Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-11-23

.uC ,S-I ---
Total. as.9s4 90
If the appropriation for next year is sufficient
this work can be continued from Brightwood
towards the District line.
The amount expended on the roads during
the past year Is shown in the tables in the APP
pendix, the total being So scot
SURVEY OF THE DISTRICT.
The careful survey of the District, with refer
ence to the extension of streets and avenues
has made as rapid progress as the appropriation
would permit This work is executed by the
officers OF the Coast Survey. the District paying
the running expenses, and it is Of the highest or
der OF excellence. The main and secondary TRAN
gulations are complete giving 100 fixed points
within the District whose positions are absolutely
known. The topography has been completed
over twelve square miles. and four sections Of
the map have been drawn and reproduced on
scale OF 1:4S00. The result of this survey has
been OF great utility In connection with the ex-
tension of the system Of water supply. But its
main object is to afford the data for inteligentlY
subdivding that part Of the District which Hes
outside of the old city limits into streets and
squares as the city is extended; in other words,
to enable the city to be extended on some def
mite plan and not at haphazard. The map ne
cessary for such a plan Immediately north of
the city will be completed during the present
year.
STEAM RAILROADS.
In compliance with the Instructions which
you have given me, submit the following
memoranda and remarks concerning the present
location of steam railroads and depots within
the city limits. There are two companies. the
Baltimore and Ohio and Baltimore and Potomac.
which have roads coming into the city, and the
Baltimore and Ohio has two branches so that
there arein all three lines Of tracks The east
ward, or Baltimore line of the Baltimore and
ONO enters the city near 10th ana L streets
northeast, andruns in sOuthwesterly direction
Wlthout any reference to the lines or grades of
the streets which 1t crosses or follows until 1t
reaches Delaware avenue at H street. 1t follows
this avenue from III to e streets occupying 1t
with four and, in places. five tracks and destroy
ing It's use as an avenue. At E street the tracks
leave Delaware avenue and pass across to
North Capitol and d streets and thence to the
depot, crossing the streets last named about
twelve feet below the established grade
and rendering all travel on them i'm
possible. This road was constructed
more than 40 years ago. when all that section
of the city was an open field without streets or
houses; and the company has succeeded in MAIN
tanning It's line and its own grades against all
efforts OF the municipal and legislative govern
ments of past years, which at one time were
very actively eXerted to compel them to con-
form to the grades established by the city, The
only concession ever made by the company was
the removal OF its depot from Pennsylvania ave-
hue, at the corner I'd street. to its present To-
cation in 1S49 and 1850. This was accomplished
only after long struggle, full accounts of which
are to be found in the newspapers Of that day.
and In return the company secured the right to
use steam within the city limits for 80 years
The western line Of the Baltimore and Ohio
road, usually called the Metropolitan branch.
enters the city near New York avenue and LIST
street east, and follows the line of LIST street
with one or two tracks to its intersection with
the other line at G street and Delaware avenue.
This road was built in 1867, and the act of Con-
gress granting charter for it contained para
graph which confirmed the right to use steam
on the main iHe untA 1910.
The Baltimore and Potomac road was built in
1871 and 1872. 1t enters the city near the Con-
gressional Cemetery, in the extreme south
eastern section, passes through an open cut and
thence through a tunnel under Virginia avenue,
emerging at K street; thence following X street,
Canal street, Virginia avenue and 9th street to
its depot near Pennsylvania avenue The
southern line of the same company follows
Maryland avenue, from 9th street to Long
Bridge. The various acts of Congress- granting
or amending the charter for this road prescribe
that on 9th street no more than two sets of
tracks shall be laid. For other streets no dis
tinct reference is made to the number of tracks,
but the charter gives the road in general terms
the same rights here as in Maryland and under
the Maryland charter it has the right to use &c
feet. In fact it uses 60 feet ON Maryland avenue
a! space of that width being reserved for the
company in the centre Of the avenue protected
u
which is paved roadway. Virgina.avenues ts
not improved; the company has four tracks UPON
it, which conform to the established grade bat
are not separated from the roadway by curb or
fencing of any kind. On Canal and X streets
the tracks are also on the grade. but not sena-
rated from the roadway.
The act granting this company the right to
come in on 9th street nearly to Pennsylvania
avenue, and to construct it's depot on portion
OF the principal public park OF the city, was
passed in May, 1872, after long debate and in
the face OF bitter opposition; although on it's
final passage the vote was two to one in it's
favor. The concession was recognized at the
time as an extraordinary one, and would, per-
haps. not have been granted but for the Lissatr.
isfactiOn then existing against the Baltimtret
monopoly Of all railroad connection with this
city. 1t has never been considered as final set
tlement of the railroad question; the act itself
contained an express provision reserving the
right to modify or repeal it at any time, and
hardly session of Congress has since passed
without some effort being made to have the
concession on 9th street repealed. The condition
of affairs has been very unsatisfactory for all
interests, excepting only the convenience to the
travelling public OF having depot so near the
heart OF the city; the park has been virtually
destroyed east of 9th street; all travel on a
portion of 9th street Zone of the main thorough
fares to the water 'front.' has been suspended;
and the railroad company, owing probably,
W Ln0 uncertainty VI us status, has
postponed the erection of any adequate freight
depot, and has unlOaded its cars on MARYLAND
and Virginia avenues, making continuous
freight depot more than mile in length on the
two principal avenues of the southern section of
the city, to the great annoyance and discomfort
of the residents of that section. The dissatis-
faction with the existing routes of the railroads
has been gradually increasing for several years.
and in February, 1881. the Senate passed reso-
luton directing the Commissioners to report a
plan for union depot, or for two depOts if they
considered them necessary. and to submit bill
for the permanent settlement of the railroad
routes. In obedience to that resolution Major
Twining prepared an elaborate report on the
matter, with plans and estimates, and the draft
off bin to carry it into effect, which was sub
mitted to the Senate by the Commissioners at
the last session. of Congress-. bill was intro
duced on the basis Of this report, but no action
was taken upon it. -Hhere the matter rests and
the interests Of the city continue to suffer from
the impediments placed upon the travel on it's
streets by the present lines, as well as by the
virtual destruction OF, a large part of it park
The essential features of Major Twinfng's re-
port were to remove the B. 4 P tracks from 9th
street. and to defect their line in the middle of
their present tunnel lat Sth street east. thence