Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-02-18

The people Of the District regret TO see that
Senator Ingalls,, whom they have looked upon
- their champion, indicates in the railroad bill
which he has recently introduced q willingness
TO withdraw from the position which he has
hitherto occupied, and, substantially, to sur
render to the railroads. 1t is proposed to give
the Baltimore and Ohio southern connections
along the street which il indicates and broad
slice Of the mall and station site thereon. 1t
Is proposed to leave the Baltimore and Poto-
mac where IL is {and all il has asked in
this respect is 10 be let alone) and
70 present it with another slice
OF the mall. The public desire for a sinking or
elevation Of the tracks in South Washington,
abolishing the Electromagnetic belt which cuts
od the river front and well-populated section
Of the city from the business centre. has been
entirely disregarded. The occupation Of the
public reservation, Of which the people have
complained, il more than doubled, and q
second road contributes to the dangerous and
frequently impossible belt Of surface tracks.
There should be no difficulty in securing the
consent of the railroads, the masters of Con-
gress, TO the passage of such legislation. The
Morrill, amendment to the District COM
mittee bill Of the last Congress At
tempted to protect to some extent the
rights of the people, and it comes much closer
to the expressed opinions of Senator Ingalls,
concerning the solution of the railroad problem
than the bill which the Senator has himself in
PRODUCED. 1t furnishes passage across the belt
Of tracks in South Washington by sinking them
and IL places the stations at the intersection Of
Maryland and Virginia avenues. Senator In
gals has in debate admirably stated his views
- Ill
Il am aware that the condition Of the rail-
road termini 10 this city and the occupation Of
large portions Of the area Of the District by
railroad corporations under present conditions
is simply dlsgraceful. 1t amounts almost to
crime. Vast numbers of people have
had their property practically destroyed
and contscated by the unlawful occupation of
the portions of this city lying 20 the northeast
and to the southeast and south of the Capt.
toll for the purposes of promotion and of car
storage. Portions of the city have been rend-
cred practically uninhabita5ie. One
corporation having got tract Of land on a
public reservation worth s5C0.0D without pay-
ing q cent, site which it would be required
10 pay ESQ.,, 600 for in any other city, has
interposed, and interposed successfully. its
opposition to all measures requiring 1t -
withdraw from that reservation, to take
up its tracks through 9th street, to
cease to blscct that magnificent mall extending
from the Capitol to the Naval Observatory, and
carry on Its operations where it would BIZ as
much to the convenience of the public, two
squares farther south. on that broad space at
the intersection of Maryland and Virginia ave-
nues. Congress is unquestionabIy to
blame. / am not finding any fault with the
railroad corporations. They have a valuable
franchise. and they mean TO keep il. Here is
one OF them under the very eayesdroppings of
this Capitol, with a terminal station that is q
shame and a disgrace to civilization; all its ap-
proaches are in the public highways, without
decent accommodations for the public,
and claiming that it has vested right
under previous act of Congress to
do as it pleases until 1910; and the
other corporation. securing special privileges
on account Of the obloquy that was felt against
its rival, has located its sheds and depot ON q
public reservation. destroying access to one
portion of the city by the occupation Of ave-
nues and streets with its tracks and both being
so able to combine whenever anything is pro-
posed which threatens their interests that. al
though absolutely hostile upon every other
point, they united in Resisting every at
tempt 70 dislodge them FROM their present in
furious occupation of the public property"
The Morrill, amendment of the last Congress
should be introduced an original bill to cor
rect some of the evils which Senator Ingalls,
has 90 wildly described.