southern highway should be con-
tr0lled by Col SCOTS line alone; his rates TO
allow the o. X A. X. X. to connect were tor his
road alone; MI Garrett would fix his rates also
as he would have to eNpend at least half mil
lion OF dollars TO tunnel under Capitol hill; the
national junction road had been looked to As
afOrdng means of connection, but that scheme
see med TO have been abandoned Ii he had to
pay rates both TO Col. Scott and Mr.. Garrett he
thought the southern traffic of his line could moi
be assessed to such large amount. He regard
ed COL SCOTS rates as too Onerous Oh his COM
pany. All that he Mr.. b. asked was that il
other southern lines were to come into the CITY
and get superior facilities, that he might have
the same. If they should he allowed to get to
Pennsylvania avenue, be should be allowed TO
come there also.
Dir. Harmer did not see what the committee
hadto DO with connections Of the roads or the
rates OF the three companies; that cerfairIv
could De better arranged by the roads than by
the committee, NJ
Col. Scott said he merely wanted to state In
reply to Mr. Barbour, that the negotiations be-
tween himself and that gentleman were begun
IN this committee room at the last meeting
ne formal paper was prepared at his house in |
Philadelphia, and sent to Dir. Barbour. and he |
thought that gentleman would bear him ont i'm
saying that he (Mr. b. could not build a road |
between Alexandria and Washington as cheap
as the rates he Mr.. S) had offered him the use |
AsKED No CONCESSIONS |
from Mr.. Barbour at all; he was perfectly will
ing to open his lines to him between Alexandria
anu =" aShlnStOD. anu As IOr Mr.. Garrett. he Il
could take his business from the point of iunc-
non. He told Mr.. Barbour he did not want 10
embarrass the negotiations; il i'm the future II |
should be to the interest OF them to take busi-
ness f1om his road future negotiations could h. |
made. He Col. s. would do business for Mr.
Is. between Alexandria and Washington cheaper
than he could do it himself.
MT Garrett said very great compliment had
been paid him by the advocates of this improve
ment on the part of the PENNSYLVANIA road. In
the report OF the proceedings of the committee
II the recent meeting, published in some of the
papers OF Washington, the facts on behalf of the
Baltimore and Ohio company had been practi-
caly and in large degree suppressed He was
sure II must have been done by the over Zeslons
iIenas OF MT Scott, to prevent these facts get
Mr. Garrett here read from the ReDnb,ioon
what he stated purported to be the Off cia report
and said that the arRumentf of Col. Scott had
been printed in full, while his had been dis
missed with briee paragraph.
Mr.. Eidridge said he was not aware that tbe
committee had any official stenographer present |
at that meeting.
Mr.. Poland said the report was made by some
of the reporters present. - 0O'-N
Mr. Garrett said all the statements were ac
curafe so Tar as Col. Scott was concerned.
Mr.. Hsrmer said no member of the Committee
knew anything of that report.
Mr. Garrett said in presenting this subiect he