Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-07
NO COBBLE STONES,
Major Raymond Decidedly Against Theiz
Use for Paving Between TraekA

The STAR has heretofore referred TO the
numerous requests Of the Columbia railroad
company for permission to pave between their
tracks with cobble stones, and the old granite
blocks taken up by the Washingtss and
Georgetown railroad. The matter was refer
red to Major Raymond who after carefully con-
sidering the case reported to the board - fol-
lows:
The order Of the Commissioners of April IL
1887, prohibiting all street railways from laying
cobbie-stone pavements between their rails or
tracks on any street paved or ordered TO DO
paved IN the District of Columbia was made
after careful investigation and confederation
Ii the miserable cobble-stone pavements
of the street railways were removed Washing.
ton would be by far the best paved city in the
United States. There is no good argument in
favor of these payemens except
THE ARGUMENT OF EooNoNr.
Such pavements do not exist, and would not be
permitted, in the streets Of any frst-elass Eu-
ropean city. This statement is based upon the
report of an officer Of this departms mt who re-
Gently made a personal investigation of the
subject in Europe.
On July IS, 1889, the Columbia railway COM
pany requested permit to pave about 80 feet
of their track with cobble stones between i4th
and 18th streets east. They asked this on the
ground of economy and because this portion
of the city is not so much travelled by vehicles"
this application that they deemed il inadylsable
to make any exception in this case 70 their
general order respecting the pa wing OF tracks.
The present application OF the Columbis rail-
way company is a REM wal of the application Of
July Is, 1889, which was refused by the COM
missioners; but the company now ash the priv
lege Of paving about 400 feet with cobble
stones instead of about $50 feet As asked in the
original application.
TIE PRINCIPAL REASON
given for this request is that the heavy ex.
pense imposed with q new rail and expensive
paving has materially crippled the finances Of
the company. 1t is not, however, the duty Of
the Commissioners to consider tie financial
condition of any corporation. while il In their
duty TO care for the public streets. If the pub
lie interests make it desirable that this COM
pany should receive pecuniary assistance such
assistance should be granted by direct action
of the Legislative power and not indirectly by
the executive authorities by permitting poor
and cheap constructions in the public streets.
AS AN INDICTMENT TO THE COMMISSIONERS
the company offers, il this request is granted,
to withdraw its petition to pave on K street
between eth and 9Th west with granite blocks
that have been taken up b. the Washington
and Georgetown company and do the work Of
paving the tracks and between the tracks with
the granite blocks, according 10 the order is
sued by the District government" The CON-
sent "a Tue COMPANY - mo-, nonefef, ueCorssky
for the enforcement of thus order. Tie petit
ton referred to was refused on September ",
1859.
THE ORDER OF TIE COMMISSIONERS
prohibiting the laying Of cobble-stone pave
ments has been the subject of vigorous protests
from all, or nearly all, the street railway COM
panies in the District. In nearly every case to
which il has been applied special reasons have
been advanced why It should not be enforced
The public interests demand that IL should BE-
strictly carried out, and I here repeat my
recommendation that neither In TINS nor any
other case should any exception be made fog
any reason whatever.