Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-26

| ALSO AN AMENDMENT APPRoPRIATING S2O0, 900
FOR THE BIOLOGICAL PARK.
The Senate yesterday afternoon resumed
consideration Of the District appropriation bill,
and at once plunged into continuation Of the
street-railroad discussion. The question was
upon the adoption Of Senator Vests amend
ment, requiring all street-railway companies in
the District to cause their rails and road-beds
to be relaid with the fat grooved rail and
made level with the surface of the streets
upon each side of the tracks. 30 that no OBJ
struction shall be presented to vehicles passing
| over the tracks.
| HOW TO MAKE STREET RAILROAD COMPANIES
| CHANGE THEIR TRACKS.
Mr.. Edmunds, speaking for himself and Mr..
Vest (who was absent), stated that they were
satisfied that the best way to collect the cost of
the proposed changes (supposing that the COM
| panies refused or neglected to do the work
| themselves) was that provided for in the act
creating the present government of the Dis
| trict. The substance of that provision was to
| the effect that the Commissioners may have
such work done and then issue certificates of
| indebtedness against the owners of the lines,
| which shall bear interest at the rate of 10 per
| cent, and If at the end of the year they are not
paid the Commissioners shall then cause the
| property to be sold to reimburse the people
who did the work.
Mr.. Faulkner said he had drawn up an
| amendment, taken from that organic act, and
covering precisely the ground stated by Mr..
Edmunds. This amendment he would offer
| unless Mr.. Edmunds proposed to do So.
| Mr.. Edmunds said he had not formulated an
amendment; it was simply suggestion which
had been agreed upon by Mr.. Vest and himself.
| MR.. FAULKNER's AMENDMENT.
| Mr.. Faulkner then submitted his amendment
| to the amendment, and it was agreed to. He
then offered another amendment, which makes
necessary the approval of the Commissioners
as to the style of rail laid. He did this, he
| said, because 'there are five different patents
| now issued by the government under which
| grooved rails are being made, and this amend
| ment simply provides that grooved rails shall
| be laid level with the surface of the street,
&c. 1t is just both to the companies and to the
| public that some one shall decide which patent
| shall be used in the laying of rails to CORES
| pond with the provisions of this amendment
| One company may assume that one patent is
| all right and another company another and
! the public, of course. will be benefited by
| either perhaps over the roads as at present
| constructed. although there should be uni
form rail laid upon all the streets of the city,
1 do not know in whom to vest the authority
but in the Commissioners of the District of
! Columbia.
Mr. Dawes-I have great confidence in the
Commissioners, and it is increasing daily. and
Il
the interests of this District to the board of
| Commissioners. But, on the whole, l have
| arrived at that state from experience that
would rather have some limitation upon these
| five patents. because l am afraid, not that the
Commissioners would intend any such result
but 1 am afraid that if there is any one of the
! five poorer than the rest, somehow, accident
ally. and without the intention of the Commits
sioners, we shall have that one. That is all
can say about it. That is my apprehension.
| THE STREET RAILWAYS A DISGRACE TO THE CAPT.
tai.
Mr.. Plumb-Mr. President. think the amend
ment of the Senator from West Virginia CMr
Faulkner) is on the whole right. The contin-
gency which the Senator from Massachusetts
| (Mr. Dawes suggests is one that constantly
arises when we devolye duties on subordinates
/ There is, as think, fair consensus of opinion
now to the effect that the street railways of
Washington are disgrace to the capital of the
nation; disgrace which is, of course, more to
| the discredit of the government, perhaps, than
| it is to the discredit of the railway companies
/ The facilities are inadequate; they are anti
quated obstructive, offensive to health to life.
to sight. They ought to be removed at the
! earliest possible moment. This great and mag
nificent avenue. Pennsylvania avenue which is
/ said to be the finest street of its kind in the
/ world. has down its center cash which mars
| II. which Is an eye-sore, and which contributes
neither to the public comfort nor to the public
| anu W HOlllllS III TACT except the prof.
| its of the railway company. When we come to
| consider the method of getting rid of this
| trouble we shall be confronted with different
! ideas about rails. motors, and so on. We have
got to have in fact the cooperation of the gov
eminent and the railway companies. They
have got to be made to see that it is to their
interest to do that which is fair and right The
| Senator from Vermont at previous session
| spoke OF the great success he had in getting a
repair of their track out of them, when of
he not INV in 3 o,,@
| of the Commissioners a matter OF right. That
| only illustrates what said moment ago, that
| we have got to have
THE COOPERATION OF THE RAILWAY COMPANIES
Whenever they have got to do something to
take these rails out and put other rails in their
place. have no doubt they will. as matter of
wise financial prudence, agree to put in that
| which is best, so far as they believe it to be
best for them at all events. upon the idea that
that which is best will be most permanent,
| rather than to put in that which is indifferent
and which will subject them to further adverse
| legislation on the part of Congress. There
| fore believe we shall find the railroad COM
panies. when We have got to the point of doing
something. cooperating with us in doing the
| best thing. and that then we NAV perhaps with
safety leave the remainder oft, that supervi-
| sion which somebody must have representing
| the public, to the Commissioners themselves,
| whether they be the present Commissioners
4 or some Otner DOOy OF men-thev at all
| events the men whom the President of the
| United States appoints upon the theory that
they are the proper representatives of the pub
| behaving no personal interests to subserve,
| but keenly alive to the public interest.
| PAVING BETWEEN THE TRACKS
| Mr.. Edmunds-Before we depart from this
railroad subject think it right to say. first on
the point referred to by my friend from Kansas,
/ that these changes necessarily involve a very
considerable expense. They ought not the less
| to be done; but it may happen in regard to
| two or three OF the weaker roads none of
whose agents, or attorneys. or officers or stock
| holders, / am glad to say for their sake and
mine, too, as to nv temper, have said word
| to me on the subject that they may not be
! able financially to do this thing immediately:
/ and in the end the matter as it regards perhaps
some of the roads, compared with others
| who are strong and whose stock is far above
| par. ought to be given longer time in regard
| to making these changes than the strong roads
| should be allowed. l merely make that sug-
| gestion for consideration when the matter
comes into conference between the two houses:
| and in the same connection. on the subject of
the wretched conditions of the tracks and road
| beds. and particularly at crossings, to one of
which l referred yesterday, wish to read to
the Senate the positive law of 1878:
When street railways cross any street or avenue the
pavement between the tracks of such railway shall
avenue and the companies owning these inersecting
railroads shall pay for such pavements in the same
\ manner, &c
Here is a positive law which is ten years old
that at all these interesting crossings and run