National Republican., 1883-02-24
THE STEAM RArIw4 4Y TRACKS.
Bin for Their Change offered in the SEM
ate HeatertIav.

THE STEAM RAILWAY TRACKS.
Bill for Their Change offered in the sem
ate Yesterday.
THE REPUBLICAN some weeks ago gave the
principal features of the bill prepared by the
commissioners after consultation with the
senate district committee for the change of
the railway tracks of both the Baltimore and
Ohio and the Baltimore and Potomac COM
panics, and the removal of the depot on Sixth
street back beyond the mall to B street south.
The bill was presented in the senate yesterday
by Mr.. ingalls,, from the senate district com
mittce.
1t sets forth that so much Of the act Of con.
gress approved March 3, 1895, supplemental TO
the act to authorize the construction aud ex
tension and use of lateral branch of the
Baltimore and Ohio railway into and within
the district, passed in December, 1899, as
authorizes the construction Of the Baltimore
and Ohio road upon the line now in Use in
Washington, and so much of the act of May
81, 1872, to confirm the action Of the board Of
aldermen and common council designating
depot site for the Baltimore and Potomac
Railway company as authorizes the company
to lay its tracks on Sixth street and TO con-
struct depot at the corner of Sixth street
and street, and so much of the act of con-
grcss authorizing the construction and eXten-
sion of the Baltimore and Ohio company of
railway from between Knoxville and the
Monocacy Junction into the district as author
iZCs that company TO lay tracks on First street
be and are hereby repealed, and on and after
Jan. l, 1884, IL shall not be lawful for said
companies or either of them to maintain their
tracks or run their trains in Washington cX-
ccpt upon the routes hereinafter designated
Section provides that all tracks of the
Baltimore and Ohio company shall be united
sI. &C 10,
vicinity of Brooks's station, on the Metropoli-
tan branch; thence the tracks shall be laid
b.. the most feasible route to the north side
OF Boundary street at Delaware avenue,
where they shall enter the city and follow
thence the live of Delaware avenue TO the
south side of l. street north, thence into
square GSl, in which square tho depot shall
be located. On the route prescribed from
Brooks's station the company may lay as many
tracks, not exceeding four, as IL chooses. On
the line of Delaware avenue tho tracks must
be laid on the established grade, and at equal
distances on either side of the central line of
the avenue, but the space occupied by the
t'acks shall not exceed sixty feet in width,
and must be separated from the rest Of the
avenue by q granite wall one foot
wide and mounted by continuous
iron fence, the top of which must
be s feet above ground. At each intersecting
street automatic lowering or folding gates,
of pattern to be approved by the commits
sioners, must be placed in such manner as to
ciiectually close the crossing during the ap-
proach and passage of trains. The tracks of
the Baltimore aud Potomac road shall remain
in their present position, with the exception
of that portion on Sixth street west lying
north OF the south line Of Maryland avenue,
which portion shall be removed and the
street replaced in the same condition as when
the tracks were originally laid. The freight
passenger, and other depots and buildings of
the Baltimore and Potomac company shall
be located on such squares or parts of squares
not the property of the United States
fronting the line of their tracks, be-
tween First streets west and Four
teenth street west, rs the company may
select; and the company Is given tho
right to acquire property for that purpose by
condemnation, If necessary. On the line of
Maryland and Virginia avenues the Baltimore
* Potomac company may lay such number of
tracks, not exceeding four, as 1t requires,
such tracks to be laid ON and the grade not TO
occupy space more than sixty feet wide,
and shall be separated from the rest of the
avenue by curbing, iron fences, and automatic
gates as those required of the Baltimore &
Ohio company. On the remaining portion Of
the Baltimore & Potomac limo within the
city limits the company shall lay not more
than two tracks, and occupy not more than
thirty feet of the street in the middle thereof,
anu lnb lIHCkS IuuSJ Dt stpdTNltu ny
| fences and gates of the kind already described.
| 1t is made unlawful for railway companies
to unload their cars on the streets or avenues,
or TO occupy with their cars or engines the
tracks in the city for longer period than is
reasonably necessary to make up trains, and
fine of 800 for each oiiense is the prescribed
penalty for violation of this provision.
The Baltimore and Potomac company is to
remove its tracks, sheds, &c. except the depot
building, from the Sixth street depot by Jan.
| ], 1854, and is given the right to bring suit in
the court of claims against the United States
for recovery of the value Of the depot build
ing, and the Judgment of the court in the case
is to be final, and after determination of the
suit the title to the depot building
shall vest in the United States for all
purposes. The Baltimore and Ohio
company shall erect and maintain
on the line of Massachusetts, avenue and for
the full width of said avenue, over its tracks
and Delaware avenue, permanent viaduct,
to be completed, with all approaches, by-Jan.
| l. 1881. Congress reserves the right to re-
quire the erection of other viaducts over the
tracks of either of the companies referred to
should necessity become apparent. Whenever
any other railway shall be authorized by con-
gress to enter the city of Washington 1t shall
do so over one of the two routes designated
by this act, and II shall be allowed to use the
tracks already laid upon that route on such
reasonable terms as may be agreed upon by
the companies in interest or as may be pre-
scribed by congress.
For each and every day after Jan. /, 1884
that the aforesaid companies, or either oi
them, shall maintain their tracks, sheds, de-
pots, or other buildings or operate their trains
on any of the streets, avenues, or public
places in tho city Of Washington ex,
cept as authorized by this act, or shall fail to
have constructed the fences, gates, and via,
ducts as hereinbefore required, they and each
of them shall be subject to fine of 500, tC
be recovered by prosecution or information IL
the name of the District of Columbia in {
court of competent jurisdiction in the dis
trict.
All acts and ordinances or parts thereof in
consistent with the foregoing are repealed.
Sunday School Election.