The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-06-29
INTO WASHINGTON.
The Norfolk and Western Bill
Before Congress.

| Its lines into the district OF Colum ola
came up in the House OF Representative
Monday, but was referred to the Dis
trict of Columbia committee. This bill
provides that the Norfolk and Western
Railroad Company be authorized to ex-
tend their railroad into the District of
Columbia, beginning for the said extern
sion at the terminus Of the main line
of the said railroad on the Virginia
side of the Potomac river and crossing
said river by suitable bridge at or near
the Three Sisters, or such point west
| thereof and upon such plans as may be
approved by the Secretary of War, to
the east side or bank of said river, and
thence following the same in an east
wardly direction, and by the way of
Water street, in Georgetown, TO Thir-
tieth street or some point west thereof,
and thence to a point on Rock Creek
not less than 100 fee. north or
south Of the X street bridge and thence
crossing said creek by suitable bridge,
TO be not less than twenty feet clear
above the water line Of said creek, and
thence to the terminus of the limo in
Washington City, which shall be west
of Twenty sixth street west and
between Pennsylvania avenue and
Virginia avenue, and to be so
loo tied as not to obstruct the public use
OF X street and the bridge now crossing
Rock creek at Water street, at or near
which point said company shall erect
and maintain suitable passenger and
freight stations, with the right also to
acquire by purchase or condemnation,
as hereinafter provided, such pieces or
parcels Of land as may be by said corpo-
ration required for its stations and ware
houses within the cities of Georgetown
and Washingto on the route herein
authorized for it's use, with authority to
construct and maintain single or double
track railways on the same route
through, along and over said streets and
avenues, with sidings, turnouts, turn
tables, switches and such other struc-
lures as may be necessary to the deliv-
cry Of cars to warehouses and stations
along said route, and to connect with
and transfer such cars over any lines of
railroad connecting with its lines: Pro-
vided, That no 10 ore than two tracks in
the aggregate, shall be laid along Water
street, in Georgetown, by this or any
tracks and bridges hereby authorized
to be constructed shall be public high
way for any railroad connecting in the
District of Columbia, or at or near the
Virginia end of the bridge, and may be
used by any other corporation for the
transportation of passengers and for the
delivery and receiving OF freight upon
the payment Of reasonable
compensation therefore TO the
owners of the road; Provided, That the
bridge to cross the Potomac river, con-
Meeting this extension with the main
line at practicable point above the
Aqueduct or Free bridge, shall be so
constructed as to cause the least OBJ
struction to the navigation of the river,
upon plans to be approved by the Secre-
tary Of War, and SO that the abutments
on the north side OF Potomac river and
the construction of the proposed extern
tension at any point shall not injure or
obstruct the use OF the canal or OF the
towpath of the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal
That the said Norfolk and Western
Railroad Company be and is hereby au-
thorized and empowered to conneci its
line and tracks with the Georgetown
Barge, Dock, Elevator and Railway Com
pany, or with the tracks of any other
connecting railroad company west of
Twenty. sixth street west which now en-.
ters or which may hereafter enter the
District OF Columbia. with the right to
u.e the tracks of any such railroad upon
such terms as to compensation and upon
such conditions as to the use of said
tracks as may be agreed upon between
the companies.
Condemnation is provided for and the
road is to be commenced in one year
and completed in two years.
An important section provides that
where the line OF the Norfolk and West
ern Railroad Company or the route
therefor as herein authorized shall coin
eide with or occupy any portion or por-
tions OF the route or right of way of
any other railroad or transportation
company or corporation holding from
Congress charter or authority TO con-
strrct line of railroad, and such com
pany or corporation has not, pursuant
to such authority, actually graded its
roadbed and laid its tracks along and
over the whole of the said portion or
portions of its said route. ready for the
efficient operation of it's line of railroad
before the 1st day of March, 1893, then
and in that event the Norfolk and West
ern Railroad Company is hereby author
lied to acquire in the manner hereinbe-
fore provided the said portion or por-
tions Of the said route or right of way,
to grade it's roadbed and lay tracks
along and over the same, and to OCCUPY
the same for the operation of it's
limo of railroad as hereinbefore pro-
vided but should the said com
pany or corporation before tho said
date complete. in a substantial manner,
the grading OF their roadbed and the
laying OF their lines of tracks ready
for the efficient transportation of steam
railroad passenger and freight cars,
then the Norfolk and Western Railroad
Company, from the point where their
tracks shall so coincide or connect with
tha trarGo ~ "a oop, oon