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

I do not feel justified in using the time. hut
desire 90 say that the hill was originally re-
ported In the other house in the sbsence 81 the
chairman OF the committee, who was entirely
opposed 20 the bill and opposed to the bill it
has been agreed upon in conference.
MT. President hone. though I can not ay
that have much ground for any hope. that the
senate will reject tins conference report II is
certainly. in my Judgment for the interest of
the United States that il should assert itself in
relation 10 this ground that was laid out moro
than hundred years ago definitely for the pur-
pose Of preserving 10 the citizens of the United
sss.ss IN tn,s District. public park, where It's
such rs they will be subjected 20 IL they go 20
the park that is projected now beyond the Zoo
logical Park, Tor then they would have 20 hire
carriages But this park. IL we only preserve
IL for the common people. they can reach by
walking, and without expense.
WHAT MORE DO THEY WANT?
Mr.. Mcmillan and Mr.. Faulkner having
stated that the bill gave the road no additional
rights save TO sidings Mr.. Vest asked: What
other rights do they WANT They have the
ground. They are paving nothing for IT. They
are occupying IL and using for the purposes u
their road the reservations Of the United States.
the mall here which was intended park for
the recreation of the people Of the whole conn
try. They have not only run their tracks
through IL. but they have their cars upon IL.
They run them there, and keep them there. and
over that track, which, the senator from
Vermont said
Mr.. Morrill-n the Senator will allow me
will state that il appears by the report here
That teere are eleven spaces that the railroad
company have been authorized 10 seize upon
and that are now 90 be occupied free of ex-
pense. They are small triangular spaces and
the company are by this bill authorized 90 oc-
cupy them. but there rs no provision thst they
shall pay one cent for all the eleven triangular
spaces that they are now occupying and pro-
pose hereafter perpetually 20 occupy.
Mr. Nest-That is the point. Mr.. President
and that Is the whole Of IL. IL the government
of the United States. C5 900 600 within n frac-
aon. wants to erect public building in this
| District Tor all the people of the country, We
nave 20 condemn the ground and pay for u;
but If the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad
company wan 3 TO occupy ground FOR corporate
purposes they do not pay a cent. They were
TO put up bridge ON the mall over their track
TO Keep from deiacing the street and allow the
people 90 pass over their track. and. as I was
proceeding 20 say. the senator from Vermont
IN his graphic description of that work savs
If gentleman is driving with his family over
that causeway he has the smoke and sparks
spurted mp into his horses face and his own
and he has no protection against IL whatever.
III his horse Is unruly. young or has been bred
IN the country and is unused TO the scenes of =
city life and limb are in danger.
lou can 60 now to one of these windows and
look ont and you viii see the streaks Of lire
and smoke and sparks when the cars of the
company dash across this public park and
switch of their freights anG ieave them there.
/ Tor all Of which they do not pay one cent
When you get 20 the depot they pay. as have
said. within fraction of 5000 FOR educational
purposes upon their improvements but moth
ing on the ground.
Mr.. George. They pay taxes?
MI Nest-Ihey pay no ground rent but taxes.
Ihe rest OF us pay taxes and we pay the
ground. III the Senator from Mississippi has
house and ground here he does not paw on the
| house. know from experience that he PAYS
on the ground and that he pays on a very good
assessment. All say is that the Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad Company should pay like L
do. They have the right of possession under
an act of Congress. L cannot do anything
more than occupy the ground and live on il,
and they live on il and Use IL for their cor
porate purposes. and with the exception OF the
small amount for educational purposes they
pay nothing. That is the whole question.
IN FAVOR or REMOVING THE TRACKS
Debate was closed by Mr.. Call, who was of
opinion strongly expressed, that il was time
the subseryiency of the people of this country
! to corporate power should be terminated. The
question presented IN this case. said he. ia q
very plain one: Whether the present occu-
pancy of the public grounds by railroad COM
pany is desirable for the general convenience
and interest Of the people. 1 believe there ia
a unanimous sentiment, with the exception.
perhaps. of an occasional dissent here and
there, that the occupation of the mall y n
! great Inconvenience and great danger 20 the
lives of the people who may have occasion to
pass over il. That question has excited the at
| tention of the people and of the press ever
since have been in Congress.
Nov, If 1T be true that the people who live
here and the people who come here have some
| right to be considered IN the legislation of Con-
gress for their convenience, for the use Of this
ground dedicated 20 purposes of pleasure; IL it
be true that they have some right to be pro-
tected in their lives they cannot be pro-
tected by the use of this property by a railroad
company. then there is a PLAIN duty upon Con-
g-ess. and that Is not TO confirm the right. "a
this bill unqcestionably does-not to perpetu-
ate the right and make IL private right-a
right of property in this corporation. but TO
take such steps as will locate the depot accord
ing TO the convenience of the people and the
necessities o. business. IL there were any private
rights created under the law il would be the duty
of Congress TO make compensation TO the COM
pany, II IL we're necessary TO do IL. rather than
/ to continue the present evil There can be no
doubt that il is plain and open question. with
but one side to it. that all the purposes for
which this ground was reserved and dedicated
| forbid the placing of the tracks Of a railroad
company over il. The Senator from Vermont
| (Mr. MorrilD repeatedly since 1 have been here,
and notably in the speech TO which the senator
from Missouri referred pointed out the danger
and the loss of life that has occurred from the
use Of public highways in different parts of the
city by various railroad corporations, and espc-
cially by the Baltimore ana Potomac road. For
one, Mr.. President am in favor Of removing
the railroad tracks from the reservation"