Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-02
THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
Strong Uttcrances Against Grade-C Cross
ings and Railroad Usurpation.


than 1t has on the pending railroad question.
Congress already had before II the strong ex-
pressions Of the board of trade. OF various citi-
zens' associations, of the workingmen's organi-
cations and Of other bodies. Now that oppor-
tunity has been given, by means OF The srAR's
coupon petition, for the expression Of indi-
vidual opinion, il has been clearly shown
that the bodies whose formal resolutions
have been presented to Congress fairly repre-
sented the sentiment of the community. The
signed coupons continue to pour into The STAR
Office. With them come many letters bearing
upon the subject of the peoples effort TO rid
themselves Of death-trap grade crossings. and
upon the pnb apU SrouDd. Among
the signatures received are some from WASH
tonians out Of town, who want their vote re-
corded.
HOPES CONGRESS WILL NOT PASS IT.
A prominent business man Of Washington
now at the Warm Sulphur Springs writes:
Enclosed please find petition with my sigma
ture. l am very much opposed to the II. r.
bill No. s24S and hope Congress will not pass it.
A BIT OF HISTORY.
A well-known and well-posted citizen writes:
'Some years ago Congress legislated the
Baltimore and Ohio station from Pennsylvania
avenue, where it was located on its own ground
Now it 10 proposed to legalize the Baltimore
and Potomac station on United States govern
ment ground near the same thorouShfare. In
ventors and discoverers should inform thera-
selves of what has been previously done in a
given direction. The Washington Post is not
so well informed as it ought to be on matters
affecting the interests OF our city. Modesty al
ways becomes ignorance"
A VAST INTEREST AT STAKE.
Another citizen says: 1.-The importance of
norfn ~ he a.
of this great railroad octopus, now when the
opportunity offers. cannot be overstated. Tho
defeat of the people in the struggle TO repos-
sess what Congress had no right to give away
will be the beginning of the gradual absorption
OF this reservation as from time TO time en-
larged accommodations for station purposes
are required. To the people of Washington a
end the fight for all time, and shame be TO any
citizen whose culpable indifference or We
nallty should make 1t q defeat"
WHY he SIGNED IT.
Another citizen who sends in his name
writes:
81 sign this slip because am opposed to
steam railroads entering a city at grade of
street crossings. / do not particularly object
to thor present location, because l believe
railroad depots should be easily accessible to
the public, but the tracks should not occupy a
public street las at 9th street and Virginia and
Maryland avenucs), but be sunk below the
level or placed at high grade, as at Broad street.
Philadelphia, and the company owe this TO the
city for the valuable franchise of depot site"
WANTS SOMETHING STRONGER THAN PETITIONS.
A letter from another Washingtonian says:
"Being in sympathy with the object of this Pc
tition 1 sign it with but a wretched hope that
1t will accomplish anything The Pennsylva-
mia company Is too firmly entrenched in the
N he al kv oh
siles as petitions. successful assault can be
made only with heavy artillery in the shape
of the strong arm of the people"
HOW 1T WAS DONE IN PHILADELPHIA
Another signer of the petition writes: II
most gladly embrace the opportunity to sign
the petition in The STAR. As the only objec-
ton to the removal of the passenger station
yet advanced Is increased distance that seems
puerile when it is considered that nineteen out
of twenty passengers now ride TO 1t. aud the
additional distance does not consume two min
utes' time and requires no additional fare, and
for these two minutes magnificent park
and one of the main arteries TO
South Washington are to be sacrificed.
With It'll street blockaded by the cable road
and market wagons and 9Th street by the Balti-
more and Potomac there is absolutely no thor
oughfare between AZ and 14th streets for the
immense traffic north and south. As to the
promises of the railroad company. il was posi-
to be located where 1t Is, twenty years ago,
that they would move il at any time. In Phil
adelphia this same company did, at the
expense of millions of dollars, buy the
fronts of all the lots ON Filbert street
for a distance of over fourteen blocks
and build brick viaduct, mile long, pierced
with arched thoroughfares at every street
crossing, leaving the sidewalks and carriage
way of the street for the entire distance unob-
structed. TO bring their passenger trains TO the
heart Of The city. Not foot of track was pm.
i'll the street and not a single crossing OBJ
structed In addition to this the ground on
which the immense depot stands, as well as
every foot occupied by the tracks in the city,
had to be paid for by the company, and the
whole plant-depot, tracks and viaduct-is
taxed the same any other realty, on value
assessed by the city assessor. Here the poor
man makes up the deficit and then is asked to
sign a petition to perpetuate the system by
which he is robbed"
CASE OF PADDING.
A correspondent of THR STAR writes in
relation to the name of Howard Morton Lc
Droit building" appearing in the printed list
of sIgners to the railroad company's petition:
Having doubt as to the correctness OF IN
list of Both ultimo. l made inquiry at building
through proper channel and found no such per-
son known. Evidently a case of padding"
HoNoRED BY THE PEOPLE.
A Washington business man writes from the
Delaware Water Gap, Pa: However this
fight between the great corporation and the
city may result HE STAR Will be honored by
the people"
HE DROPPED INTO RHYME.
Another ''sgner." whose emotions were too
strong for ordinary prose, makes metrical ex-
preston of his sentiments as follows:
There was q man named Atkinson,
And he was wondruus wise.
He sought to cover no the town
With railroad tracks and ties.
Philanthrophy much merit has,
Bit 1t sometimes is attacked
While Mr. A is no doubt wise,