Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-05-26

The fact that the railroads viii be satisf,ed q
occupy the mall together, far from settling the
location or the common station, should be dis
missed from the consideration OF every legislator
for the District. The railroads have no valid claim
TO a site on the mall. The Baltimore and Ohio
makes no claim, except 20 ask that &c be put upon
an equal footing with the Baltimore and Potomac.
It has expressed It's willingness to occupy a COM
mon station at the intersection OF Maryland and
Virginia avenues. and to depress its tracks In
south washington. The millions expended by the
Baltimore and Potomac In getting to washingto..
give It no such claim because vas
spent on the strength % enc pioulSe VI a s.aeioh
,,s ,ot IN IN. mall, but at the very point TO
- =, a, now proposed by senator Morrill, TO re-
- - station. The latter site was named In
,.~srrtcles OF incorporation The location on the
mall was given By the nation later, in 1872, with
out any consideration whatsoever from the rail-
road The amount OF business done by the road,
The number OF trains run. and the number OF per-
sons carried furnish no foundation for the claim.
IL has put money in its own pocket in serving the
public well. and IL Congress has swelled its bus'-
ness and profits by giving lr for a time slight
advantage in location over its rival to the injury
az the park the fact furnishes no reason why that
injury ana that Partially should be made perma-
nent No claim can be based upon the occupation
already enjoyed Congress, in granting the privi-
lege. indicated that IL was merely temporary. For
instance In the House debate, Representative Pot
ter opposing an amendment which looked to the
future disturbance OF the road, said:
ali does not amount to anything, for In the bill
itself we nave reserved the right TO repeal or
amend the law at any time. Therefore when the
public park shall be built, as i heartily hope II
ments OF the law and enact such requirements as
may be deemed nece sSary.
The temporary character Of the occupation OF
the Baltimore and Potomac has been recognized
ever since. Lieut. Greene In his report OF 1882
says:
The concession tof a station site on the malD
was recognized at the time as an extraordinary
one, and would perhaps not have been granted but
for the dissatisfaction then existing against the
Baltimore and Ohio road, which had so long had
the monopoly Of all railroad connection with this
city IL has never been considered as a final set
Element OF the railroad question; the act Itself
contained an express provision reserving the right
TO modify or repeal II at any time, and hardly
session OF Congress has since passed without some
effort being made 10 nave me concession ,, on ON Ia
canal was not yet filed up, the PARK was only par
TALLY improved. and its value was only appreci-
ated as thing OF the future. Now IL Is reality,
and IL Is toe much to ask that the subject may
be now reconsidered as was distinctly implied In
the wording of the bill and SO stated in the debate.
and a final decision be made. III IL Is again de-
cided Ia favor OF the road then there is nothing
more to be said, the park will practically termi-
nate at 9Th street, Its size will be reduced from
2SO 20 $50 acres and the continuous drive from
the Capitol TO the White House Will be cut on. III
Il Is decided In favor OF the city then the park Will
be preserved and the depot Will have TO be moved
One-third OF mile to the south, still remaining,
however, within but little more than half q mile
from the center OF property valuations, which is at
Sth and ID streets"
Every set OF District Commissioners since the
new government OF 1878, except In 80 and SO.
when hope deferred and a long series Of disap-
pOintments quoted fer a time the demand, has
requested the removal OF the railroad from the
mall There has been. therefore, no aequiescence
by the District in the occupation. In the absence
OF O valid claim OF right in behalf or the rail-
roads not their satisfaction, but the public well
fare must be regarded. The only question is
whether the convenience OF the travelling public,
IN being brought nearer by few squares to the
business center, Outweghs the bad precedent or
giving several hundred thousand dollars worth Of
national property TO corporations. OF violating
implied trust to hold the public reservations for
the Use OF the people and OF destroying the SYM
metry, beauty and, In part, the public enjoyment
OF the citys largest park. To this question The
STAR sees only one answer.