Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-06-04

ALMOST TO A CRIME -CONthEoS lNQCkSIION-
ABLY TO BLAME
In the discussion of n bill in 1856 regulating
the use of the city streets and reservations the
following lively debate occurred in the Senate
Mr.. Ingalls-The Commissioners also had
their attention called to the condition of the
steam railroads in this city. Those who are
familiar with the suburbs, especially in the
northeastern parts of this municipality. / think
will bear witness that values have been practi-
cally destroyed in that region by the unjust oc-
cupstIon OF the streets. avenues and public
reservations by the steam railroad companies.
Within three or four days last past, while ira
versing the southern portion of the city, l saw,
] am safe in saying, hundreds of freight cars,
loaded aud un!oaded, passenger cars. cabooses
and Hat cars-not passing through the streets
and highways. but stored and standing therein.
Those corporations have assumed to use the
avenues. notably Virginia and Maryland
avenues, for yard purposes. for storing their
cars that are not IN motion, and thereby prac-
tically destroying that portion OF the city for
purposes of business and residence.
i saw lately IN one of the newspapers a state
ment to the effect that one of these corpora
tions had succeeded steathily, privily. without
the knowledge of the Commissioners, in gaining
possession of three public reservations. which
they were using for the purpose of switching
and storing cars, and in various ways using
them for private purposes, when. II they had
been private persons, they would have been
compelled to have paid hundreds of thousands
OF dollars for the property whose use and value
they thus %wIllfully and w%antonly destroy.
Both the street cars and the steam
railroads are chartered by act of Congress, and
their occupation of the streets, alleys, avenues
and reservations within the limits prescribed
by their charters is lawful.
Mr.. Edmunds-They have got a good deal
beyond it.
MIR. Ingalls, know they have.
Mr.. Vest-Before this subject passes away l
should like to ask the chairman of the COM
mIttee on the District of Columbia what is the
condition of the bill or bills--I believe there
are two of them-ln regard to a union depot in
this city. intended for the purpose of getting
rid Of these railroads through reservations.
That bill has been pending several years, J
believe know for five years i'll the Senate and
also III the other house-and it is by far
TIE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION TO THE PEOPLE
OF THIS CITY
that is now pending before Congress.
Mr.. Ingalls, quite agree with the Senator
from Missouri, and for twice five years nv at
tentiOn has been directed to that subject, and
my best efforts have been in the direction of
some solution of that difficulty: but / presume
that the Senator from Missouri knows that the
railroad interests in this city are conflicting
and hostile. Whatever one corporation wants
the other resists. Such has been the conflict.
the Gushing. that whenever any measure has
been brought before the committee, or bv the
committee before the Senate. there have been
influences, subtle II may be. and undetected.
but powerful enough to prevent action. upon
the ground of course that the public conve-
nience wOuld not be conserved by the meas
ures that have been submitted for consldera-
ton.
am aware, Mr. President, that the condition
of the railroad termini in this city and the &C.
cupatlOn of large portions of the area of the
District Dy railroad corporations under present
conditions Is simply dlsgraceful. 1t amounts
almost to crime, vast numbers of people have
had their property practically destroyed and
couhscated b. the unlawful occupation of the
portions of this city lying to the northeast and
10 the southeast and south of the Capitol for the
purposes of locomot!on and car storage. Por-
lions of the city have been rendered practi-
calIy uninhabitable. The railroads have car
rled on their business so that 1t has been i'm
possible to worship Almighty God in the
churches erected for that purpose. And suits
have been brought and the people have been
petltloning here and representing their wrongs,
and measure after measure has been intro
duced and carried through certain stages; but
one corporation having got a tract of land on a
public reservation worth $500, 900 without pay
ing a cent. a site which it would have been re-
CURED to pay 800. 900 for in any other CITY.
has mterpOsed, and interposed successfully.
its opposition TO all measures recurring it TO
withdraw from that reservation. to take up its
tracks through 9Th street, to cease to bisect
that magnificent mall extending from the Cap
itol to the Naval Observatory. and carry on It's
operations where 1t would be as much to the
convenience of the public, two squares farther
south, on that broad space at the intersection
OF Virginia ana Maryland avenues.
CONGRESS Is USQUEsTIoSABLY To BLAME.
- Lam not finding any fault with the railroad
corporations. They have a valuable franchise,
AMI fbav upaaD 70 kaa, - H.. A.
under the very caves droppings of this Capt.
toll. with a terminal station that is a shame
and a disgrace to civilizations; all its
approaches are in public highways, with
out decent accommodations for the
public. AID claiming that it has a vested right
under d 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 a public reser
walton. destroying access to one portion of the
city by the occupation of avenues and streets
with its tracks. and both being able to SO COM
bine when anything is proposed which threat
ems their interest that. although absolutely
hostile upon every other point. they are united
IN Resisting every attempt made to dlslodge
them from their present injurious occupation
OF the public property.
There Is a good deal of secret history about
this matter. Mr.. President; there are a great
many open secrets that perhaps il is not well
TO discuss, but when the Senator from Missouri
inquiries why II Is that this matter Is left un-
acted upon. why 1t is the public have been left
to suffer these exactions, / can say that il has
not been Tor want of honest effort, repeatedly
made, TO secure the concurrence of these rival
interests IN some measure that would enable
their friends III Congress and out of il to agree
upon some site Tor "a union depot, and thus re-
lleve the people from this burden under
which they now suffer.
Mr.. Van WycA-Mr. President, il must strike
those who take an interest in the legislation of
Congress affecting the rights of individuals
THAI the statement made by the chairman of
the committee on the District of Columbia is a
startling one, that the steam railroads enter
ing this city should use the franchise given
them arbitrarily and. without authority, take
occupation Of reservations or other property,
and that that should be continued year after
year. and that the American Congress, deny-
ing 20 5000 people the right of self-control.
should SIT here nine months in one wear and
three III another and leave this community en-
tlreiy at the mercy OF the ayarice. the greed
and the eItort;On of corporations OF this
nature. IL is a startling proposition. There is
no excuse for II anywhere; none whatever.
There Is no allegation that Congress is power
less before such great mammOt corporations.
IL there could be such All excuse il would be
a worse intamy than the crime alleged against
them Our crime Is worse than that of the
RAILROAD companies and the Senator has
properly designated their occupation of this
franchise rs Infamous, and so II is. The citi-
zens OF this city will he rejOiced at the state
ment made by the Senator from Kansas.
because II lusures to them the cooperation
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