Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-14
ORDERED By THE sxCRErARY.
Privileges Rsfused by Congress Granted to
tbs Pennsylvania Company.

Privileges Refused by Congress Granted to
| ths Pennsylvania Company.
cHASoxs MADE IN THE TRACKS MAR TIE LoSo
BRIDGE WHICH WERE REPORTED AGAINST 81
-uK ENoISEER's oyrIcR-rHx POWER OF TIE
COMPANY GREAT KsoUoH 70 SECURE An ORDER
FROM SECRETARY ELKIys
J Not satisfied with its controlling power in
Congress, and seeing the possibility Of reaching
some Of its ends without troubling the national
legislature for beneficiary enactnnents, the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company seems to have
made a successful effort to secure as much OF
control in the War Department as Is necessary
for its purposes. Some months ago the COM
pany decided that certain changes were neces-
sary at and near TO the northern approaches to
Long bridge. Some Of the proposed changes
which include a widening and eievating Of the
road bed and the laying OF additional tracks
had been asked for in . bill introduced
and advocated by the late Senator Bar
| bour OF Virginia. The bill, however,
never became law, but in spite Of the
| fact that by non-acton Congress had practically
refused TO grant the privileges asked for the
company decided to make another move in the
same direction All public engineering works
are Of course under the direction of the Secre-
tary Of War, and in the hands Of that official
I there is q great deal of power. That this is SO
| Is understood and believed by engineer officers
who have mad nything to do with the Potomac
flats improvements during the past year. In
proper form representatives Of the company
applied TO the Secretary Of War for permission
to do that which Congress had practically de-
ciined to authorize 1t TO do. Following the
regular course the application was referred to
and reached the engineer office. The PROPOSE
tions were investigated and adverse report
was made Ordinarily that would be end Of
the matter. but the influences at work behind
the application were too heavy to be dowred by
few engineer officers
THE SECRETARY INTEErRKEs.
A representative Of the company laid the
matter before Secretary Elkins and the Score
tarv. it is said. sent 70. the engineer officer in
charge and ordered him to permit the company
to do what seemed to it best But the officer
was too careful to be caught in any such fash
Ion. lie must have called that the Secretary's
action would some day be material worthy in
vestigation. So he declined to receive q verbal
order and required a written order, and this
the Secretary did not care to give. When it
was evident, however, that unless the written
order was forthcoming the work could not be
proceeded with, Secretary Elkins attached mis-
autograph to a document which covered the
matter very thoroughly. OF course the engi-
neer Office wan somewba: disturbed because its
Judgment and conclusions had bee n overruled,
but as the Secretary had unlimited power in the
matter no further elections were or could be
made. Tbs railroad company therefore went
right along with its work. 1t elevated its road
bed SO that during rainy weather the highway
alongside the tracks should be almost passa-
be. and it did several other things for which it
had no authority Of law.
OTHER OCCUPANTS OF THE STATS.
II seems. therefore, though Secretary
Ia ec{.I atr he
railroad company in lis predatory efforts The
question now arises since he has given sympathy
and assistance TO washington's great appropri-
ator Of public property what will he do with the
five men who have business places on the lower
portion of the flats? Some time ago the
engineer officer in charge Of The flats improve
msnt discovered that certain parties engaged
principally in the selling Of sand. lime and
other building materis, had established their
places Of business government ground.
There is a law against this
Section 9 of the river and harbor act Of
1880 provides that 1t shall not be lawful for
any person or persons to take possession OF or
make Use for any exclusive purpose build
upon, alter. deface, destroy. injure, obstruct
or in am other manner impair the usefulness
o: any sea wall. bulkhead, jstty. dixie, levee,
wharf, pier or other work bull: by the United
States. In whole or in part, for the preservation
and improvement Of any Of its navigable wa
tide oanges Surveying stations bnoxs Ar o,ber
established marks, nor remove for ballast or
other purposes any stone or other material
oonmponng sucn Mo.
,,sr, ~ AZ 81 -'""' ''' WIG
Section II says: 81. shall be the duty Of
officers and agents having the supervision on
the part Of the United States Of the works in
progress for the preserystion and .mproyement
OF said navigabls waters 10 enforce
the provision Of this act by giving Information
10 the district attorney of The limited states yor
the district in which any violation Of any pro.
vision of this act shall have been Committed.
The law. through proper agencies. ia now
moving to eject Louis N. Goodrich. Valentine
Ruebsam. Henry s. McGlue. John B. Lord and
Henry n I.yles These u en- who are pIasterers
and dealers in building sand, have set up their
establishments on the Potomac fats. Some
time ago thew were notified to get of. but they
territory Their trespass was duly reported to
notified them that thew must be AWAY before