Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-11-19
MUST COME TO GRADE.
The Railroad Track I'm First Street
and Maryland Avenue Taken I'm.


The new grades of streets and avenues In this
city established by the board of public works
| were all in accordance with q general plan,
which it was necessary to carry out fully in
| order not only 10 beautify the city BY harmony
in the design, but slso to secure thorough sew
| erage. Street improvements being for the
! benefit OF the whole community, by Improving
| the sanitary condition of the city, besides en-
HANGING the value of property, the convenience
| OF private persons and corporations have neces-
/ sarily had to give way in some cases II the
/ exiRency for changes of grade which were
| cieary LOT the oenent OF vast majority
OF Inc cltzens OF Washington now and
| in the future. Among the streets the grade
| OF which 1t WIS necessary to change in
accordance with this general plan were
| LIST street west, from Indiana to MARYLAND
| avenue; and Maryland avenue, from lst ssreet
| to the Long bridge. Along this street and av,
nue. is the route of the Washington aud Alexan-
drla railroad company, which has now, by lease.
psssed under the control OF the Baltimore and
| Poicmlc road. Some time ago the grade OF
MARY land avenue. from the bridge to 9Th street
vas char gtd. and at the same time the track on
that portion was lowered or raised In like man
neT. After Lat contract was awarded to
Bartlett y Williams for the remainder Of the
street, ana to ID. r. Smith for 1t street but the
work progressed slowly owing to the fact that
The track was not removed by the railroad COM
pany.
THE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS TO GENERAL
BABCOCK.
This beirg the case, Dir. A. X. Shepherd, vice
president on the board of public works on the
LIST Of October addressed a communication to
General y. f. Babcock, superintendent OF pub-
nc buildings and grounds, saying 1.-The cOndi-
ton Of LIST street west from Indiana avenue to
Maryland avenue is such a TO injure the appear
ance Of the Capitol grounds and DESTROY the
street LOT trayei, owing to the imperfect grade
obstruction 10 travel. 1t is the intention and
wish Of this board to correct these evils by
paving the street, as well as Maryland avenue,
justing the grade, requiring the mpany owning
such track to replace the present rails with such
as are used by street railroads, which form no
distractions and the custody of the Capitol
grounds Is in your charge, write to ask that
for this work, and furnish such suggestions as
may occur to you in connection Herewith. We
should like to begin this work by the L inst,
II you concur"
GENERAL BABooCK's REPLY.
General Babcock in reply wrote on the 81 of
October, as follows: "I am in receipt of your
favor OF the LIST inst. In reply have to say that
the improvements you propose are, in my opin-
ion. very desirable, and meet my entire ap-
proyal: When this improvement is made it
would be best to, if possible, remove the rail-
road track entirely; but if this cannot be done
the comp any should, in my opinion, be required
TO lay street track and to pave closely to it
with wood or stone"
NOTICE TO THE b. AND P. RAILROAD
On the 9TH of October, Mr.. A. II. Shepherd,
vice president of the board, addressed a COM
municauon to j. n. DuBarry, Esq, vice presi-
dent and general manager of the Baltimore and
Potomac railroad, saying: al inclOse herewith
copy OF a letter from this office, dated the LIST
instant, to General o. T.. Babcock superin-
tendent of public buildings and grounds reIa-
tive 20 the improve ment Of 1st street west nd
copy of his reply thereto, dated Sd instant, and
Il have to request that you will give this i'm
poItant matter your immediate attention, as the
board desire to commence the impro We ment
therein mentioned at the earliest possible mo-
ment"
AsKIRMISH AND TRUCE
. Ihis notice was unheeded and Mr.. David X.
Smith, the contractor tor grading LIST street west
and paving IL with wood, finding il impossible
10 proceed with his work, the railroad track
being too low, on the 22d of October ordered his
workmen TO proceed with the grading and not
to let railroads stand in their way. The track of
the Washington and Alexandra railroad extends
through that street from PENNSYLVANIA avenue
to street, and thence to the Baltimore depot
AS soon as few carloads OF earth had been
dumped on the track near & street some of the
employees Of the Baltimore and Potomac rail-
road company-which COMPANY now have con-
troll OF the Washington and Alexandria railroad
appeared with shovels to clear the track and
were soon gaining on the CONTRACTOR mem one
set OF men piling dirt on, and the other set of
men as rapidly "slinging dirt" of. Things |
were getting hot, as the gangs approached each |
Other and every thing bid fair for a first-class
row, when MI. Ell. DuBarry the superintendent |
Mr.. Shepherd for the contractors to suspend |
operations for the present on that part of the \
street occupied by rhe railroad. Ths contrac- |
was averted
DELAY OF THE RAILROAD COMPANIES,
The understanding then was that the railroad |
men would do the work themselves and conform
to the established grade. Day after day pas.ed
without any action on the part of the companies
looking 10 carrying out OF the agreement, and
the contractors for LIST street and MARYLAND ave-
nue. were greatly embe rrassed in the prosecu-
ton OF their work.
THE BOARD TAKES THR WORK IN HAND.
AT ,ength forbearance ceased to be a virtue. |
and Mr.. Shepherd, of the board of public works |
on the Sth instant, addressed a communication
to MessIs. Bartlett and Williams and David X.
smith, contractors respectively for the improve
saying" You are hereby directed to complete
without delay the improvements of the streets
under your charge, and remo5e any and all Oh
structions, as the railroad companies have been
notified over a month since that they should
conform their tracks to the altered grade as fur
nished."
out any action on the part of the railroad com
panies, and it ming clear that they would not
change their tracks as requested, it was deter
mined that the contractors should take
THE WORK IN HAND LAST NIGHT.
To avoid any breach OF the peace, a note was
addressed by the board to Major Richards yes
be detailed to hold themselves in readiness
should their services be needed. This was |
promptly aeceded to. and q sufficient. force
not required. The contractors hal their forces |
ready with the necessary tools TO commence
work last night as soon as the moon was fairly |
OF men, numbering about fifty ia each. Set to |
work at a signal given. This was after the J
engine had left the depot of the Baltimore /
and Ohio road for the cattle train |
due at 9th street about half-p4st 8 O'clock |
The gang under Mr.. ID. K. Smith commenced |
Work on LIST street, at the intersection OF In
diana avenue, and made rather slow progress at |
first, as the track at the curve was found to be |
very securely fastened. One of Williams X
Bartlett's gangs commenced at the curve at the |
intersection of Maryland avenue with LIST street;
another at the point where the bridge on Mary
land avenue crossed the old canal, and another |
near street.
A rumor was current along the line about 10 |
O'Clock that another gang was being organized |
at The baltimore and Ohio depot for the pur-
pose OF relayIng the track, and that before |
morning new track would be completed the
entlre length of the portion torn up; but the |
laDOrers proceeded quietly and without any in
trruption until their work had been accom-
pllshed, which was nearly O'Clock this morn
Ing.
Shortly after the work commenced last night.
Mr.. George W. Hambrght, assistant supcrin,
tendent OF the Il. and p. X. r., was IN AIDE aware
OF the condition OF things and went in search
of Superintendent L. l.. DuBarry, but he could
not be found.
THIS MORNING