National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-26


law. Similar permits have been refucd many
citizens Of late
There was q preliminary meeting held
last night Mt the residence Of Mr.. Charles B
Church, 306 Eleventh street southwest Tor
the purpose of determining upon somo de-
cisivo action relative to protesting against
the proposed running of the Baltimore anG
Ohio railroad tracks down street. SoNeral
prominent citizens of that section ot tho
city were present, but tho meeting was en-
tircly of a private character. a more for
NAL meeting will shortly be held, ~ Whlch
such action MS was determined upon last oven
ing will ho developed. , =.
DR.. L. L. Culver, q prominent citizen OF
South Washington, contributes MS views OH
the railroad problem as follows
Tho nroblCm OF steam railroads for WASH
iprton is one which seems TO pu2zo the
brains of congressman and railroad officials
as well as many Of our good citizens. VINO are
concerned for the present and the future OF
tho federal capital, and yet IL is y problem
not difficult OF solution when tho proper rules
arc applied.
one of the desired objects to bc attained in
n change of location OF the Baltimore and
Ohio and Baltimore and Potomac roads bya
parties concerned, excepting the roads them.
selves, is the concentration Of these and oil
other roads coming into Washington into one
common or union depot, and that this depot
shall be located somewhere within the city
easy of access to all tho roads entering the
same and with the least damage to private or
public property.
Some of the points made by observer" in
the Ercnin1 Sfur vi Saturday last against sen.
ator Germans bill are vol taken; but he
fails to point out n remedy for the errors in
corporated in that bill. Allow me, then, to
suggest to congress as well as to tho railroad
officials remedy which, ii carried out. will
not only accomplish the end desired or
a. l.. H.. -. l. lt,Nt ttl,t tgl No
thinks will subsorve the best business interests
Of the city as we'll as meet the appreciation
Of the property holders.
First Let all roads from the north, east
aud west cross the Anacostia river or Eastern
branch on u draw bridge on line with the
present Baltimore and Potomac road, and
running parallel with this road to the eastern
mouth Of the navy yard tunnel, and thon let
said tunnel be widonod so as to accommodate
all the necessary tracks of the several roads
lassing through IL.
Second. As tho several roads emerge from
the tunnel let them turn TO the left upon the
adjacent squares, and running along the
south side anl parallel to X street south, on
an elevated or viaduCt road of sufficient
height to permit covered vehicles to pass
under IL at all the cross streets. Then by the
purchase of tho tier Of squares, or the north
half of them, from tho tunnel to Seventh
srcet southwest, and thence on their viaduct
road along Water street to and over the Long
bridge, and all the present difficulties would
at once vanish and perInanencc be secured.
Third. Then let the roads thus entering
and passing through Washington adopt the
plan or system lately introduced in Berlin,
tho capital of the German empire, and con-
struCt store houses and shops for all manner of
business and trades underneath their road
bed and thus utilize overy foot of ground for
either business or railroad purposes from the
mouth of the tunnel to Seventh street. The
sale or rental of these business houses would
in few years pay or more than pay the cost
of ground aud tho building of the elevated
road.
A union depot could then be located any
where along this line of road between the
James Creek canal and Seventh street, as
may be thought most convenient, while the
balance of the squares could be occupied for
freight depots, round houses, machine shops,
coal yards and depots, and other purposes,
without any interference with the growth of
the city or the value of private property, as
neither can be iuterfered with to any great
extent in that now unimproved part of the
city. This plan would relieve the mall as
well as Virginia and Maryland avenues OF
their present encumbranccs and which must
continue to be source of great annoyance to
the residents along those beautiful avenues
and which in the very nature of things will
keep alive the oppositisu to the roads and 6
constant litigation between the property hold
Senator MorrilPs bill No. 1917, introduced
in tho forty.seventh congress, first session
ana which was prepared by me, covers tn,
details of the plan here suggested, excepting
that the suggestions here made remove the
line of roads upon the squares of ground
south OF * street instead Of along X street
as provided for in that bill.