Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-06


least for one-fourth more than the ground that
we take for the public post Office site in this
district IL any citizen Of the United States
desires any property of this government he
viii have 10 pay For t. II want tomorrow 10
occupy any Of the ground Of this government,
must, By proper legislative proceedings. ac-
qulre il for public use. and must pay for it.
Under the provisions Of this bill this railroad
company occupies the ground on six small rec
ervataons free Of any cost at all. They are per-
mitted to retain the use Of the depot site, which
say Is one-fourth-and am entirely reason
able In baltimore valuable than the ground
we took for the post Office. without paying any
ming except a reasonable taxation, and a very
small one, upon the building that they have put
dent, all intend to saw. and that is the salient
point IN this case. is that protest against this
discrimination in favor Of any corporation.
NOT An ISSUE
There is provision put in this bill-for
what purpose know not-that nothing con-
tanned in the act shall affect the location Of the
baltimore and Potomac depot on 9Th street.
That is not in issue here. The effect OF that. "a
lawyer would construe il, is to make per
petual the othe- grants in this act. that is. the
occupation OF --.e small reservations free of
cost and the occupation Of the mall
Mr. President, II / wanted to consume time
ana an intimation has been made In the public
prints and here upon this floor to the Effect
~. IL
speech delivered by the Senator from Yer
mont (Mr. Morrill, think in July, lss9
which have before me. not for this occasion
but because happen TO have il at my desk, in
which the venerable Senator from Vermont re-
viewed the entire railroad Situation in this Dis
trict and gave an account of the manner in
which the act WAS passed which gave them the
| right over that mall and gave them the depot
site at 9Th street. He spoke from personal OBJ
servation and experience. and have heard
IN hnr haaxxa n
with that legislation. have heard-the Sena-
tor from Vermont will know whether il is true
or not; have not looked at the Record for it
that after that bill had passed late at night the
Senator from Vermont moved that a committee
be appointed to wait upon Mr.. Scott the then
president of the road, and ascertain if he had
any other legislation to propose to Congress.
lLaughter.l That bill was passed: and that is
the basis of the location of that railroad and of
their occupation of the mall and these reserva-
tions.
have also heard q statement, which I will
not take the time to read. of the president of
this road, Mr.. Roberts, in regard TO the abso-
lutte necessity for providing in all cities for
either subterranean or overhead passages over
streets by railroad tracks, and he takes for his
company the very greatest credit because in
the city of Philadelphia they have lately pro-
vided for overhead passage over all the streets
OF that city by the tracks of the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. In this bill there is no such
provision, and the same old casualty list will
be made out from year to year of men run
over and crippled and killed in the streets of
this city, the population Of which is largely
increasing from year to year, by reason Of no
provision being made for the protection of life
and limb by subterranean passages over
mead passages to the cars of this company.
The Senator from Vermont puts in his re-
marks in July, 1888, list of deaths and of
casualties in the way of wounds which he OBJ
tanned. he said in his speech. from the Com
missioners Of the District of Columbia, and
state from memory that it amounted in some
ten or twelve years to one hundred and odd
persons who were killed and a considerably
larger number who were wounded.
NO CONCESSION TO THE PEOPLE.
There are two points of objection to this
bill. have stated one of them as rapidly and
as succinctly as possible. II was that differ
ence is made between other citizens Of the
United States and between the government of
the United States itself and this corporation as
to the requirement and possession of real es-
tate in this District. The other is that there is
no protection afforded to life and limb by this
great railroad corporation when they go into
use OF the streets of this city for their tracks
They are given by this bill all that they demand
and they give nothing. If there is ANYTHING in
the way of concession to the demands Of the
people of the District of Columbia in this whole
bill have been unable to find it.
Mr.. President, have very little more to saw.
have not the slightest personal feeling in this
matter other than that Of a citizen and a Sena-
tor of the United States. If / were TO consult
alone my personal relations with the gentlemen
interested In this company l should say nothing
against this bill: but with my convictions in re-
gard to its provisions should consider myself
derelict to every sense of duty if l did not say
at least what have said.
Mr.. Gibson asked Mr.. Vest whether the re-
port could in any way be amended SO that the
evils cOmpai0ed of caul1 he r,,rad
THE ONLY REMEDY.
"There is only one way i'm which we can take
a step toward remedying these wrongs" re-
piled Mr.. Vest. land that is by rejecting this
conference report. The only question now
pending before the Senate is. shall we agree to
this report? 1t comes here now with an agree
ment, as we all know from the Record, on the
part Of the House of Representatives to the
conference report, and the only single ques-
ton that is left to is shall we now follow tine
same course and agree to this report in the
SenGte? III We agree to it We simply say to the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company, go
on and occupy these reservations and pay
nothing. We do not pretend to legislate as to
the occupation Of the depot upon 9th street and
fronting on the avenue. You have got it, You
have got your valuable buildings upon it. and
you are paying about 50, 600 year, which is a
small tax, one-half the full tax upon the value
of the buildings, without any ground rent at
permitted them originally to occupy that
property, about So. 900 is to be devoted to edu-
cational purposes in the District of Columbia
and then we proceeded 10 vote in an appropria-
ton bill 500, 900 for a much less valuable
piece of ground for post Office site in this
District for the people Of the United States
That is the issue. never shall permit myself
to remain silent here and give my vote for any
such proposition.
Il DO not know the people here who have held
meetings on this subject, and do not care to
know them except for social purpose. per-
init nobody to approach me as to my duty here
except in the way Of suggestion. Public meet
ings have been held and 1900 people have
signed petitions protesting against this legisla-
ton. know how unequal this contest is.
know that this conference report comes here
with all the parliamentary advantages on its
side. was about to say know the odds are in
favor of this vast corporation with it enormous
power, but do not care about assuming that.
shall not insult any Senator by saying that he
is influenced by the interests which are in
volved in this legislation; and conclude as
began, without consuming any more time by
simply stating that am here to ask for the
simplest and most even-handed justice between
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company
and the people of the United States. as I would
demand the same justice between Tom Jones
and William Brown or any other two citizens Of
this country"
SENATOR MoRRILL's PROTESTS
Friends of the bill evidently hoped the de-
bate had come to an end, but it had not
Senator Morrill, was present, and his contribu-
ton to the protest of citizens was q very
vigorous one. My relations with the officers
Of this company and the owners Of the stock,