The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-03-02
THE WASHINGTON RAILROAD CONTRo.
VERSY.

The railroad controversy which has been
going on for some time, in which Mr..
Scott of the Pennsylvania Central, and Mr..
Garrett of the Baltimore and Ohio road, are
the principal parties, was considered be-
fore the Congressional Com mittee on the
District of Columbia on Thursday, and
such facts developed as pretty plainly to
show the character of the whole matter.
Mr.. Scott, representing of course the in
terests of the former road, appeared before
the committee with clear and definite
plan, and all his replies to the committee
were straightforward and to the point.
Mr.. Garrett seemed to have no plan, moth
ing of a definite character to present,
but limited himself to objections which
were more or less frivolous in their charac-
ter. His policy was apparently that of OBJ
struction, and in no instance did he give a
direct answer to the committee. All was
vague, misty and non-committal nothing
looking to action, but everything to delay
The impression created by the investiga-
ton before the committe, could hardly
have been otherwise than favorable for the
President of the Pennsylvania Central. He
appeared with definite plan of action, and
one that looked to immediate results, while
Mr.. Garrett appeared to interject objoc-
tons and press matters only for delay.
1t was difficult for him to understand
why the people of Washington were ready
to grant privileges to Mr.. Scott which they
denied to him. He complained that he had
been driven away from Pennsylvania by the
powerful influences brought to bear against
him there, and that now he was to be
driven still further away from the business
center in Washington, while Mr.. Scott was
allowed to bring his road into the heart OF
the city and plant his railroad station d.
rectly on the avenue.
But the difficulty with Mr.. Garrett lies
further back. The people of Washing
ton look upon his road as an oppres-
sive monopoly, as it no doubt has been in
fact, and they look for relief from it through
rival road under the liberal and enlarged
policy of Mr.. Scott, who, while he pushes
the interests of his own roads with wonder
fil tact and energy, has the sagacity to see
that the interests Of the people and the roads
under his management are substantially
identical. Everywhere that his roads have
been pushed the magic wand of industry
has been waved over the localities touched
by them. This is what the people of Wash
ington think, and they have reason to thinl,
it in comparing the niggardly policy Of
Mr.. Garrett with the immense expend-
lures and OUTLAWS of Mr.. Scott, already
made in and about the city. The new tun-
mel, the Anacosta bridge, and the new
Long Bridge, all visibly attest to the people
of Washington what Mr.. Scott is doing and
is ready to do in the interests of their city.
MIR. Garrett has pursued not only mig
gardly policy heretofore towards the people
of Washington, but he has persistently re-
fused to conform the grades Of his road to
the city grades, thereby rendering it not
only impracticable to open new streets,
but dangerous for travel over his
crossings in the streets already open.
ed. More than this, the terminal
accommodations and depots furnished by
Mr.. CARROTS road have been disgrace to
the city from the first hour it came into it.
The people have seen this and felt it keenly,
and no wonder they stand ready to accord
to Mr.. Scott an opportunity to erect a
depot that shall be credit to the city, and
in the very heart of it, if need be.