Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-09-09
RAILROADING 1T THROUGH.
How the Atkinson Bill Was Rushed
Along Yesterday.

Along Yesterday.
BATE CUT OFF AND AMENDMENTS IN THE INTER
EST OF THE PEOPLE QUICKLY DEFEATED-rHI
BILL AS IT now STANDS.
The Atkinson bill was rushed along in the
House yesterday with considerable energy
Scant consideration was given the opposition
to the bill. Amendments to the first section
were ruled out of order, and debate on four
committee amendments was limited to one
minute, and in other ways those gentlemen
who were defending the District shrunk now
| to an uncomfortable number were giyen to I'M
derstand that they must get off the track or be
run over. great many Of those who had
| formerly defended the District were
away, others had taken account
of the corporations warning and got off the
| track. while the few valiant ones still stood in
| the middle of the track. They we're knocked
ton enough to prevent the bill being expressed
1 through.
The bill was completed in the committee OF
| tue whole. The committee then rose and n
| bill ard amendments was pending when the
| House adjourned, a vote on this motion hav-
| ing resulted, yeas 81, nays 81, and the point
| of no quorum having been made.
l POINTS FROM THE DEBATE.
J When the committee amendments to section
three were offered requiring the approval of
the Commissioners for the laying of side tracks
| and providing that the road having laid these
| tracks it might maintain them. Mr.. Payson
| moved to limit debate on the amendments to
| nalf minute and then reduced the time to
/ two seconds. He said: 1T would be an actual
| insult to their intelligence to assume that they
do not understand the meaning of an amend.
4 u. u. IL
only be done i'll tho discretion of the Commits
| sioners or subject to their approval. / move,
/ therefore. to limit debate on these committee
| amendments to two seconds"
MIR. Pichler-1 want to say to the gentleman
| from Illinois that it would be an insult to our
intelligence If we did not have the right to ex-
i. ercise our privileges rs members of this body
| to consider legislation on which we are called
| to act
Mr.. Payson-I think it very likely the gen.
| tleman understands these amendments.
Mr.. Pickler-IIero are half "a dozen amend
| ments grouped together, and we are asked to
vote upon them as an entirety. Now, want
! to understand their connection with this bill
before | vote.
Mr.. Payson-The gentleman then demands n
separate vote on each of the amendments, as
understand him!
3ir. Anderson of Kansas-I would like to
say tCries of .'Yoter" "Voter'l 1 am not
proposing to delay tho passage of this bill
proposes to give US for debate. Now, l think
that is carrying the thing little too far.
Mr.. Anderson OF Kansas say, Mr.. Speaker,
that have no objection to these amendments
as whole which have been read, but hope my
friend will accept the amendment specified
from his motion. do not desire to debate the
others.
Mr.. Payson-yery WE'LL Twill accept that
The chairman-1hen, on the other amend
ments the proposition is to limit debate to one
Mr.. Payson--No; said two seconds.
fLaughter.l
Mr.. Pickler-I demand a vote on that
The question was taken, and the chairman
declared that the motion was carried.
Mr.. Plckler-Let US have division. This
thing Is becoming railroadinG now in earnest
MIR. NauX-That Is what the majority side
have been doing during the whole session, 50
lar as the democrats were concerned, railroad
ing bills through without giving the minority
any chance to debate them
The amendments inserting the words zap
proved by the Commissioners" were adopted.
SAVING CLAUSE OBJECTED TO.
Mr.. Anderson opposed the amendment giving
the railroad the right to ''maintnin' its sidings,
and moved to amend by inserting .or remove"
30 that the line would read: ''Such tracks to be
laid and maintained or remored under direction
of the Commissioners"
There WIS considerable discussion over the
amendment inserting the words ..or remove"
Mr.. Anderson OF Kansas and Mr. Lind holding
that II the Commissioners were given the right TO
permit the laying Of the tracks they ought to
have the right TO revoke that permission il the
tracks became NUISANCE. The railroad men
resisted tho amendment, which was defeated,
and the amendment as offered by the commit
tee was adopted.
AMENDMENTS AGREED TO.
The following amendments by Mr.. Mudd
fixing the western limit TO the tract of ground
the railroad may secure for freight facilities
were adopted:
Amend section 8. in line 6, by inserting, after
the words Il street." the words land east of
Delaware avenue" making it read as Follows:
ANY one or more eli the squares Of ground
in the city of Washington south of the line of
the said road and north of l. street, and east of
Delaware avenue, and north of the Eastern
Branch, and east of 18th street southeast"
The amendment was agreed to.
The Chairman-The clerk will report the
next amendment
The clerk read as follows:
In tho same section, line TO- after the word
avenues" insert the words east of AZ street
and south Of its main track on Virginia avenue
and west of 18th street southwest" making il
read as follows:
'On the line of said railroad on MARYLAND
and virginia avenues. east of Al street. and
south of its main track on Virginia avenue and
west OF 18th street."
These amendments were prepared by Mr..
Atkinson to meet public demand which the
road could not resist. to put some limit to their
field of operation under the privileges given
by the bill
WHY MR.. ANDERSON OBJECTED.
MIR. Anderson tried to amend by providing
that not more than ten squares should be ac-
CURED by the railroad.
Mr.. Anderson said in this connection: "The
great objection i'll my mind to this bill is the
wholly unlimited character OF this section,
The company may take property as it sees fit
along these avenues; and the amendment
have proposed limits their power of condemna-
t:on to ten squares of ground in ALL 1t cannot
be pretended that that grant of land is not
sufficient for all freight purposes Every gen
tleman knows it is Every one knows that II
they have ten blocks of ground they will have
ample facilities for freight; but as it is in the
bill, II it should pass in fts present shape this
company may take UP sixty blochs of ground.
believe there il great big real estate deal
behind this thing. and it seems to me that
Congress ought TO lImi. tho power of con-
domination. am willing that they may take
ten blocks and let them take them where they
think best; bnt am not willing to let them
take property precisely us they please nor
where and as much as they please. 1t seems
TO me that Congress ough: not to suffer any
corporation at its sweet will to exercise the
great sovereignty of the nation in the con-
demnation Of property in this city,"
1t is for gentlemen to saw il tbev ara
willing that the company shall take the whole
cliy-for that is the effect of this il they de-
sire-or whether on the other hand Won ara
willing a say that THAI hall ba,a IA.