Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-05-31
RAILROAD USURPATION
How Senator Morrill, Reviewed the
Situation in This City.
A READY LAND JUMPER.
A Speech in the senate Commenting
Vigorously ON tho Course Of the Rail-
roads in This Ctv-yiIITul Tree passes
on Public Grounds.

| 1880, In support OF a substitute offered by him
for q pending bill to define the routes of steam
railroads in the District, reviewed the railroad
situation in clear and forcibio manner. Mr..
| Morrills substitute proposed to remove the
Baltimore and Potomac station to the intersec-
ton OF Maryland and Virginia avenues and 10
| remove certain grade crossings by depression
| OF the tracks. substantially proposed in tho
Burton-Pcttisrew bill now pending in Congress.
| Mr.. Merrill said that Congress to its great
| hurt appeared to have subsidized so TO say,
| TIE most wealthy and powerful railroad corpo-
| ration OF the country by permitting one OF its
| many feeders or branches to enter the city Of
| Washington rampant, there to be petted us a
| spoiled child with legislative sugar plunls and
| 10 str@ngIe with an IRON garrote public park
of much promise to the city. and to ny arrun
; and practically swallow up other important res
"rvatons, as wei! as large avenues and streets,
| which have often been stained with human
blood BY numerous railroad homicides.
Ought we ubt 20 have some faith, even though
| We could wish il we're stronger that the repre-
| rasentatIyes OF states and OF the people will!
| conrageouSly declare this unfortunate railroad
| land grant ruearned---treating the case with
| tie same measure # evan-handed Justice VS.
| award to otdsr unearned land grants else.
/ where and restore it to the city Of Washing
| 'on, to which rigttfujlv belongs. precio az
and undesirable gift from its founders?
Some OF tia provisions of The bill reported
/
| crdiuary additional privileges to the Balti-
| nIora and Potomac railroad. may De tolerated.
| bat. II III we're To be granted there would
| hardly =" rNJm left for any other railroad &C
| c"mnHpiations in that part Of the city
| The substitute will largely not only relieve
| the northeastern part of :he city from u1nec-
| Assary occupation of streets and avenues. but
| wholly reliDY. the park from present absolute
| railroad domination.
| With tho passenger stations placed as pro-
l rl1g Inv tI,f NJ
| ton of V'rgiaia and MARYLAND avenues. they
| would be naarer 70 some OF The principal hotels
| of the city, and not one-third of q mile or mora
| than three minutes farther away from any,
| The cost of reaching the stations from hotels
would not I've Increased single farthiug AMI
| the great Maryland and Virginia avenues aa
well AZ some reservations would be released
from some part of their present unlawful &C.
| cupation.
Transient visitors coming here by railroad
| seldom oftcner than once year, or once in a
| lifetime, should have proper consideration,
! but moi more, rather less, than the lifelong
| residents of the city, whose welfare and prop
| erty are to be oftener, more seriously and
permanently affected and not much as
national il glelators whose reputation for wear
| ing nc badge Of corporation sarvitude and for
| sound Judgment ana impartial justice should
not be exposed &c any disparagement.
| Like the distinguished Senator from Con-
| nectlcut. | willingly credit the Pennsylyani,
i
| most astute and accomplished railroad men of
| the country, and with dealing handsomely
| with the public in most all other localities but
| that of Washington, where il stands ready to
| higg.e and quarrel with Congress and with
| every body for the ninth part of halr. In
| Philadelphia 1t is lavish in its display of ac-
| commodations III the heart OF the city, and
| there ungrudgingfy assumes the expenditure Of
| millions OF dollars. Here, on the contrary, it
! seems parsimonious ard to rely upon the
I knun ttxa of tha ant nd ffar hot
| upon grabbing like freebooter, | shall
| hereafter show. whatever it can get hold of.
No one appreciates more than do the power
| OF the gigantic Pennsylvania Railroad Com
| pany, or more fully comprehends the difficulty
that Congress must meet III doing anything in
| relation to the interests of thar company to
which it does not freely consent.
1t has got its foot on the neck of the park
and it has come to stay if it can.
l nave no personal grievance whatever
against this or any other railroad company. but
feel that the people of every state have some
interest in the matter now pending. and will
hold Congress to rigid accountability for any
action that does not point to the permanent well
being OF the city OF Washington, and especially
to
THE PRESERVATION OF THE OLD MALI,
as it was handed down to us by the father of
his country, to be maintained as q national
park, such as decorate all other national
capitals and a decoration of which very few
OF the principal American cities are now des-
ttute.
In 1871 the company was authorized by Con-
gress tand II was the extreme limit of the rail
road companys demands) to erect passenger
depot on Virginia avenue between west 9th
street and west 9TH street. of the same style OF
architecture as that of the Pennsylvania road
at Lancaster, with the assent of the notable and
forever to be distinguished board of aldermen
Of this city, Who with quick conception and
easy delivery, proposed instead of this. to
outdo Congress and to give so much of the
Mali and of 9th street might satisfy the rail-
road company. The amazing gift promptly
and hilarIousy accepted. Bat the board hav-
Tag no more legal authority to place the COM
pany under so heavy load of gratitude than
Satan had to give away the kingdom of the
world, application had now to be made to Con-
gress, and the reckless action of the board was
at length submissivcly confirmed in 1872
Touching this action the earnest PRAYER of
many people is now made, Good Lord, deliver
u.s."
The general government is here compelled
to pay the cost value OF sites for buildings con-
stantly required for additional accommoda-
tons, aud would it be any hardship for rich
railroad corporations to submit to the same
terms to which our government itself is mex
orably subjected?
1t should not be accounted trivial or minor
matter that the Baltimore and Potomac Rail-
road Company appears to have long disre-
garded with entire impunity many Of the con-
lfupOscu upon IL by the original act OF
Congress. Some of these broken conditions
have been reported by the very competent
commissioner Of public buildings and grounds
to the district attorney, with a request for
judicial action in the premises, but little or no
attention has been paid to these official re-
quests. The company has doubtless felt sure
of condoning or healing act on the part of
Congress, whenever it should be needed as il
appears now to be rendered unasked by the bill
under consideration. The sharpest criticism.
perhaps, ever made is that OF facts. l do not
intend to indulge in any slovenliness in state
ments OF facts but shall submit u catalogue of
charges which appear to me to be based on
ample authority. IL they are true they would
not seem to justify haste on the part OF Con-
gress in the bestowal Of large additional rail-
road land bounties upon the offending party
The speed OF steam railroads within the
District has long been regulated by law. and
vet the law is constantly, recklessly and noto-
riously violated The police sometimes stop
fast-going horses, hut apparently they have
enough to do to look out for themselves when
locomotive heaves in sight; and the district at
torney also lacks courage TO seize the bride Of
locomotive. Within ten days a coroner's Jury
has rendered verdict Of manslaughter on ac-
count OF man killed by Baltimore and Po-
tomac railroad train going at more than
double the rate OF speed allowed by law
2. One OF the conditions imposed by Con-
gress upon the Baltimore and Potomac rail-
road was follows;
That while trains are moving TO and from
virginia avenue. along 9Th street and said
depot the said railroad company shall keen
hagmen at the several street crossings to warn
l. - n