Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-01
THE b. AND o. CoMPANY,s PLANS
The Counsel and Engineer OF the Rood Ex-
plain Them,


now TEE TRACKS ARE TO BE LAID on DELAWARE
AvEsuE-BRIDoEs To CARRY STREETS ACROSS
THE ELEVATED vIADUcT PLAN SUGGESTED, But
TEE ESoISkER Oh THE ROAD OBJECTS TO II.
At the hearing before the District Commits
sioners yesterday, on the pending bill known
as the Faulkner bill, to define the route Of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad within the District
Of Columbia, after The STARS report closed
Mr.. IL l. Weller Of the East Washington Citi-
gems Association continued his remarks He
said the association he represented was heartily
opposed to this bill, but a. present, he said,
they were fighting windmills, as he understood
many notifications would be made and had
been agreed to.
He thought the time of five years given in
the bill for making the proposed changes was
TOO long.
Mr.. Cowan, counsel for the Baltimore and
Ohio Company, remarked that the railroad
company WAS not. Mr.. Weller ami other
speakers seemed to assume, asking the passage
Of this bill.
Mr.. Willard also spoke against the BILL urg-
ing that the continuance of the road as il was
affected the whole northeast. He favored the
Chandler bill
Mr.. Thomas W. Smith said he was o large
property owner. He hoped the Commissioners
would recommend to Congress to do some
thing. requiring the road to build bridges the
whole width Of the streets crossing the railroad.
IL the railroad station moved to street,
he said, IL would accommodate no one. II it
were to DO moved it should be moved out to
New York avenue. He, however, favored the
present location. He thought if the railroad
company built a cre1itable-looking station
there 1t would be no blemish to the Capitol
grounds in case OF their extension, rs sug
gestcG BY Mr.. Elliott. He satisfied that the
of N
would be Increased by a measure such
proposed, requiring the road to sink its tracks,
build bridges and erect a handsome station.
Mr.. Willard asked what the effect would be
on property far east
Mr.. smith said that he thought that would
be increased in value. Certainly Il would be
preferable to have bridges than to have the
present state OF affairs.
Mr.. Brown also spoke against the measure.
He said it was proposed to open sth, 9th and
other streets IN the northeast at the expense Of
the important streets from ID to l. He spoke
especially of street as a thoroughfere OF much
importance He said what they wanted to Sc
cure was free and easy access between the two
sections Of the city He protested against the
destruction of such streets as Delaware avenue
and North Capitol street.
The POSITION OF THE RAILROAD COMPANY
When all those who had objections to make
had been heard Mr.. Cowan, the counsel Of the
road, said the company had not come to Con-
gress to ask anything. A number OF bills were
introduced from year TO year looking to a
change The company recognized that some
change should be made. They had not been
asking for these changes. which involved an ex-
penditure Of two or three million dollars Mt
least The bill now being considered was the
outcome OF considerable discussion and showed
what the District committees and the r1ilroad
would agree upon Ii a matter, he said
which Congress and the railroad must agree
upon He did not understand that any one
was proposing to exercise the power OF emf
nent domain aud to put the railroad out of the
city, buying up its property. So after
much discussion the farwen bill, now
the Faulkner bill had been arrived at as the bill
that the company would accept-not tie bill
the company wanted-in the interest Of the
public.
1t was agreed that the tracks should come
down Delaware avenue. as it was believed that
was the most convenient and practicable route.
Inc company had always insisted that they
snouId come 10 their present station. Ii was
well enough to talk about only few minutes
diherencse but as a matter of fact that point
had become q railroad center, and the business
interests Of the company required its location
mere The company, he remarked. was not
bowling with giee at the opportunity :of
spending f3,0O0,O00 or so in Washing
ton These questions had been running
along for ten years There was. he said obiec-
non to the roads coming in by two sets OF
tracks from different directions. This the
Faulkner bill would correct The bill pro-
posed plan which would do as little damage
as possible to the interests of the citizens The
persons who thought they were injured now
would be no worse of il these streets were
bridged instead of being on grade with the
tracks, rs at present.
THE PLANS OF THE ROAD.
Col Douglass, the chief engineer Of the road
followed Mr.. Cowan with an explanation of the
plans Of the road His remarks were in a con-
versational form in reply to questions He ex-
hibited plans showing the proposed junction of
the two branches just beyond the boundary their
entrance by four tracks into the city at the
head OF Delaware avenue, and their proposed
course down Delaware avenue to a point near ID
street. where the tracks curved to the ride swing
ing around In a great loop, striking Delaware
avenue again near F street The western side
OF the loop extends nearly to New JERSEY
avenue. Col Douglass said it was proposed TO
depress the hne on Delaware avenue from
boundary street TO beyond ii street to erect
bridges to carry the roadway over the tracks
at boundary, II street and Massachusetts
avenue, and also to carry North Capitol street
over by means Of bridges. 1t was not ne said
intended to carry q street on a bridge but to
have a grade crossing there. Although the
bill proposed to close + street the engineer said
1t was not essential to the plans OF the COM
pany to have that street closed, provided it
could be left open on grade. North Capitol
street, he said, was now practically closed,
there being a steep bluff south OF the railroad
company proposed to carry the street on
bridges and open that street. In tine course OF
conversation Col Douglass said the road could
not be depressed in the vicinity of E street
without going down into a hole.
Mr.. Dodge remarked that that was one rea-
son they wanted the road to stop north Of II
street
THE yrADrCr PLAN
Both Mr. Dodge aud Mr.. Weller insisted that
al the difficulties spoken of would be over
come, and all the advantages hoped for by the
company would be gained by bringing the road
into the city on elevated yiaduct-
Mr.. Douglass, ii reply to questions said such
vizduct of iron would cost about Sl5O or 5000
4 Foot lie said that IL was the experience in
other cities, and would be the experience here
thar an elevated road did more damage to the
value Of property within two three squares
G! the tracks than a surface road or q depressed
road He said also that the yladuct would COM
pei the removal of the freight business out of
the city, which woald be a serious iuconyen-
iencc both 10 the road and TO shippers. He
thought people would rather pass over the rail-
road than have the road pass over them. He
showed plans of the bridges intended to be
erected AZ Massachusetts, avenue, the approaches
&c which rose with about q per cent grade.
Neither Mr.. Dodge nor Mr.. Weller we're sat-
isned Of the rmpracticability of the viaduct
plan They said that il had been adopted in
other cities with good results and that it