Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-29
THE RAILROAD DEFENDED.
Remarks OF Mr.. Barclay Yesterday Be
fore the House District Committee.
WHY THE PENNSYLVANIA ROAD WAS FORCED II
CONE TO coSaRKss-THE DEMANDS OF TRADI
IN wAsHINaroS-THE TRADE OF THE WHO'LL
WEST INTERESTED Il THE MATTER.

| COME TO coSaRkss-rHE DEMANDS OF TRADE
IN wAsH1NaroS-THE TRADE OF THE WHOLE
WEST INTERESTED II THE NATTER.
Mr. Barclay in his argument before the
House District committee yesterday in defense
OF the Pennsylvania road, replying to the rep
reservations of the members of the Board Of
Trade, said that it was not fair to quote the
Criticisms of the minorities of committees upon
the railroad and declared that the majorities
| OF the congressional committees bad made re-
ports favorable to the road. After the investi-
cation by the Morrill, subcommittee that Mr..
Noyes had referred to the full committee had
| reported favorably to the Senate bill much
more liberal to the road than the one now pro-
posed. He said it was to meet
THE DEMANDS OF TRADE IN WASHINGTON
that they were forced to come to Congress.
| The road was willing to buy land for the accom-
mediation Of its freight and cars so as to get
them off the street, but it was of no avail to do
this as they could notlay the side tracks to
| reach any property they might buy. He re-
! ferred to the purchase Of the tract across 14th
street near Long bridge and their failure to
! get into it as an example. Mr.. Moves had said
| this tract was inadequate-that showed how
much he knew about it-more than the rail-
road company knew. The company had
bought that ground for a certain purpose and
it was adequate.
At this point Mr. Noyes stated that what he
had said about the inadequacy Of the space he
had got from President Roberts answer to a
question when he was before the Senate COM
nlittee.
THE ROAD ANNOYED BY SUITS.
Mr.. Barclay said that the company had had
permits from the Commissioners of the Dis
trict for all the side tracks they had laid but
the road had been annoyed by suits and inter-
fered with in all its progressive movements.
They had bought ground for a round house so
as to keep the engines off the street 1t hap
pened that there was a little church near the
property. The church was worth about
$1,000, but the congregation had already
got judgments for $4,000 against the road for
maintaining nuisance.
The church brought suits periodically. To
escape this the road had gone out near the tun-
mel and bought ground on which they built
round house. They got permits from the Com
missioners to lay their side tracks and laid
them over the old canal bed. Now, he said,
they were under indictment for this. He said
the road did nothing in an underhand way: its
representatives came frankly and said what
they wanted. They were willing to go to Ben
nings' point, but this would be
DEATH BLOW TO TRADE IN WASHINGTON
The trouble was, he said. that the people in
the city did not know what they wanted. Some
wanted the road one place and some another,
according to how they thought it would affect
their personal interests. Some wanted the depot
moved to some out-of-the-way place, others
wanted it sunk in a sewer-it might be grave
for the Lord knows how many in case of a
flood. The fact was, he said that the road was
doing the best it could. None of the plans
proposed were practicable. Gentlemen who
know nothing about railroad matters did not
consider the immense expense of making the
changes proposed The road could not afford
the expense in the first place, and the plans
were not practicable, anyhow. What would
become of trade here while they were sinking
their tracks?
Mr.. Grout asked if the Baltimore and Po-
tomac railroad was paying institution.
Mr.. Barclay replied that it was not paying
dividends on the capital stock.
OTHER CITIES REFERRED TO.
Referring to what had been said about the
improvements in Philadelphia and other cities
the liberal policy of the road in these cities
he said that the cities paid part of the expense.
Philadelphia, he said, was girdled with tracks.
and along Delaware avenue there were eighty
four sidings. The road occupied, he said,
l,5OO acres OF land in the city. He wanted to
know If it was proposed to erect Chinese wall
around this city OF Washington. The gentle
men of the Board of Trade had said we want
this, and We don't want that. He would remind
the committee that
THE TRADE OF THE WHOLE COAST WAS INTER-
ESTED
in the transportation facilities here and they
could not be interrupted at the whim of few
people here. Every state from Georgia to New
England was interested. He disputed the
right of the people here to say anything or to
stand in the way of progress. If in the future
the road could do anything to correct the evils
complained Of they would, and would do it as
soon as possible.
D., n