Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-13
CITY AND DISTRICT.
FIGHTING THE RAILROADS.
The Public Meeting i'm South WASHING.
ton Monday EVENING.

4 ton MONDAY Evening.
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED FAvoRING THE VANCE
| HARRIS BILI-MR. WRIGHT oBJEcTs osHIFT
| ING THE BURDEN UPON THE SHOULDERS OF
THE POOR.
"The Railroads Must Co." was the heading
| of call issued by c. p. Culver, chairman exec
| utive committee Citizens Protective associa.
| tion, for a public meeting held at the jefferson
| school building Monday evening" "to consider
| the subject of steam railroads within the heart
| OF the city of Washington, and their effect upon
l the moral, social and educational interests of
Its population" There were about fifty gentle
men present Among those present were School
| Trustee VIM. H. Baum, DIR. James E. Morgan,
John Webster, jr., DR.. Chas. Allen, Vim. Camp
| bell e: ID. Wright, James w. Barker, Frank s.
SON. s. B. Boyer. Charles Parker. W. E. Thomas,
| T. Murphy, w. N. Croggon and George Dent.
Or. James E. Morgan was elected chairman and
Dr. Charles Allen secretary.
| DIR. CULvERs STATEMENT OF GRIEVANCES
DIR. c. p. Culver read statement of the rea-
sons for calling the meeting, referring to the
existence Of the Baltimore and Potomac rail-
road in its present location as among the clogs
10 the educational, social and material adj
Vancement OF the city. He referred to the an
noyances due to the presence of the railroad,
spoke of it's effects as degrading and uncivil-
and the serious effect upon the jefferson school
building. Referring to statement by gentle
man man t living M lie northwest part Of the city
mad been the making of the city and were one
OF the greatest evidences of prosperity; that
| they contributed to the advancement of the
| material wealth and civilization OF the COM
mtn1ty and were the great educators of the peO-
pie, Dr; Culver asked why the residents OF 5th
| invasion OF that fashionable avenue by only a
line of street cars. How, he asked, would the
run the tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio road
up street TO Farragut square, or along Massa-
cate depot. 1t made some difference whose
| OK was gored: If railroads were evidences of
E4rsa, Why not run tracks along every
s4nalid and poverty-stricken appearance
0a ss the streets is, along which railroads
and deep ignorance. If they desired Washing
ton to become the center Of wealth, fashion and
tabish a national university or inviting people
OF wealth to make their home here they should
every man as he entered the city. He quoted
nom THE EVENING STAR, in which he said he
often found germs of thought" an editorial
upon the attractions of Washington as the CAPT.
tai of the nation, the tendency Of capital to
come to Washington and the possibilities OF the
future OF the city as a great national center.
HOW TO REALIZE SUCH EXPECTATIONS.
In order to realize these expectations, DR..
| Culver said it was the duty of Congress to au-'
thorize by law the removal of the Baltimore
and Ohio and Baltimore and Potomac tracks
from their present location within the heart of
the city to point nearer the southern bound
airy, as provided for in TIE Vance-Harris bill.
This bill provided for the junction of the roads
through the tunnel and then by viaduct to
Water street. and thence along Water street to
me In Long Lon bridge with union depot between
European Cities he said, required all railroads
tOpurchase the Iight-Ofway over the first stories
elevated tracks there Why should the people
OF this city become the dupes of soulless corpo-
and IN SIR free Of cost
we're removed, he said, they might see the walls
of Mr.. ingalls, university raised in some suita-
BILE spot in South Washington, identifying u
place now rendered .unsighty by steam rail-
roads.
MR.. WRIGHT OBJECTS TO ANYTHING "CUT AND
DRIED"
Upon motion of DIR. Culver 1t was decided to
appoint committee of five on resolutions The
chairman announced as the committee, Dr:C.
r Culver, Allen Wall, A. +. Barker Rev. c. C.
MeadOr and Mr.. Robinson, of East Washington.
Mr. Barker having expressed a disinclinatiOn
toned to drawing resolutions. DR.. Calver init
mated that he would not have much to do.
Mr. Ed Wright thereupon arose and stated
already prepared object. If this is cut and
dried meeting object to it."
| friend as he called Mr.. Wright. and explained
that it was common at all meetings to have
resolutions prepared in advance to be submit
Messrs. Wall and Robinson not being present
the chair offsr to appoint Mr.. Wright on the
chairman then appointed Messrs. Baum and
EermilliOn on the committee in the place of
the gentlemen absent. When these appoint
L know they are cut and dried" When the
committee had retired Mr. Wright was invited
the resolutions. "Nobody in south Washing
ton has paid out more money or as much as
have" said Mr.. Wright, land want to know
w hat 6ntpNf r
any more for printing memorials and adver-
Using in papers till know what We are doing"
THE RESOLUTIONS.
The committee on resolutions returned and
reported resolutions setting forth "that as the
sense of this meeting, we do most respectfully
recommend to the Senate and House commit
tees of Congress on the District of Columbia
the adoption of the Vance-Harris BILL Nos 24S
and 2o4, as respectively introduced by those
the routes OF said railroads within the city and
the location of the union depot and further,
that We recommend to the President of the
United States the Importance of a special mes
sage to Congress on the subject of the removal
OF these steam railroads, and asking his con-
currence in the plans suggested in the Vance
Harris bill" DIR. Allen then read the Vance
Harris bill, recently introduced in Congress,
providing for the junction of the railroads east
of the Navy Yard tunnel, and union depot
between X and L and Sd and 9TH streets south
west.
DIR. Meador, who was invited to speak, said
he thought 1T was time for action and not for
speechInaking. He thought the people should
do what they could to show that they favored
this bill. The bill, he thought, was more BUSH
ness-like than anything that they had had
since the agitation was commenced.
MIR. WRIGHT OBJECTS.
Mr.Wright said that there were not present at
the meeting five men living on the line of the
route proposed by this bill. eff there are, he
said, ~ ask them to arise. await your an
swer." Mr.. Wright paused, but no one rose
"NOt one," continued Mr.. Wright. "This is q
new departure; a new bill. This is bill which
places on the very poor the burden and wrong
we complain about. You have changed your
route"
t 81 beg your pardon" said DIR. Culver at is
not changed. / drew both bills"
II say it is changed" declared Mr.. Wright,
with some warmth.
II don't want m1sstatement to 60 out from
this meeting" said DR.. Culver, land say it is
not changed"
Mr. Wright continued TO declare that the bill
had been changed.
MR.. wEBsTER's POINT OF ORDER.
Mr.. John Webster, jr., raised point of order,
saying that, as he understood 1t, the meeting
was called for the benefit of citizens, and not
for the benefit Of railroads. He thought these
objections were raised only to delay the meet
ing.
to take another meeting to consider this mat
ter He went on to say that he did not like
I fAtrN