Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-22

|
BILL TO AMEND THE CHARTER-sUGsEsTIoSs
| AS TO THE RoUTE-rHE QUESTION OF TAXA
rIoN-EAsr WASHINGTON AND THE RAILROAD.
After considering the subject for several
hours in the board room this morning the
Commissioners decided upon the following re-
ply to House bill 1857, which authorizes a
| change in the charter Of the Washington and
Georgetown railroad:
The first change in the route asked for is
commencing at New Jersey avenue and D street
south. thence along the east front of the
Capitol, as shall be directed by the archi-
tect in charge thereof. to street north.
thence west along said street to con-
meet with its present tracks on LIST
street. To this the Commissioners say:
THE CHANGE on STREET.
This change is asked for two reasons: First
to avoid the double curve around the Garfield
monument and second. to permit the road to
deposit passengers Immediately in front of the
Capitol. AS to the ACCESSIBILITY of allowing the
road to be built through the Capitol grounds
the Commissioners feel that they are
not warranted in expressing any opinion,
but they believe that the occupation of b
street north and the abandonment of the tracks
on Il street south is not advisable. and would
suggest that the railroad make their turn at the
Garfield monument by going on the east side
of the same. thus making better curve than
the one on the west side and retain their present
tracks on LIST street and on b street south.
The objections raised by the owners of prop
crty along the line on i street north from LIST
to Delaware avenue are strong, and the Com
mIssiOnors are OF the opinion that no public
necessity requires the change asked Ut this
place.
Ii. however. 1t should be the pleasure of Con-
Sress that the proposed occupation of the es-
plnadc on the east front of the Capitol should
be granted then the occupation of B street
would be Il short and conyeuient route ~ sug-
gestcd by the company. But i'll this event the
tracks should be kept closely to the south side
Of street to leave as much posi-
BILE (aDout seventeen or eighteen feet) of
the street for the general use OF the public and
the residents on the north side. The Commits
slonerS. as said above. have not thought it del
icate to express an opinion as to the proposed
route across the east front of the Capitol, that
locality being closely under the eye and the
Independent jurisdiction of the two houses.
TIE FOURTEENTH STREET LINE.
The second change is as follows: Commencing
at 14th and / streets northwest; thence west
along street to 18th street; thence south along
18th street to connect with its present tracks on
said street.
The Commissioners are of the opinion that
this change should not be allowed, but they be-
leve that better route for The road would be
to leave their tracks on Pennsylvania avenue
at the junction of 14th street and thence north
on 18th street. making straight line up
18th street. Tho disadvantages of this line is
that it does not avoid the of common
tracks by the metropolitan road and the
Washington and Georgetown road on 14th
street between New York avenue and II street.
The Commissioners are. however of the Opin-
ion that this difficulty is sluall compared with
the inconvenience to citizens on l4th street
going over the route named in the bill.
Another route which would accommodate the
engineering requisites Of the new motor would
be to strike into Vermont avenue Just below NJ
street: thence along the avenue to 18th street
and down 18th TO the corner Of Pennsylvania
and New York avenues. While this would be
agreeable probably TO the company it would be
taking possession of fine stree ts handsomely inn
proved with fine residences. neutrality-suspicious.
have been made with the present status of the
road on 14th street. and under the belief that
1t was to be permanent as at present operated.
On the other hand the 14tl street property has
been purchased or held and improved with no
other thought than that the road was to be
fixture where it ia.
ACROSS ROCK CREEK.
The third change is commencing at Goth street
and nnsylvania avenue northwest; thence
west along said avenue to connect with its pres
ent tracks on NJ street in the city of George
town.
This change meets the approval of the Com
missiOners. but they have the honor to request
that the officer in charge Of the Washington
aquednct be requested to give his views on this
matter as ii will necessitate the use of the
Aqueduct bridge by the cable line.
The bridge is narrow and may not be strong
enough for the purpose and for this reason
they make no recommendation on this point.
The next increase in line ID commencing at
NJ and High streets in the city of Georgetown.
thence west along 4 street to the Aqueduct
bridge.
AN EASTERN EXTENSION.
This increase in route meets the approval
of the Commissioners and they request that it
be granted. The citizens Of East Washington
have asked the Commissioners to insist tina.
none of the grants to the company as proposed
in the bill under CON liberation should be
made unless the company compelled
to extend their road to the Pennsylvania avenue
bridge over the Eastern branch. That enter
prlsing and rapidly developing section of the
city ought to have doubt some additional
railroad facilities extending across the river
and into the eastern section OF the District. A
bill to construct road upon this very route is
now before Congress with very able list of
corpOratOrS kecnly alive to the importance
of the proposed road. While the Com
missioners could not in their report
of the last session agree to the route proposed
by the company after it reached the heart of
the city it's way west. they felt then and
feel now that all the eastern portion of the pro-
posed route was eminently proper and press
ingly needed. 1t is UNDERSTOOD that this
company is now revising its route in
the first respect and are anxious to build
as soon as authorized. 1t would seem Il little
unfair under these circumstances to suDplant
them ut once and forever before at least one
more chance of success has been had. Again.
the Washington and Georgetown railroad has
already Il large and lucrative slice of the terri
tory of the city for such purposes and it would
seem inst to give to some other organization
chance for the additional prize
THE LIMIT OF TIME.
Nothing appears iii this bill as to the time in
which this change should be made nor the re-
moval Of the abandoned tracks which will be
made useless by the change required The
Commissioners would rcques. that Il clause be
added to the bill requiring the work TO be com-
pleted and the cars running over the new route
by August 6. 1892 That all tracks that be-
come Useless by the change of routes shall be re-
moved promptly by the railroad. and the streets
! put i'll good condition and paved over the
spaces which are now occupied by the ADAM
doncd tracks with the same material that the
rest Of the roadway Is paved with. all to be
done ut the expense of the railroad company.
and should the road not make these cha ges
/withna reasonable time that the Commission
-crs be authorized to do the work necessary. the
cost Of it to be charged against and become