Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-03-26

SOLVING RAILROAD PROBLEMS.
The Plan Submitted by the Protective
Association of South Washington.
sIHK PROPOSED UNION DEPOT SOUTH or THE Bo-
v TANrcAL GAEDES-THE ROUTE THERETO AND
THENCE TO THE RIvER-REAsoNs WHY THE
PLAN 10 FAVORED.
meeting OF the Protective association Of
South Washington was held last night in St
Dominic's hall, corner Of 9Th and F streets
southwest. Mr.. II. H. Shea, the chairman of
the association, called the meeting to order
and said that the time had arrived when the
attention of the association was again called to
several bills touching the railroad situation.
! he spoke OF the bills now before Congress to
consolidate the railroads and decide upon a
new route and gave in detail history Of each
! and their range and scope. He said that he
understood that Congress would give those OPP
posed to the pending railroad bills achance next
Friday to be heard and thought South Wash
ington should be represented He then advo-
Gated the plan of having the railroad run from
| the tunnel at I'd street, along X street south
west next to Delaware avenue. thence north to
| q union depot to be located in the square
bounded by Virginia avenue and b and LIST
ID
street, coming out to X, along X as far as 9Th
and then across the river on new bridge or
to connect with the long bridge by an elevated
road along Water street. In support of this
route he submitted the following reasons why
the plan submitted is the
BEST SOLUTION OF THE RAILROAD PROBLEM
In South Washington:
First. 1t places the passenger depot Of the
Pennsylvania railroad just south of the botan-
Il
improvements and south of which to the tun-
mel and K street is but thinly inhabited. This
location is in close proximity to the principal
streets and railroads and as convenient to the
business center as the present Baltimore and
Ohio passenger depot or as the proposed site
mentioned in the Morrill, bill-7th street and
Maryland avenue, and without marring the
parks, streets and avenues which we Justly
prize so highly, it would relieve a large and
populous section from the dangers and OBJ
structions now incurred in communicating
with other sections of the city and which are
sure to increase with time.
Second. The railroad would have more di-
rect communications east and west BY way of
street. In going west over its present tracks
it is up grade along Virginia avenue to Mary
land avenue. In going east it has an extremely
heavy grade from the long bridge to the city
We ind from these causes that these thorough
fares are often obstructed for longer period
than the law allows, thereby causing serious
Third. We have been looking forward to the
completion of the extensive improvements on
the river flats, and when they become portion
OF the grand system of parks, extending from
the Capitol to the long bridge, with their lakes
and beautiful drives, the unsightly condition
OF the long bridge, with a railroad bridge
along side Chat is now avoided to a large ex-
tent by persons using horses, on account Of
liability to accident by their animals becoming
frightened, and which has been for long
time source of great danger in time Of
hoods) will become more apparent.
Fourth. We know the officials connected
with the Improvement of the river flats have
recommended time and again the impor lance
of having the present bridge replaced by a
more ornamental and suitable one The pro-
posed plan to have the railroad bridge start
from the foot of Sth and str eets would en-
tirely separate 1t from the other bridge, thereby
preventing the many accidents resulting from
their proximity, but should your committee
not favor new railroad bridge we have pro-
posed a route along Water street from the foot
OF oth and h streets which would be elevated
and connected with the present bridge and be
located say about so feet back from the build
ing line, thus giving dealers in wood, coal,
lumber, ETC., the advantage of tracks crossing
their yards and saving the expense of hauling
freight from distance.
Fifth. 1t restores to the public use 9th street
from Pennsylvania avenue to the river the i'm
portance OF which can readily be seen, and re-
nc now very noticeable at its junction with
Pennsylvania avenue and Center market
Sixth. 1t restores to the public use Maryland
and Virginia avenues-two of the most beauti-
full thoroughfares OF Washington-and the
large park at their junction extending from
It'll to 9Th streets which is an exact counter
part OF Mount Vernon square at the intersec-
ton of Massachusetts and New York avenues.
and can be made just as beautiful
Seventh. 1t restores the mall to the purpose
for NH rioin oltr Ia
vents its being marred and encountered by the
railroad with Its many unsightly SURROUNDINGS
and distractions. which will surely multiply as
its business increases.
Eighth. 1t restores to business and residen-
tial uses the greater portion of South Wash
ington and gives It's citizens an open commune
cation with other parts of the city and security
from the dangers to life and property to which
they have been so long subjected.
MR.. PARKER's AMENDMENT.
Mr.. c. Ii. Parker, after approving the pro-
posed route in general terms, said he thought
the railway company should be made to acquire
their right of way through the squares and not
over the streets. He said further that he did
not think 1T was right to take the tracks off of
one street and place them another and
offered an amendment to the original PROPOSE
ton of approving the route, which was in effect
the purchase of the squares bounded on the
north and south by | and streets along the
line. MS W0uiQ De satisfactory to all SOnth
Washington, he said The amendment was
adopted.
COMMITTEE OF FIVE.
Mr.. Parker then moved that a committee of
five be appointed to present the plans of the
new route to Congress- The motion was car
ried and J. Harrison johnson, P. G. Sauer, Da-
vid Murphy, VIM. Fegan, n II. Shea, NJ. J.
Fitzgerald and Father Dinahan were selected
the last named by unanimous consent
Returning to the original subject of changing
the tracks Mr.. o. I. Thompson thought an i'm,
portant reason for a change of tracks was that
the tracks between 9th and 9th streets on Mary
land avenue and Virginia avenue were used for
switching trains, making up trains and revers-
ing trains, the noise and danger of which was,
he said, much more serious than the mere run
ming Of trains bound north or south.
THE ATKINSON BILL
''to legalize the Illegal acts Of the Commits
sioners," as Mr. C. Ii. Parker phrased it, was
the subject Of much discussion Mr.. Parker
suggested that the District attorney be urged
to bring the proper parties to trial, especially
a. they were already under indictment.
After being in session about one hour the