Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-02-29
BAL TlM0Re AND Pr ToMAc RAILROAD DEPOT
Opposition to the Proposed Site.


The Subject before tho House Com.
nsittee On the District-JOhn w. Gar.
.rett and Oh. IhOs. A. Scott.
The bill introduced in the House of Represen-
tatives by Mr.. Starkweather on the 22d of JAN
uary. confirming the action OF the authorities Of
the District OF Columbia in designating a depot
site for the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad
Company, was referred to the Committee on the
District of Columbia. 1t provides that the
Baltimore and Potomac railroad shall have the
right TO extend its track from Virginia avenue
along 9th street and across the cana, to the open
grounds between 9th street, Il street, and the
canal, and to occupy said grounds for depot and
railroad purposes, authorized by the city
councils OF Washington: Prorided, hoicerer, That
il At any time park shall be established, includ
ing 9th street said railroad along 9th street shall
be so adapted to the park avenues, either BY
tunnels OF bridges, As the Board of Public Works
may direct, as not materially to interfere there
WITH and that said 9th street from the canal to
Pennsylvania avenue shall at all times be kept
paved and in good repair by said railroad com
pany and that existing laws relative to straight
eBing the canal shall not be effected thereby"
Shortly aftt r the bill was referred, Mr. John
". Garrett, president of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company, requested that he be no
tttd when II whoud be considered by the com
mittee, IN order that he might appear before
them. Col. Thomas A. Scott, of the baltimore
and Potomac road, also requested that he be
permitted TO appear before the committee after
he had learned that Garrett desired to be there
in opposition to the bill. The committee, a few
DAYS since, notified both these gentlemen that
they would consider the bill to- day, and both
were promptly on hand in the committee room
this mOrnng-Garrett portly, smiling and slow:
Scott thin, sharp and active. Mr.. Garrett was
accompanied by his private secretary, Mr.. Potts.
and by Mr.. Randolph, chief engineer of his
road.
The committee was called to order Mr. e.
bridge acting as chairman.
Mr.. Eldridge, after stating the object of the
meeting, asked who desired to speak on the sub
ject.
MIR. Garrett said he preferred to hear the dis
cusson before making any remarks himself
His object was to do ali in his power for the in
terests OF the people OF Washington.
COL SCOTT EXPLAINS.
Col. Thomas A. Scott read the bill, and said
that IN itself 1t was very simple one. Some
thing over a year ago the city councils of Wash
ingtOn gave the Baltimore and Potomac Rail
road Company the rights asked for by the bill
He then read the act of the councils comforting
that right upon the company, and said they now
desired the sanction OF Congress. They had
already received from Congress the right to
bring their Road into the ely, and he believed
ingtOn and the company would be benefited by
the depot there The Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company had expended between four
and five millions of dollars between Baltimore
and the south bank OF the Potomac
Mr.. Eldridge.-I have heard objections on
the part of citizens on account OF the bad effect
depot there would have on
TIE PROPOSED PUBLIC PARK.
Colonel Scott said that the bill provided that
it should not interfere with the proposed park
and exhibited a profile showing how the road
could be carried under the paik by tunnels. He
referred to cases in Philadelphia where tn :
roads passed directly through and crossed parks
aud avenues therein-some under them by tun-
nels and some over them by bridges. He thought
there would be no difficulty about conforming
the railroad track to the plan Of the park. The
company had already expended half a million of
dollars upon their road within the city. and was
now expanding over q million and half In Bal
timore. He did not ask this city for a dollar
and did not ask Congress for any aid. All they
wanted was the right to accommodate the peo-
pie.
Mr.. BOSWELL BEFORE THE COMMITTEE
Mr.. +. A. Boswell said he appeared before the
committee as the representative of the prop
erty-holdeIs whose property would be injured:
this track occupying 9th street. which street
was but 100 feet wide. The property interests
upon each side of the street would be damaged
The bill giving the company the right to erect
depot on Virginia avenue was passed by Con
gress first and got through the city councils At
forwards. The bill now before the committee
was introduced in the city councils and rushed
through without the consent of the property
holders. The property given to the compa1 nv
by the bill was worth to the city 5000 ~, and
an annual rental of about 80 900 had been re-
ceived for it. The bill, however, gave it to the
company without any compc nsatiOn whatever
street was not wide, and it was impracticable
to establish a depot there. He expected his
friend Scott was after getting bis depot to front
on Pennsylvania avenue.
Col. Scott.-Our purpose is to locate our depot
fronting on street, running parallel with 9Th
street.
Mr.. Boswell then presented
PETITION OF PROPERrY-HoLpERs
against the passage Of the bill.
Gen. Chapman inquired what effect the depot
now authorized to be constructed on Virginia
avenue would have upon the new school build.
ing now being erected?
MIR. Roosevelt thought the school would not be
damaged any more than it is at present. Two
or three tracks we're alreadv laid in front Of it,
Col. Scott said he would like to ask the GEN
tieman Mr.. ROosevelt) . question a. to the
value OF the property now about B street, and
would be worth three times the money it is now
worth after the railroad il put down. III the b
street property be taken for depot, all the pro-
perry, between it and Virginia Avenue would be
talked about railroads coming into cities. Look
at Philadelphia; there they had eight roads
coming into the city all run by steam:
Mr. Harmer inquired of Col. Scott how many
tracks he proposed to lay on 9th street?
Col. Scott stated that it vas their intention to
Law two tracks occupying the space Of 81 feet
Inc ep6t was to be passenger one, and not
freight depot.
WHAT GARRETT SAID.
Mr. John w. Garrett said he was very happy
that this subject was one to be considered by
oped in Washington in connection with the rail-
way system of the country. The Baltimore and
Ohio railroad would probably in few months
open its metropolitan branch, by which travel
between this city and Pittsburg would be short
ened 20 miles, and from Cincinnati 100 miles
The entire northwest would have the advantage
OF this economy in distance, and the effect of
opening that line wOuldbe to make the national
capital the objective point Of most Of the travel
coming east. More than twenty years ago the
Ba timore and Ohio Railroad Company located
Its station on Pennsylvania avenue, but the OBJ
lection OF the citizens and popular feeling was
SO great against it being there that the company
yielded to the wishes of the citi Gems, and changed
the location Of the depot to the present site and
erected the present building. No donbt-anany
members OF the committee remembered the
great feeling few years since against the To-
cation Of the present depot. The late mayor OF
Washington became very hostile to the com
pany, and insisted upon removing the depot
farther from The city. The sober second thought
of the people of Washington had prevailed
though and enabled the company to maintain its
present position, which the courts had subse-
quently ratified. The Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company has for many years been anxious
TO construct grand depot In the city OF Wash
ingt0n-a building which would be worthy Of
and an ornament 70 the national metropolis but
plan after plan had been proposed and defeat
ed, the great dificulty being to find what
plan the people wanted. He was not before
the committee to oppose anything which Con-
gress or the citizens Of this District might want
but he Was before the COMMITTEES to say there
should be no discrimination in favor Of any
read. He had only TO eay that the Baltimore
and Ohio company asked no fayo1 Of Congress
The city or the government had title to this