Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-20
CONSIDERING A ROUTE.
The Commissioners Listen TO Arguments
In Railroad Case.

THE oHoRoErowN BARGE, DOCK AND HIrvAroF
coNfANr-A HRARrNc ON THE BILL TO AnxNr
THEIR sourE-oBJEcTIoSs FROM SOUTH Wash.
TSoroN AND FROM THE K1DwEIL cLAIxANrs
The Commissioners this afternoon ravs 4
hearing TO those interested in the bill amend
ing the charter Of the Georgetown barge, docl
and elevator company, now before them 10,
report
The railroad company was we'll represented
BY its directors and legal advisers. Gen. BsF
Butler was present in evening dress, with 9
fresh button hole bouquet. He represented
the interests Of Henry H. Dodge, one of the
directors.
Mr.. ]. H. MCGOWAN, an incorporation of the
| road, was the first to speak. He described the
route the amendment proposed and the line
over which it is proposed to run.
Mr.. Butler inquired who were the petitioner
for the bill.
Mr.. Douglass informed him that the bill came
from Congress and was before them for report
Mr.. Butler then remarked that before he said
anything he would like to hear something said
favorable to the bill
David Russell, in reply to Mr.. Douglass in.
vltation, stated that he objected to the road
more especially to its route down Water street
along B street and crossing Virginia avenue
son that it would not only destroy
a beautiful avenue but also create another
nuisance in that locality. He objected strongly
to that portion of the bill A couple of protests
from interested parties Directing TO the road
were read
THE KrDwELL CLAIM.
One was from Mr.. NJ. Morris. attorney for
He entered a general objection on the ground
moi
which the road proposed to run
was over the property claimed by his clients,
which was now in litigation
MIR. Hine suggested that some system had
better be adopted regarding arguments pro
and con. He then called for arguments in
favor of the road.
IN FAVOR OF THE ROAD.
MIR. MCGOWAN, representing the road, then
went into detail as to the m 'rits of the road
and the advantages to be derived from its con.
struction He said that such line
OF road would DE valuable 20 the whole
city. 1t would he said, settle for all time
the vexed question OF the receipt and delivery
and out shipment of freight He called atten.
ton to the fact that the land along the line il
not occupied by residences.
portion Of the line, he said, is Immediately
adjoining the old bed Of the Chesapeake and
Ohio canal which has only been partly filled
and which his railroad company would be COM
PEELED to fill and reclaim.
He also called attention to the fact that about
one-third of all the tonnage of freight brought
to Washington by rail is destined for George.
town, and that it goes without saying that with
q ret connection with the Pennsylvania system
by rail and with the b. and o. system by
barge and rail the Georgetown shippers would
get their freight with the least delay and ex.
pense.
He spoke Of the great addition to the taxable
DrODerty of tha dpna a mil n
ensure. He concluded his argument by read.
ing several petitions from merchants and citi.
zens favoring the amendment
DR. ALIENS ARGUMENT
DIR. Charles Allen said he represented ma.
iority of the "a 600 people in the southwestern
portion OF the city. He spoke of the land over
which the road proposed to run. He said
the land (the fats had cost the government,
millions of dollars. That when the reclaima-
ton OF the flats was proposed, it was intended
to use this land as National park.
He did not think public land should
be occupied by corporations. He was not in
favor OF the road running over the long bridge
and called attention to the fact that the bridge
was an obstruction 10 the channel and would
sooner or later be removed. He objected to
the network OF railroads it would make around
the city
He submitted that no franchise should be
granted to any more railroads until the
status of the present railroads has been fixed.
The bill hs thought was in itself too broad in
its scope.
GEN. BUTLER SPEARS
Gen. Butler followed, and he was still speak
Ing when The Stars report closed