National Republican., 1883-09-20
RAILWAY OPPRESSION.

How the People OF Alexandria Have Been
Ground Down by It-Destruction OF the
Beautiful Road that Onco Connected
That City with This-Tho Usclessness OF
Appeals to the Courts-Tho Possible
Remedy.
To Me Editor.
WASHINGTON, d. c., Sept. 1s.-I read with
qualification and pleasure your article on the
Baltimore and Potomac railway and its abuse
of tho people of South Washington.
Grievous as are the grievances of the un-
lucky property owners and holders of Mary
land and New Jersey avenues, their ill treat
ment by that purse proud corporation sinks
into nothingness when compared to that of
the people of Alexandria county, just across
the river. The conduct of the Baltimore and
Potomac toward the unfortunate citizens and
owners of real estate in Alexandria county is
SO full of m utter disregard of all right and
justice that the bare recital may well con-
vince every one that private individuals have
no rights which n grasping corporation re-
spects.
This company's success has been gained, not
only by systematic oppression of the peo-
Pile, but by wholesale robbery, as daring and
unscrupulous indeed as that of Claude Duval
or Sixteen String Jack, who relieved travel
ers of their valuables with cooked pistol at
their head.
What write of the Baltimore and Potomac
railway is not from hearsay evidence, but the
result of tho saddest Of all experience-that
of long and costly lawsuits against that rich
and venal corporate body
In the latter part of 100 or the beginning
of 1900 there was no direct thoroughfare
from Washington to Alexandria; an i'll kept
dirt road in the shape of q crescent connected
the two cities distance eight miles. At that
time Mr.. Alexander owned all the land be-
tween the towns, and he gave as a free gift n
strip 100 feet wide, running on straight line
from the canal basin in Alexandria to the
south end of the long bridge, for the purpose
of a turnpike. This generous gift was only
fettered by one stipulation, and that was if
the said road was ever used for any other
purpose than that described it should revert
back to its former owner or his heirs.
Before the war this road was the pride and
delight of both the city and county. 1t was
kept in fine order. 1t was exactly as wide rs
Pennsylvania avenue, and ran through ever
varying and beautiful scenery. In the sum-
mer and fall it bore an animated spectacle, and
was crowded with vehicles from both cities
Property was held SO high along this route
that there was little or none ever offered in
the market.
structed along the extreme edgs Of the road
by the acquiescence of the stockholders and
heirs of the said Alexander.
During the war the Baltimore and Potomac
railway purchased for a song the stock of the
turnpike, and ran their road through the
turnpike without even consulting the people
interested. In 1872 they ran o double track
directly in the center of the turnpike, leav-
ing little strip on one side, which was
proved in open court in Alexandria to be in
many places only twelve feet wide. All this,
mark you, without l cent of compensating
damages to the real estate owners along tho
route. Nay, as If in mockery, they estab-
lished q toll gate, and collected heavy rate
from any unfortunate countryman who was
obliged, at the risk of his life, to travel along
the sides of the track. The road was utterly
ruined, and was abandoned, and when asked
to pay for the damage done the peo ,Jle, aud to
purchase the right of way from the heirs of
Mr.. Alexander, they treated the appeal with
unqualified contempt. Their trains killed
scores upon scores of valuable cattle and milch
cows belonging to tho farmers, and not /
cent did they ever pay. The people COM
menced a series of suits. /, being the un-
lucky possessor of an estate of 800 acres bor-
dcring their road and the heir of Mr.. Alex
ander, led the ltigants in an effort to get JUS
tice through the law. To anyone who has
ever tackled wealthy corporation the issue
is known. The law is on the side of the
longest purse, just as God is on the side of
that army that has the heaviest artillery.
1t WAS but pins point against Pelide's spear.
Horne Tooke used to say that in his opinion,
law ought not to be luxury for the rich, but
a remedy to be easily and cheaply obtained
by tho poor, When told that the doors of
justice were opened to all, he replied, "And
so is London tavern, to such as can pay the
score"
Scores Of judgments have been entered in
the Virginia courts against this road and
that is all. Pleas, demurrers, injunotions,
appeals, and the devil know what beside,
have exhausted both the patieE, and purses
Of the farmers, and they retire ON the
fray, some literally spending their. dollar
and mortgaging their farms in mac ri ompt
to get justice Indeed the feeling ran so
high in Alexandria county against this road
that when the people found there was no
remedy in law they met together and n con-
spiracy was entered into by many farmers to
assemble together on certain night and tear
up the track and destroy the aqueduct. The
plan failed only because half OF the conspira-
tors hinched just before the time Of action
came.
The broad and beautiful boulevard that
connected Alexandria with Washington is a
thing OF the past All wagons are transferred
by steamer. meandering path, full of gull
lies, holes, and hog wallows is all that re-
mains of this wide and spacious thorough
fare. The Long bridge is seized also by the
corporation, and the citizens of the county
have perforce TO go across the aqueduct,
owned by another corporation. which ex-
tracts blood money from the prosecuted
people. Real estate in Alexandria county,
on account of there being no ingress or
egress, has fallen 70 per cent, and estates
formerly held at $3.50 an acre, can be
bought for one-tenth that sum. 1t