Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-17

When the Baltimore and Potomac road en-
tered this city and broke the monopoly Of the
Baltimore and Ohio il was enthusiastically wei
coined. and local public sentiment favored the
bestowal upon it of everything that il asked,
including its supplemental request of tenn
porary station site on the mall But this
privilege of using the pubic property.
which was granted, Washington favoring.
was loan and not gift. The
mail at this point then suffered from the blight
of the old canal, and a place of refuse de-
post it did not present an inviting appearance
for present use rs park. But il was foreseen
that the land would at some time be required
for park purposes and Congress in granting
the use indicated that it was merely temporary.
For instance in the House debate, Representa-
tive Potter opposing all amendment which
looked to the future disturbance of the road
said:
1T does not amount to anytkine. for in the
bill itself We have reserved the right to repeal
or amend The Law ut any time. Therefore when
the public park shall be built. as heartily hope
IL may be az some time. We can make such
amendments of the law and enact such require
ments as may be deemed necessary"
In the Senate Mr.. Cameron who was the
leading advocate of the road said, referring
to the provision giving the power to repeal:
Il desire TO say also that the bill contains a
proyiso allowing Congress to remove the depot
at any future time when they desire the ground
for park any other purpose
Lieut.. Greene III his report Of 1882 says OF
this concession:
1T las never been considered as a final set
Element of the railroad question; the act itself
contained an express provision reserying the
right to modify or repeal il at any time. and
hardly a session Of Congress has since passed
without some effort being made to have the
concession ON 9th street repealed. At
that time the Old canal was not yet filed up,
the park was only partially improved and its
value was only appreciated as a thing o. the
future. Now II - reality, and it Is not too
mnch to ask that the subject may row be re-
considered. as was distinctly implied i'll the
words Of the bill and so stated Ill the debate,
and a final decision be made
The money spent by the road in reaching
Washington gives it no claim to the mall.
for that money was spent not with the Local
tion on the mall III view. but with the promise
of the site az the intersection of Maryland and
Virginia avenues. which is the point specified
in the original charter of the road. There has
been no acquiesccnce by the District III the
permanent occupation of the mall. The
question is whether the convenience OF the
travelling public, in being brought nearer by IL
few squares to the business center. outweighs
the bad precedent OF giving several hundred
thousand dollars worth of national property to
corporation. OF violating an implied trust
TO hold the F9bhc reservations for the Use of
the people, and of destroying the symmetry,
beauty and, III part the public enjoyment of
the city's largest parh. And there is the adj
ditionai question whether, if it shall be decided
to make the station site OH the mall
permanent. the tracks should not be en-
ti-ely removed from 9th street and
completely covered in their course through the
park, and whether in compensation FOR this ex-
tremely valuable grant of public property the
road should not be required to free the people
from the obstruction and danger OF some Of
the grade crossings, at which SO many lives
have already been sacrificed.