The Evening critic., 1884-04-25
THE DEPOT QUESTION.
CITIZENS ACCORDED A HEARING

Before the Seuate District Committee
To-day I'm Relation 90 the Tracks
and DepOts of tho Steam Railroads
-Mr. MOrriIi's Bill FavOred-Re-
marks by DIR. q. T.. Culver, MY. q.
Is. Church, "A. M. Kanouse aud
Others.
The Senate Committee on the District of
Columbia held an open session this morning
from 10 to IL o'clock for the purpose of
hearing citizens on the question of the 10
cation of depots for the two railroads. DIR.
Culver was the first to speak. His re-
marks were rs follows:
1 appear before your committee this morn
Ing, by your courtesy, In behalf OF tho rosl-
dent citizens and propertyhOlders OF South
Washington. These citizens and property
holders claim rights as such, which take pro.
cedeuce Of all railroad corporations within tne
limits OF the city OF Washington, but who have
never been consulted as to their wishes In tho
matter OF the location Of tho railroads within
the city, and which, We respectfully submit,
demand due and proper consideration at the
hands OF this committee and OF Congress as
the law.making power over the District OF %.
lumbla. Both Congress and those railroad
corporations have wholly ignored the people
In their considerations OF these questions In
the past. Have the peOple-the citizens OF this
District-no rights which neither Congress nor
these corporations should respect?
In It's relations TO tho present aud futureof
Washington, this subject OF the location OF the
tracks OF the steam railroads entering the city
along the lines OF some OF our principal streets
and avenues, and the location OF their depot5
within tho heart OF tho city, Is au important
problem TO DO considered ms we'll as solved. 1t
is not one merely confined In It's scops aud
bearing to those who are living within the
limits OF the city to-day, but as woll TO those
who are TO inhabit It in time to como AS
stated by President Roberts, in his remarks
made before this committee last Monday,
"Washington is yet In It's infancy and is des-
tined In time 10 become great and populous
CITY,"
This is doubtless true, and the mind that
conceived the topography of Washington city
and the men who executed It's plans, In look
ing along down the vista of centuries and
viewing It's grand panorama OF the future,
saw II in all its grandeur and in Its magnih-
cent proportions as tho unmarried Capital OF a
great Nation, and which II is tho duty OF Oon-
gross, as IL is the duty OF It's citizens OF to-day
TO SEQ TO Il that the despoiler's mercenary
hands shall not DO rudely laid upon 1t. Look
at this question, Senators, not from railroad
standpoint, but take n broader and moro
statesmanlike view OF tho whole subject.
The First Great Question
then to be decided is whether It is to the in.
terest of all parties concerned that the pas.
eenger and express business OF all the steam
railroads which enter tho city shall concen.
trato at one point within the heart OF the city,
as proposed by Senator Germans amended
bill, which brings the u. & o. road In along
side OF tho u. n z. road 10 the mall and locates
their depot on the east side OF sixth street, OPP
posite the u. Z. depot, occupying the same
tracks on the present grade OF these avenues
and streets, or whether II would not be best, as
we now suggest, TO have tho business OF these
roads conducted and carried on at tho point
suggested In section OF the Morrill, bill, as
follows:
''sec g. That u union depot for passengers
and express freights, and for no other pur-
poses, save the of1lces connected with the sew
eral roads, shall be erected on such square or
squares south OF street as may be desig-
mn cd ~ ~ npNla INV
where between the James Greek Canal and
Seventh street southwest"
Now we are OF the opinion that, with refer.
encc to the location OF depots for oil roads
entering Washington city, they shall BIO so
located as to
Interfere as Little rs Possible with
lhe Public Parks,
atfe great lungs Of the city, the avenues and
tial facility to enable these great and indis-
pensable thoroughfares to pass Into aud out of
our city and TO transact the commerce or carry
ing trade over their roads within its limits.
This We say can DO done Without occupying
any OF our public parks or avenues and but
two or three OF our streets, and two of those
are used but little at present. refer to Fiji
teenth street northeast and X street south OF
the Capitol. Nor would this route, as we pro.
pose, running along Water street from Seventh
10 the Long Bridge upon an elevated road
twelve or fifteenth feet above the grade of the
street, interfere In the least with the travel or
traf1ic along the river front.
Inc squares OF BrOunl DetWoen IL nn1 IL
streets south and the mouth of the Maynard
tunnel and Seventh street are but sparsely
improved with dwelling houses. A large
number OF them, indeed, being wholly unlm-
proved or only used as brlckyards, could be
purchased to-day very cheaply, not to exceed,
We think, twenty cents per square foot In the
aggregate,or me whole Tier OF squares from the
tunnel 10 Seventh street could DO had for less
than $175,000
No Great Damage Could therefore
Result
TO private interest by the location OF a vladuct
road over these squares, besides the space un.
derneath the tracks thus elevated could be
utilized for shops, wood and coal yards, lum-
Der and stone repositories, and for other pur-
poses OF business and storage,so that the sale or
lease OF these privileges would, In time, more
| than pay the interest on the cost OF the ground
and the building Of the elevated road. These,
then, are important facts TO be considered,
we'll as by these railroads. Here they viii
have space enough for all the tracks that these
| roads will ever need In doing the business OF
| this city. They will have width OF upward
| OF $50 feet, II have the correct data. This
will obviate President Roberts objections to
their present restricted limits within virginia
and Maryland avenues ana Sixth street.
4. why the MOrrill Bill is the hest.
BY u glance at a map of the city you will
| perceive that the route proposed by the Nor
| rill bill occupies but very small portion o
| the city, and cannot result TO the Injury o
| extent. Indeed, an elevated road along ant
| over this part OF Washington would enhanc,
the value OF real estate In section OF the cit!
| which, but for some improvement OF public
| character, must remain unimproved and un
inhabited for many years to come. Not so win
| the present locations along virginia and Mary
land avenues. Besides, II these roads wer
/ located along the route designated In the Nor
| rill bill, II would forever fix them as perma
| nept and Interchangeable.
The river, which is but a short distanc
| south OF street, Is
A Barrier TO the Further Extension
OF the CITY
| In that direction; but this IL not true of tina
portion north OF the Capitol. AS suggested b.
MIR. Roberts, the time Will come when Wash
ington VIII be great and populous city, an
then It's borders Will extend for miles beyon
It's present boundaries, to the north, NORTH
east and northwest, and It's growth should nc
be retarded by tho location OF these roads a
| tho above mentioned points OF the compass
i As 10 following up the centre OF the bushes
| and population OF a growing city with railroa
| facilities at every mans door, Is simply In
| possible In the very nature OF things. Tn
more fashionable and wealthy portions of tn
population OF city get as far away from raj
roads and railroad depots as possible. VIVA
would the property-holders and resident
north and west OF tho White House and tn
State, Navy and War Departments say II 20
| were TO propose TO run steam railroad alon
Connecticut avenue, and TO
Locate "a DepOI on Farragut Square
You can well imagine what they would bot
| say and do. They would tear your road up q
fast az you could put II down. Then can 20
blame us who live In the vicinity OF or alon
two OF the longest and most beautiful avenue
I'm the city-Our great South Washlngto
bouleVards-for obJectlng 10 the use of thes
broad thOroughfares by the b. p. road, an
for protesting In most emphatic terms TO IN
bringing OF tho b. Il o. road into and alon
Il these same avenues, thus doubling the annol