National Republican., 1883-09-29
Caused by the Railway Tracks Along Mary
land and Virginia Avenues.
The Exact Figures as Computed by the
Interested Parties.
How the Companies Acquired Vested Rights ?--The
Question Of Commercial Advantage.
Communications and Complaints From
the Injured Property Owners.

with the approval of that section. Its ulti-
mate effect, it is said will be to bring in an
other part Of the city under the domain of tho
railway and fasten its grip the moro closely
on what 1t already possesses. The retention
by the Baltimore and Potomac company of
the privilege of continuing its supplies depot
at Tenth and Maryland avenue guarantees to
them the opportunity of still making Mary
land avenue freight yard. What corpora
tion, 1t is pertinently asked, ever neglected
TO seize an opportunity afforded it for its own
aggrandizement.
There can be no disputing the statement
that Washington has suffered for many years,
and still continues to suffer, from the existence
OF the two railways now penetrating to the
very heart of the city and which are allowed
to occupy such sites on the streets and
avenues for the depots and tracks which mar
the beauty of the public parks, obstruct tho
public thoroughfaro, endanger life and limb,
and greatly depreciate private property
along the limo of and near the streets and
avenues traversed by these roads. No ques-
ti0n OF commercial advantages can possibly
enter into the question. Washington has no
commercial trade except such as pertains to
supplying the wants of the citizens, most of
whom are directly or indirectly connected
with the general government. Therefore no
considerations of a commercial character can
be justly urged as reason for permitting
and parks into n freight yard, really making
the city only station inclosure of the rail-
ways.
The objection urged by the railways against
disturbing their occupancy of the streets is
that they have vested rights which ought
not to be disturbod-which cannot be
without mourning liabilities in large sums
for damages to these roads. The fact is, the
legislation, both of congress and of the mu-
nicipal authorities of the district shows that
none of the companies have received any
concessions which congress may not resume
ut pleasure. This point, however, is not sus-
Septible of discussion. say the South
cusssion is the fact, as they assert,
that the railways illegally occupy tho streets
as freight yard, and are preparing to occupy
government reservation as a freight yard,
contrary to law, without the express conces-
sion of congress- which has not even been
asked for. The third section of the legisla-
tive act of the District of Columbia, approved
Aug. %, 1871, is cited by the South Washing
ton people as an instance where the railways
are daily, even hourly, violating law. That
section reads
BehJlrther enacted, That no railway locomotive
or railway car or train of cars shall cucumber or
nbstruct any sidewalk or cross walk any street
in the city of Washington or Georgetown for lou
ger period than is absolutely necessary for the safe
and expeditions discharge of passengers only, un.
der penalty of S25 for each oense, to be forfeited
aud paid by the railway company owning or using
such locomotive engine, or railway or train OF
cars, or the agent, engineer, or conductor IN
whose charge such locomotive, engine, railway
car or train OF cars may be severally and respec-
lively. a~A :
That tho Baltimore and Potomac violates
this law is seen in the fact that freight
depot of the entire line Of Mar yland avenue
from the long bridge to Seventh street west,
and of Virginia avenue from Seventh street
to New Jersey avenue besides making ar
irangements to take in a government reserva-
'tion in addition The South Washington peo-
,nle also state that the district commissioners
are aiding the railways to violate the law.
1t is calculated that there are 6,600,000
square feet of ground along Virginia and
Maryland avenues southwest deprecated to
the extent, on an average, of 80 cents a foot,
aggregating in round numbers $2,000,-
900. There are 22,000,000 square
feet OF ground in South Washington
that would be appreciated by the location
of an elevated road along south X and Water
streets to the long bridge to the extent, on an
average, of 10 cents per foot, aggregating
$3,3O0000. Adding the deprecated and ap-
preciated value of these grounds, there are
$5,3OO,0 900, which, at IL per cent. tax, would
yield an addition to the city income Of $70,-
800. The estimated appreciation of the
ground by running the roads and causing
them to occupy the elevated road along tho
river front it is only fair to say, was made
several years ago, and competent judges de-
clare that at the present it is too low by one
half If this be so, then under such circum-
stances the gain to the city's income would be
$4,000 instead of $4,000.
A SUGGESTION FOR UNION DEPOT.
To The Editor.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.-As you have al.
lowed the railroad depot question to be so
fully discussed in your columns, | take tho
liberty to offer another suggestion.
At the foot of Pennsylvania avenue south
east there is large circular reservation. 1t
is just one mile from the capitol and in easy
reach OF all parts Of the city, if few streets
and avenues are graded.
The baltimore and Potomac crosses the
Anacostia river at this point and the Balti-
more and Ohio has track on the opposite
side of the river, and II Is supposed that the
Southern Maryland railway will also cross
there, making three roads that will have a
graded roadway 10 the place named.
The companies can buy land all around the
nelghborhood for very low price and re-
claim as much of the river flats as they want
on both sides for freight yards, &c. 1t seems
TO me that this circle would make a most
convenient place for grand union depot, and
would never be in the way of improving the
city, and would therefore never need to be
moved and, besides the long bridge could be
entirely removed if necessary and the trains
carried across the Potomac from the south
side Of the Anacostia by bridge or barge, as
tho Baltimore and Ohio have been doing.
thus relieving the city entirely of railway
tracks.
No doubt q bridge will soon bo built over
the site Of the old burnt bridge at the end OF
Pennsylvania avenue, but the street urade is
very steep, and it could be built high above
the tracks, allowing them to 30 under ON
either side of the river. sUGGEsTER.
THE b. AND r. RAILWAY TRACKS.
40 The Editor
Tho ground taken by Mr.. II. j. johnson
with the commissioners in reference to the
public reservation opposite his dwelling, be.
tween Seventh and Ninth streets, being con-
slantly used by the Baltimore and Potomac
railroad company for the shifting Of freight
cars, greatly to his injury and annoyance 20
his neighbors and to the citizens generally in
this vicinity, l see was referred TO Cant.
Green, who states that the switching of cars
aud making up of freight trains near Seventh
and Ninth streets win be stopped as soon as
the new tracks are completed on Canal street.
Now, while the railroad company are prepar-
ing to remedy the above nuisance, let me
ask why they do not make some provision to
abate the same nuisance on Maryland avenue,
between Ninth and Fourteenth streets,
where so long as the freight depot is allowed
to remain in its present position, from which,
necessarily, all freight cars for and from said
depot must be drilled In and out in order to
load aud unload them and consequently tho
residents between these points, particularly
between Tenth and Twelfth streets, must
necesarily be subjected TO the Same old
annoyances, such as blowing of of steam,
Jamming OF cars, plenty of smoke, cinders,