National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-12-22
THE TRACK QUESTION.


the Growing Business Interests OF WASH
lngton.
10 ne Editor,
As portion ofthc citizens of South Wash
ington are disposed to foment discord in the
community respecting the railroad question,
doubtless stimulated thereto by the unwlse
action of the commissioners In assembling n
squad OF policemen to prevent, as alleged, tho
Baltimore aud Potomac Railroad company
from laying Its trucks across Fourteenth street,
II seems proper that true statement Of the
case should be presented TO the public, 80 that
those Interested may be able TO understand
precisely the true condition Of things. As the
railroad company had not the slightest inton.
ton of laying It's tracks by force, the recent
oNhlbition of tho police power OF tho COM
mis'oners was entirely unnecessary, as they
had no reason TO arprchcnd that the company
proposed TO lay the tracks without authority.
NOW what are the facts In the case The Bal
timorc and Potomac Railroad company for the
purpose OF accommodating It's largely in-
creased freight business IN The city OF Wash
accent 70 is f tracks az e loot p Of FSPTt
I street, and applied 10 the district commits
sioners for permission to lay tracks across
Fourteenth street to reach IT. this permission
| was not accorded, and after waiting In the
vain expectation thatthe commissioners would
| recognize the business interests Of this com
munity and grant the permit they sought, the
|
| lawful manner to determine, through the in
strumentality Of the courts, It's right or other
wise, under Its charter, to lay the tracks In
| question.
No one, not even the most pronounced OPP
| ponent of the railroad company In South
washington, can object 10 such n perfectly
IfgltilnaIe proceeding, and as the commits
| Hioncrs were advised beforehand OF the pro-
| posed action of the company not to lay down
| the tracks In spite of them, but to ASCERTAIN
whether the commissioners had the right to
prevent the company from creating the proper
facilities for the transaction Of It's business in
| the city of Washington. Now, Mr.. Editor
while freely admit that there is room for n
wide difference of opinion as to the advan-
| tnge or otherwise accruing to the property
binding upon Maryland and Virginia avenues
| IN consequence of the occupancy of the cen
ter OF these wide thoroughfares by the Balti-
more and Potomac Railroad company, one
thlng IL certain, that no one influence has done
more TO stimulate and develop the business
growth OF our city than the Baltimore and Po-
.pinno railroad company, and is IL not time
tnat we recognize that the railroad Is an ex-
lstDhg fact, and that It has come to stay!
II the residents of South Washington would
cease this senseless clamor and encourage the
railroad company in its efforts to promote our
interests, which arc identical with its own, in
lew, years the property on the line of Virginia
ana Maryland avonues-natural business ar
terles-would increase TOUR fold in value for
business purposes, HenCeiorth Washington
city Is bound to grow rapidly, and the rail
roads must increase their facilities to keep
pace with that development short time
SINCE the railroad company was censurod by
the community, and justly too, for the con
tinued occupancy of the streets for the pur
pose OF discharging freight from cars the fact
was us business increased more rapidly thar
its ability to furnish accommodations for the
same, and then the very moment that the com
pany began to eXpend money In the direction
OF increasing its Washington terminals, they
were met by the unaccountable opposition O
the commissioners, so that 1t finds itself II
this extraordinary dilemma on one hand tn,
commissioners and the people cry-you mus
not make freight yards of our streets, but mus
establish them upon your own property. Or
the other hand, when the company has pur
chased property to meet this requirement
thon the commissioners and the same peopl,
say, you must not lay tracks upon your prop
erty. In the name of common sense Mr.
Editor what is the railroad company to dor
IT. would, nc. doubt, please some of our peo
pie fthey establish the freight stations south
of the Long bridge in one direction and cas-
ofthe Anacostia in the other, but this doe
not meet the wants ofthe business community
who have some rights in the district as well u
their neighbors in South Washington.
AN OLD MERCHANT.