Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-15

i, 1856.
railroads have carried their business that it
has been impossible TO worship Almighty God In
the churches erected for that purpose. And suits
have been bought, and the people have been re 1.
t'oning here anu representing their wrongs and
measure after measure has been introduced aud
re Of oa5 S1s
tlon WORTH 500 coo without paying a cent a site
which It would be required to pay $3.50 1000 for in
any other city, has 1nterPOsed and interposed sue
ceSsfally, its opposition to all measures requiring
II to withdraw from that reservation, to take up
It's tracks through 9th street, to cease TO bisect
that magnificent mall extending from the Capitol
to the naval observatory, and carry on its opera
tions where Il would be as much to the convent
enee OF the public. two squares further south, on
that broad space at the Intersection Of Virginia
and Maryland avenues"
CONGRESS TO BLAME.
In response to question by Mr.. Plumb as to
where the blame rested Mr.. Ingalls, proceeded:
Congress Is unquestioHably to blame. 1 am not
finding any fault with the railroad corporations.
They have a valuable franchise, and they mean to
keep 1t. Here fs one OF them under the very caves
droppings OF this Capitol, with a terminal station
its approaches are in the public highways with
out decent accommodations for the public, and
claiming that II has vested right under pre-
vOuS act OF Congress to do 1t pleases until l9lO
and the other corporation, securing special prfvi-
eges on account OF the OblOquy that was felt
against It's rival, has located its sheds and depot
On public reservation, destroying access to one
portion OF the city by the occupation OF avenues
and streets with its tracks and both being able SO
threatens their interests that although absolutely
hostile upon every other point, they united in
their present injur1eus Occupatioa Of the public
property. do not blame, as said, the railroad
corp9rattons for occupying this property. They
that they afford better facilities to the people from
the north and from the south by being thus en-
Pennsylvania avenue. There is a good deal of
secret history about this matter, Mr.. President;
there are great many open secrets that perhaps
from Missouri inquiries why 1t is that this matter
has been left unacted upon, why IL is the public
have been left to suffer under these exacttons, I
can say to him that 1t has not been for the want
OF honest effort repeatedly made to secure the
currence of these rival interests in some measure
that would enable their friends in Congress and
out OF 1t to agree upon some site for union depot
and thus relieve the people from this burden under
nothing would be done on this subject until some
measure is reported from the District committee.
He referred to the resolution he offered at the last
session, making inquiry as to the legal right OF
Congress to legislate on this subject and disturb
vested interests.
Mr.. Morrill, remarked that In the bill chartering
the Baltimore and Potomac railroad the right to
alter and amend was special reserved.
MT. Vest said, at the request OF Mr.. Ingalls,, his
C1
and he hoped 1t would be an occasion for that
committee taking some action.
THINKS IT A STARTLING STATEMENT
Mr.. Van Wyck said: SIT must strike those who
take an interest in the legislation OF Congress af
fecting the rights OF individuals that the state
ment made by the chairman of the committee on
the District OF Columbia Is startling one that the
steam railroads entering this city should use the
franchise given them to arbitrarily and without
authority take occupation OF reservations other
property, and that that should be continued year
after year and the American Congress denying to
two hundred thousand people the right OF SELF
control, should sit here nine months in one year
and three in another and leave this community
entirely at the mercy of the avar1ce the greed and
the extOrtOn OF corporations OF this nature 1t is
startling proposition. There Is no excuse for 1t
anywhere; none whatever. There is no allega.
ton that Congress Is powerless before such great
excuse, 1t would be worse tnfamy than the crime
alleged against them. Our crime is worse than
that OF the railroad companies, and the Senator
has properly designated their occupation of this
franchise as infamous and SO It is. The citizens
OF this city win be re}oced at the statement made
by the Senator from Kansas because 1T fnsures to
them the cooperation and the power which that
Senator from his position on this floor and as the
people who have been long suffering in this city,
He referred to the fact that Congress had eStab-
lished no tribunal whereby damages could be as
sesSed in favor OF persons owning residences on
the streets turned over to the occupation OF these
railroad companies.
TAKING CONGRESS BY THE THROAT.
$50 it seems" he said, ''theSe mammoth corpora
tions can take Congress by the throat, and al
though it sits nine months In one year and three in
next, the great representatives OF the American
republic tremble before these huge corporations,
and the only remedy for the individual the citizen
(who has no protection by reason OF any self-con-
troll on the part OF the people here or any regula-
tion of their own aairs is that he must go to the
courts single-handed and alone to deny the right
streets and destroy the value of his property and
make 1t useless. judge SO from the fact that the
people OF South Washington have petitioned, not
only this year, but the last halfdozen years-peti-
toned, without redress Congress to give them
some protection and until this time their request
has passed as. apparently a Snheeded until WHAT"
that something in the bill should be retroactive.
THE STREETS ALREADY OCCUPIED.
''The streets that are already occupied" he
said, "reQuire the attention Of Congress and re-
quire some legislation. Year after year the Sena-
tor from Miss Oun says that he has presented pc
titiOnS or resolutions or bills looking to the con-
struction OF union depot, which is demanded by
the interest Of trade and travel and commerce,
by every interest; and yet there has been no
in this city except that the railroad corpora
tions were powerful enough to prevent
action upon that IN, matter M Why, Sir it would have
suitable committee of this body to have reported
bill which In their judgment was right. That
had an opportunity to see whether these subtle
influences could have reached and controlled 4
body like the Congress OF the United States. Here
1t stands conceded is the unjust the injurious
cupation Of this property, the viainous proSti-
tuition OF franchise to the injury OF the people,
and the Congress that gave it to them falls TO de-
mand the reason why. The Senator says that the
act OF 1872 provided for the amendment or repeal
OF this charter. Then certainly Congress has re-
served to itself all that Is necessary. The abuse
OF this franchise was fragrant, so much that 1t
has been deserved for years and to-day has re-
ceived the truthful characterization which the
Senator from Kansas has given ii. / trust now
that this may be little ray OF hope to the citizens
OF Washington that the day of de1verance may
be approaching, not only from the exactions and
steam railroads but OF other corporations which
PEELED great city and nearly quarter Of mil
lion OF population to be subjected in their rights
and In their interests to corporations started and
created by act OF Congress-
Mr.. Edmunds amendment was agreed to and
the bill was then finally passed as amended.
The Boston Navy Yard.
A CHANGE SIMILAR 10 THAT AT THE WASHINGTON
YARD.
The Secretary OF the Navy to-day issued a gen.
eral order changing the Boston navy yard into an
equipment yard under Commodore Schley, chief
of the bureau OF equipment and recruiting. The
change Will be made In the same way that the
Washington navy yard was changed into an ord
nance foundry by the order OF the first OF October
All the shops and such tools and material belong
ing to the other departments as may be needed