Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-10-02

Congress will have no reason to be ashamed
Of what 1t has done for the District Of Column
bia during this session." said Senator John J.
ingalls, to STAR reporter yesterday evening,
while waiting for tho hour of adjournment to
arrive. "The Rock Creek Park, the CITY Post
Office and the Government Printing Office are
all testimony to the industry of the Legislative
era just about to close.
I'm q broader sense this has been a memoir
able session" continued the Senator. at has
been longer, In the actual number of working
hours, than any other session, and it's legisla-
tion-for its present and its prospective good
the most healthful and advantageous since the
foundation Of the government.
THE STEAM RAILROAD PROBLEM
"The nature Of the program for District !epis-
lation in the next session is more than 1 would
venture to guess at just now. The one great
matter to be considered-the problem to be
solved-is the steam railroad question. That
has to be done as soon as possible. There will
be no rest until it Is disposed of. But it ia no
easy matter. The railroad interests are SO di-
verse, SO conflicting, the railroad companies
are SO antagonistic, that it is practically impos-
siEle to predict any result My own Judgment
favors union depot, but that seems to be i'm
practicable. Failing that, il the Pennsylvania
depot is to remain where it now is would
station to the Same locality. II that. too is un-
desirable, then there are various projects to be
considered. Some want the PENNSYLVANIA
depot removed to the point where
Virginia avenue and Maryland avenue
intersect each other. some want the Baltimore
and Ohio authorities to remove their terminal
belongings to H and North Capitol streets:
both plans have advocates and partisans NV
own idea is that the Baltimore and Ohio should
be permitted to occupy the place 1t now has II
the entire front was inclosed by a suitable
building, so as to put the structure practically
underground. Then would favor the COM
panys being allowed to acquire sufficient terri
tory, so that the engines can make circuit
and 60 out head on would require the
company to bridge North Capitol street the
overhead crossing on that avenue. The tracks
should be sunk out to Boun Diary and guarded
by masonry parapets and proper approaches.
LOCATION OF RAILROAD DEPoTs
MANY people persist that the present ter
minus is too near the Capitol, and some of
them would move it out as far as Boundary.
The general tendency in all capitals and bust
ness centers is to admit railroads as near as
possible to the heart of the city. The Phila-
delphia station Of the Pennsylvania is an illus
tration There the trains run in on elevated
tracks to the principal depot, which is directly
across the street from the city hall-one of the
most magnificent marble structures on the face
of the earth. The 42d street depot in New
York city and the great union depots in the
principal cities of the country all 20 to show
the reality OF the demand for railroad facilities.
Washington is rather provincial III this re-
spect, and its inhabitants seem to think there
Is some incompatibility between steam railroads
and civilization. If this city could be polled |
have no doubt that both depots would be ex-
PEELED to beyond the city limits But the
travelling public-citizens Of the United States
and numbering many millions-demand some
and will probably get it.
STREET RAILROADS.
"What Of street railroads in the District?
I think the complaints about them are, to
large extent, unjust. Any man who is familiar
with the street car service of Baltimore, Phila-
delphia and New York must reach the conclu-
sion that the criticisms on these roads so fire.
quenty made in Congress are exaggerated.
The service is not all that could be desired but
it is rapidly improving. New grooved rails of
the most modern pattern are being laid, the
spaces between the tracks are being repaved,
while electricity and cable are being substi-
tuted for horses as motive power. My impress
sion Is that the storage system is the motor of
the future. In this, as in all other matters
concerning the national capital, Congress will
insist on the adoption Of the most improved
methods and the introduction OF the most de-
sirable vehicles for the accommodation of the
people of Washington and the maay visitors
bor