Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-10
THE RAILROAD CONFERENCE.
Interview Between the Board Of Trade
Committees and MIR. Thompson.


The conference yesterday afternoon between
the board Of trade committees and Vice Presi-
dent Thompson Of the Pennsylvania railroad,
a. stated in The STAR. reached no conclusion Of
any kind and was unsatisfactory from lack Of
authority on Mr.. Thompson's part to speak for
the company in respect to any matter except
the increase Of the railroads facilities. But
some points ofinterest developed concerning Mr..
Thompsou's personal views in the informal
conversation Of the greater part Of the confer
ence. Col. Ludlow's report showing the FEAST
bility and desirability Of
SINKING THE TRACKS
for a considerable portion Of the line on Mary
land and Virginia avenues was brought to Mr.
Thompson's attention, but he took issue with
the engineering branch of the District govern
ment and pronounced the plan impracticable
The cut would, he said, be liable at any time to
hil with water. No encouragement to look for
any Encouragement of tracks whatsoever was
given by MIR. Thompson, or any reason to ex-
pect that a single grade crossing would be re-
moved by the company, or q single objection.
able feature of its occupation reme-
died. whether legal or illegal The
South Washington representatives protested
strongly against framing the bill for the COM
pany's relief in such terms as would give it the
power OF general condemnation. portion Of
the city south Of the present trucks and east of
Sd street west was indicated as the cheapest
land to be obtained. and the best both for the
company and the city. In this connection Mr..
L. W. Smith of the transportation committee
suggested diversion Of the Baltimore and
Potomacs tracks for freight purposes from the
mouth of the tunnel to NJ street, along NJ street
to Water street and thence to the long bridge,
and the purchase for freight purposes
of property on both sides Of this track, includ-
ing twelve squares. from 697 to 7O6 inclusive
square 7O8 and the square north Of $685. Mr..
Thompson was inclined to look favorably upon
the idea of acquiring q second track across
South Washington, but declined to say that if
it were acquired all the freight cars should
pass over 1t, leaving only passenger traffic for
THE NORTHERN TRACKS.
Mr.. Thompson tried to learn whether the NJ
street line project could be treated and con-
sidered by the company as proposition of the
board of trade, but was informed by the rail-
road committee that it could not be so treated;
that it never had been acted upon by the
board and that it was not to be considered ex-
cept in connection with improvements in re-
spect to the northern tracks Mr.. Thompson
pleaded the fact that the Baltimore and Poto-
mac branch was for a long time improbable
as for the railroads unwill-
ingness to spend money in improvements
in Washington. Members Of the railroad COM
mttee called his attention to the benefits of
the Baltimore and Potomac branch to the
Pennsylvania road which are not indicated in
the figures Of the local branch, and also to the
fact that the OUTLAWS which make the Baltl-
more and Potomac an expensive road did not
occur in Washington, where free right of way
and free station sites are had, but outside of
the capital, as in tunnelling in and about Bal
timore. From remarks Of Mr.. Thompson Just
before leaving the depot it seems probable
ar m " hn hall