Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-19
Union Depot and HxMsSrOsaa l1OuIes In
Washington.


have just read in THE STAR the very interest
ing report of Major Twining on the Union depot
and routes of the steam roads in the city," and
as the Major closes with the candid admission
that while the union depot and the routes
leading thereto, which have recommended in
this report, are those. which, in my opinion, are
best calculated to afford the greatest facilities
for the transaction Of business, having due re-
gard to the rights Of the companies involved. /
do not, by any means, contend that they are
the only location and routes available for the
purpose, or that may measurably fulfil the con-
ditions mentioned I beg to suggest other
locations and routes. which believe better cal
cnlated to accomplish the object desired, and
more likely to be adopted 10y the railroad COM
panies interested. Because. while they afford
! equal. If not better accommodation for their
business, the cost of obtaining them would be
but a small per centage of the estimated cost of
those recommended in the report. The object
of the change in the location of the two roads
now entering the city is to get rid of the
nuisance created by the occupation of the streets
| and public grounds by the h. & p and to pre-
vent like nuisance by the B. & o.. as that por-
ton OF the city occupied by its tracks becomes
thickly settled. And also to allow Of the re-
moval of the Long Bridge. which. by its
| obstruction of the natural flow of
certain seasons of the year. The occupation of
| the whole south front of the city by the Balti-
more and Potomac railroad has long been sub
Ject OF just complaint the part of the citizens
owning and occupying property in that section,
| while the appropriation of the public grounds
| between the Capitol and the White House for
! railroad car yard is universally condemned and
will not long be tolerated by the public. to
whose use 1t was dedicated when. the capital
| was located here. Everybody who has given
the subject consideration admits that some ar
rangement must soon be made for such a change
IN the location OF the track of the two roads
named, and for the accommodation of the other
roads entering the city from the south as will
afford all necessary facility for the business of
such roads. and for the accommodation of the
public without unnecessarily encroaching upon
the streets or public parks of the city, and al
| though Congress may have the power to desg-
nate where the tracks and depots of such roads
shall be located within the District it is more
| than doubtful whether that power will ever be
| exercised against the influence which can be
| exercised by two such corporations as the Bal
tlmore and Ohio and Baltimore and Potomac
| railroad companies. Certain it is that the
power will not be used to impose unnecessary
| burdens upon these corporations. 1t follows.
therefore. that. while the public interest should
| primarily be consulted in making the cOntem-
plated change and improvements. the interests
OF the railroads should not be disregarded
lest in doing so powerful opposition should be
aroused which would certainly defeat the whole
| scheme.
The plan proposed by the report of MAJOR
IWinlng imposed an expenditure Of a million
and half of dollars upon the B. Il o. and
nearly one million dollars upon the b. & p. COM
nany. This amount would be sweed by at
least half a million to each company for terminal
facilities at the intersection of Virginia and
| Maryland avenues, to say nothing of the expense
| OF the proposed reconstruction of Long bridge
| The total cost could not be less than two mil
| lions to the B. 4 0. and one and One-half mil
lions to the b. & p. companies. involving an
increase in the annual interest account of ninety
1 md doll fI,pf ID
sand dollars for the b. & p: while at the same
time they would be compelled to accept lOca-
! tons afOrding accommodations inferior to those
which they now possess Whoever expects
these companies to accept such conditions with
| out most determined opposition has little
knowledge of railroad human nature or of the
| power of resistance which such corporations are
| capable OF exercising when their interests are
meDaced. 1t is admitted that the B. & O. has
acquired such franchises on its present location
WITHIN the city limits as will incline it to resist
any attempt to remove its tracks or depot at a
great expense to the company to locations less
/ favorable than those now in use. unless there
are counterbalancing advantages to be secured
! by such removal.
The location of the B. & p track and depot
near the heart of the city is regarded Nv that
company as so advantageous for business that
although understood by the grant to be held
only at the pleasure of Congress. it will not
| be willingly renguiShed unless upOn the be-
lief that the public protest against the use of
! the public streets and grounds, and the MAIN
tainance Of the Long bridge nuisance to the
detriment of the health of the city may compel
them to remove when they will be unable to
acquire suitable accommodations elsewhere 1t
| has been suggested that the b. Il O. would
consider the securing of a southern connection
via the Long bridge a compromising advan-
| tage Tor the proposed change of its location
But that company has already secured from
| Congress the right to carry it's line around the
city on the northwest with a view of making it's
southern connection by crossing the Potomac at
| Georgetown. This line could be constructed at
a moderate cost by diverging from a point on
| the Metropolitan branch lust beyond Soldiers
Home, and following the valley of the Rock
Creek to Georgetown. crossing the Potomac
above navigation at or near the Aqueduct
bridge and down to Alexandria by the line of
| the Chesapeake Il Ohio canal
1t appears to me that this is the best route
for both the B. Il O. and the B. Il p to make
connection with the roads south and that it
would also furnish the best accommodation for
any road hereafter built from the south to con-
meet with northern roads to the city. To make
| this route available the Baltimore Potomac
could diverge at a point on its line near Ben
nings station. cross the Eastern branch by a
short bridge near Bennngs bridge strike the
boundary OF the city at the intersection Of
| Boundary and H streets northeast near Grace
land Cemetery and follow Boundary street to it's
Intersection with New York avenue. The B.
! & O. would in this case dverge from it's present
line at the intersection of 9th street northeast
and Boundary near Kendall Green, and
follow Boundary street to New York
avenue. This would be a more convenient
point for Union depot, looking to the future
growth OF the city, than the proposed location
at the intersection of Virginia and Maryland
avenues near Long bridge. The two lines
could form the Union depot at New York ave-
nue.. and run on the present location of the
Metropolitan branch to the present divergence
beyond Soldiers Home, thence along the line OF
Rock creek to where Pennsylvania avenue
crosses into Georgetown which would make
convenient point for station for the accOmmo-
dation of the northwestern portion of the city
and Georgetown. The line here would natur-
ally pass below the grade of the street on the
banks OF Rock creek. and would never be an
obstruction to travel. This point would have
| the advantage of being reached by both the
Pennsylvania avenue and 9th street lines of
horse cars. A short extension of the Belt line
! (three squares) would reach the proposed Union
depot at New York avenue. The eth street line
| could also be extended to it from the intersec-
| ton Of 18th street and New York avenue by
short line. suburban station at the crossing
of 9TH street pike. just beyond Soldiers Home.
would be a convenience and would be reached
! nv the 9th street limo which oytaD1S hnvOnd the