National Republican., 1883-09-20
The CIty's PrOErcss.

The Cltys Progress.
South Washington property owners have
been given an opportunity of ventilatine their
grievances through the columns of THE Ma
TIoNAL REPUBLICAN, and our readers will
be ready to testify that they have not been
backward in stating what they think of the
Baltimore and Potomac railway company in
particular, and Of grinding monopolics in gen.
efal.
There arc two sides TO this as there are to
most questions Doubtless it is annoying to
have railway track laid down in front Of n
mans residence and to be subjected to the in
convenience Of having to dodge snorting
locomotives and flying express trains in going
to and from home, TO say nothing Of the
trouble experienced in breathing coal dust,
digging cndets from onos eyes, and of being
awakened at all hours of the night by tho
hideous screaming of steam whistles. but the
victims should think OF the compensations and
Try and be happy. If they were to stop
and consider, they would remember that
days of steam cars and progress, and that If
the tracks were not in front of their homes
oth"; people would be subjected to the same
annoyances they complain Of. This is poor
consolation but the best that can be had un-
til congress can be induced to provide some
thing moro effective.
The people who live away from the path of
the railways sympathizo with their afflicted
neghbors, and take it for granted that
the Baltimore and Potomac, in common
| with every other railway, will grab every
thing within reach, and cling to it like
! grim DEATH but they thrill with conscious pride
in their city when they look over the ground
and see that the business of the place compcls
the companies to reach out for increased
dents of that section of the city traversed by
the Baltimore and Potomac railroad to pray for
Il return of the graveyard quiet and calm
>ontentment of the stage coach period but
the remainder of the population may enter
tain different notions on this subject.
1t is out of the question to talk about
driving the railways away, or otherwise fenc-
ing in Washington. 1t cannot be done,
Washington is growing and it will continue
to grow. The needs of 100000 people make
business, foster enterprise, and stimulate
trade. 1t is pleasant to know that in twenty
five years Washington is certain to be the
grandest, the most beautiful the most aristo-
cratic and in every way the most gorgeous city
on the continents gloriously superb winter
Saratoga and summer paradise and all that
but at the same time we cannot shut our eyes
to the fact that these results cannot be
brought about without a reasonable amount
of smoke and dirt and other a,companiments
of thrift If people demand absolute quiet
and perfect freedom from SCOT and noise they
can find it in the seclus:on Of suburbs or
in some far Off wilderness. They need not
look for it in city which in few years will
contain 100000 inhabitants.
The residents of South Washington have
taken the right course. If they have been
| MIOuScu ny INV iai"as NOipahS VIC aSsiOo7
sor should be made to pay for every dollar of
damage inflicted, and the courts arc the
proper place to obtain redress. That is what
courts are for.
On the other hand, Washington could stand
little more SCOT, and dirt, and noise, and q
little moro business. There is room here
for commercial growth, and for manu-
featuring development as we'll. Mer
camille business is profitable, and
it would DO doubly profitable if there
were enlarged facilities. If Pennsylvania
avenue were lined on both sides with splen
did blocks, every inch of the increased spac,
offered would be utilized at n profit. Thor,
is power enough in the Potomac to run hun
dreds of manufacturing establishments ant
mills above the city, and enterprise in tina
direction should not be repelled.
Because we have lovely and clean cit,
let us not be selfish and try to keep it all Il
ourselves Let us invite everybody to COM
, hero and live. Come and buy costly resi-
dcncc in a fashionable quarter if you can, an
=, live in style, but if you can't do that, com
anyway. We need you, if you are any good
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