Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-12
The Pennsylvania railroad through Presi

The Pennsylvania railroad through Presi-
dent Roberts admits that it is a law breaker in
Its occupation Of the streets of the capital and
that blockade upon Washington freight has
been declared, but blames both facts upon its
inadequate freight facilities and upon the an
noyance TO which il has been subjected at the
hands Of those who have persistently called at
tention to its violations of the law. Its freight
facilities in this city are admitted to be made
quate, but in the opinion and personal expert
ence Of the business men, as stated in STAR in
terviews, such inadequacy alone does
not account for this sudden par
alysis in the local working of q
great railroad system at a special time, namely,
the opening session of a new Congress-; and in
spite Of the railroads disclaimer the fact that
the use Of the public streets as freight yards
cost nothing and saved it the expenditure of
many thousands of dollars is still believed to
have relieved the railroads occupation of them
for that purpose of the element of painful COM
pulsion. Though automatically worded, Pres
ident Roberts letter is a distinct move in the
railroads policy of coercion. The point Of his
statement is found in his expression of trust
that the situation will induce those who really
represent the business interests of Washington
to make such representations to Congress that
the lines of steam railway which have be-
come so essential to the prosperity Of your city
will be enabled to provide themselves with the
facilities which, while now denied to them in
your city, are cheerfully extended to them in
every other city in the Union"
The people OF Washington will cheerfully
unite with the railroad to secure for the latter
the legislation which will enable it to enjoy
here privileges extended to it in other cities,
but which are denied to it here by the law as
construed by the Supreme Court of the United
States, provided the railroad will unite with the
people Of Washington in securing legislation
which will give to them the same considerable
treatment and the same relief from obvious
evils of the present railroad occupation which
are extended to other cities of the Union but
which are denied to them. The complaint of
the rsIlroad is against the law and against the
highest legal tribunal of the nation. The COM
plant OF the people is against the Illegal acts
OF the railroad, and against its stingy policy OF
utilizing to their full extent the valuable gifts
OF the nation to it at the capital in free
right Of way and free station SITES and steadily
refusing to make the improvements in its occu-
patton which 1t boasts of doing in cities where
it has been far less favored. Its grievance in
respect to the block of ground on 18th street
which it purchased avowedly for freight yard
is a fair sample of its Affections After it
had for years pursued the policy OF using public
property for freight and storage purposes in
spite Of the protests of citizens, it purchased a
piece of ground. avowedly inadequate in size.
which could not be reached except by leaving
its line through the city as laid down by Con-
gress, crossing a street and obstructing that
great thoroughfare, the approach to the
Long Bridge across the Potomac. If it
could thus have departed at will
from Its chartered course through
the city, there would have been nothing to pre-
vent il from buying a station site in the heart
OF the fashionable northwest section and ex-
tending Its tracks over the pubic streets to Its
purchase. The Supreme Cours decid ID that
the road could not depart from its route and
spoil more streets without authority from Con-
gress; and in that decision the road finds ex-
cuse for a complaint that it is forced to con-
tinue its unhappy career a law bre ak r. Tn /,
road should purchase adequate property along
Its line and apply to Con ;ress for permission
to reach II; or 1t should ask for a carefully
limited privilege OF condemnation Of private
property along its line with the same end in
view. Congress should grant this request at
the same time that it acts favorably
upon the appeal Of the people for
the sinking below grade or elevation
above grade, where either Is practicable, of all
steam railroad tracks III the city, relief from
unnecessary and illegal tracks, from dangerous
grade crossings, from Illegal occupation of
public property and illegal use of public prop
erty legally occupied, from unsightly and in
appropriately located stations and unsightly
approaches to stations, and from the obstruc-
ton and choking with surface tracks of two
quarters OF the city. The railroads should not
be given everything and concede nothing
The railroad Furnishes our merchants because
the law forbids it to do here some things which
1t may do elsewhere and intimates that this CITY
discrlminates against it The suggestion that
the hostile discrimination is made by the CANT
tai and not by the railroad would be amusing n
the situation were not so serious. In what
other large city than the capital does this road
enjoy free right of way entirely over the pub
lie streets, and free station site upon the citys
largest park with the right to cut and disfigure
such park with its tracks? In what other city
has the legislative body permitted it to occupy
without shadow Of authority higher than
squatter sovereignty" public spaces not granted
to III In what other city has it long been per-
mItted by the same authority to Illegally but
lnexpenslvely use the streets for freight and
storage purposes? In what other city has il
long been permitted to seize and fence in as its
property streets over which it has the mere
right Of transit, isoiatIng by an almost
impossible belt the river front and a
populous section OF the city? To what
other city has it shown less graft
tude for fsvors received? In Philadelphia
1t spent five million dollars to give the people a
more conveniently located station. In Wash
ington it will not remove its station for the
few squares which will carry it from beautiful
public reservation. In Philadelphia it has
bought and owns for its purposes between five
and six hundred acres of land within the city
limits. How much has it bought and does it
own IN Washington? In Harrisburg it has built
new station and changed its line, with large
expense 70 the company. 1t refuses this i'm
provement TO Washington. Itconcedes the dan
ger Of grade-cros5ings and boasts that its policy
has been ito meet the different municipal au-
thorities OF the various towns through which its
lines pass in the most liberal spirit, so as to
avoid such crossings" What lbera!ity IN this
respect has 1t proposed or does it propose to
extend TO Washington?