Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-19
Northeast Washington on the Railroad
Question.

To the'Editor of The EVENING STAR:
Lest the public may miSapprehend the position
OF the citizens OF section on the railroad dues
ton, desire 10 say that our association as long
ago as June IL, 1887, unanimously adopted
resolution that the Baltimore and OHIO ought to
remove all It's tracks TO some point east OF 18th
street east, passing under the Bladensburg and
Benning bridge road, and enter alongside Of the
BIltlmOre and Potomac tracks, south OF Pennsyl-
Vanla avenue. Again at a special meeting We re-
affirmed that view. After the Senate committee
had refused 10 compel the Baltimore and Ohio to
adopt that route most OF US came TO the conclu-
sion that the only hope OF getting any relief was
10 let the Baltimore and ONO come in on Sd street.
and tunnel under the hil, as proposed by the
Faulkner and Morrill, bills do not think there is
man IN East Washington who does not think
the road ought to be compelled to go around by
The Eastern Branch AT the same time / know
OF out very rev, II any, In the northeast section
VINO would not much prefer that the road should
SO through Sd street. rather than have the present
TRACKS remain as they are; and it was because OF
the rear that opposition to that route would pre-
vent any RELIEF tnat some OF our people opposed
Ihe adoption OF The resolutions at the meeting on
Thursday night.
AT present the Baltimore and Ohio tracks cross
tUehty-utTee streets at grade in the northeast,
besides occupying several whole streets. BY the
proposed 3rdstreet route they would cross but ttpo
at grade, although on several OF the others high
bridges With long or steep approaches would be
required, and which ought not TO De when it can
all be avoided by their going by the river bank
As 10 the relative cost the route by the river bank
viii De quarter of million cheaper than the 3rd-
Baltimore and ONO, admitted that fact In mis- in
terVleW with the CitiZenS' Committee but he OBJ
Jected, because he said 1t would add ten minutes
10 the tlne-he claiming that IL would Increase the
distance about miles. WHILE as a matter OF fact
1t would Increase II but little over 1 mile: and
as that road Is nearly miles shorter than the
Baltimore and Potomac To Baltimore, and 20 odd
miles shorter TO Chicago, cannot see why they
should object on that ground, especially when
tney ASK Us 10 help them secure The great pTivi-
legeS they ask fOr-Of getting depot south OF the
avenue, anu southern connection Via the Long
Urilse, OF, as tney express 1t, TO be put on par
with their rival in every respect. We prefer the
Morrill Dill. because II proposes 10 remove the
Baltimore and Potomac depot from the mall. and
locate the depotS the pubic squares between I'm
and9th streets, one on the north and the other on
the south side OF Maryland ana Virginia avenues
where they cross each other. There is one pro.
Vision IN the Faulkner bill which ought not To be
permitted un1er any circumstances. and that Is
TO close up 6th street Ii the roads are 10 he ner
nllted 70 occupy the mall Us proposed or opposite
slues ol otA street, that bill or any other should re-
qulre the companies 70 buy or condemn enough
property on the edge OF the squares along each
side OF 9th street, from Virginia avenue up TO the
man, Tor their tracks, so as to Keep that street
open at all hazards. IL is the only street from 9Th
10 ~ running north and south, anu 7tn mas TWO
street car TRACKS and Is so occupied by teams along
the market square that IT is almost Impossible 10
drive through there good share oi the time
west OF there, there Is no street until We reach
18th on which We can 20 south TO the river or
north 10 the Avenue. II the depOts should be
located as proposed by the Morrill, bill OF course
9th street would be left open and would be the
=
strong point In favor OF that bill as against the
Faulkner OIL There Is another point IN which all
these bills are defective, and that Is in not liking
absolutely within certain bounds the depth 10
which the tracks shall be sunk, both on the north
and south sides, and which the officers OF the
pennsylvania Co. have said they could
and would do. That it can be done so
tllat SIX streets In South Washington can
De oridged over the tracks no one questions and
Is shown by Maj. winnings report, and that after
all, Is the main pOlnJ-to remove the obstructIons
from the streets, 50 We can use them freely and
without danger. Another matter-these bills give
the companies StI gears, 100 much by hair In
when 10 complete the changes, and leaves the
matter or sinking their tracks the discretion OF
the commissioners That ought 10 be changed
VINO AnOwS VINO Will be Commissioners then: and
III THESE companies can control Congress, how
much easier Tor them TO control the Commissioners
or secure the appointment OF men they can iuflu-
ence? In TACT, they need control but one-the
Engineer CommissIOner-because, as was the case
with the Ludlow bill, this matter will naturally
De IeIt mainly 10 him, as Mr.. Webb told US that
was senator Morrill's amendment, / am glad 10
see, places this matter finally under the control OF
the secretary OF War; but l would much prefer
that III should be a committee OF citizens. L look
upon The settlement or this railroad question as
one OF the most important OF all for the welfare
OF the city, and, for one, II cannot get what /
think We ought 10 have, will be glad TO take less
50 IL De settled now and the streets made passa-
bic. W, q ID