Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-06-27

So far as promises 60 Washington never
seemed to have brighter prospects than at pres
ent for an amelioration at an early day of the
outrageous conditions under which many streets
and sections Of the city have suffered for years
on account Of railroad occupation The Balti-
more and Ohio company, through its officers,
who helped draft the pending bill providing a
new mode Of entrance for its lines into the city,
has virtually committed itself to improvements
tina. remove some of the most serious complaints
arising from the presence of its tracks several
city streets. The plan submitted by the Penn
sylvsnia company 20 Senator Mcmillan would
likewise, il carried out, make a most beneficial
change in South Washington. There will be
many, however, who will not consider either
plan as perfect from the citizens point Of
view. The surrender for all time Of a large
section Of the mall to a railroad company will
be regarded undoubtedly not entirely COM
pensated for by the improvements promised
elsewhere, Of q kind which railroad companies
have been required to make in other cities
without reward. 1t should be borne in
mind that the changes that may now
be sanctioned by Congress and which
may involve the expenditure of millions of
dollars by the railroad companies will give
them an equitable claim hereafter to occupy in
undisturbed possession all of the ground which
their expensive improvements may cover. The
expected railroad legislation will permanently
fix the routes and character of the steam rail-
road lines In the city. So the matter is one not
lightly to be disposed of. The railroad
proposition both in the case of the B. and o. and
the Pennsylvania lines, offer as a most accept
sbla trrra of their ,,lapS the almost
obltseratiOn of the grade crossing, and citizens
a. q rule are Of q mind to make any reasonable
concession to effect such an end. 1t is possible
that the railroad companies count on taking adj
vantage of this disposition Of citizens to drive a.
bargain with the city which win not be entirely
without advantage to the companies. So those
provisions Of any proposed measure making
further grants Of public ground to railroads
should be carefully scrutinized- Close attention
should be given by public officers to
the grades of streets and the depth of track
depressions to that the improvements
when completed do not create q new nuisance.
AL these matters should be considered in a lib
eral spirit and with no intention Of making
terms that would be oppressive to the railroad
companies The plan Of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company as to the Long bridge, so far as
outlined, invites an earnest opposition at the |
start, for if there is anything well settled in the
minds Of citizens il is the necessity of doing
away with the present Long bridge structure,
to whose obstructing piers and causeway is at
tributed. In great measure, the damage
done periodically by floods, and erecting
q new bridge with wider spans in accordance |
with plans made by Col Hams. The Pennsyl- |
wanna railroad nians contenDIafa the arac+ion |
of . doubie-uaek iron bridge on the piers !
now used, and the representation not only of |
the present nuisance, but an sggravston of 1t, |
by the construction of an additional bridge |
north Of the present one. made necessary by |
the surrender Of the present bridge entirely to |
tie railroad