Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-25

y
THE SINKING OF TIE TRACKS.
To do away with grade crossings the bill pro-
vides for sinking the tracks. preserving essen
TALLY the lines now in use-with two
exceptions, to be noticed presently-and
crossing them by ten highway and two
foot bridges, specified in section /.
An additional bridge in the mall is provided
for in section L. Streets crossing the tracks at
points other than those provided with bridges
are vacated as specified in section z.
The intervals between the highway bridges
measured upon lines perpendicular to the main
lines Of traffic over them. are approximately a.
follows:
l. Between New Jersey ave. and South
q South Capitol st. and Delaware ave. 80. 725
5. Delaware ave. and I'd ct. aw. 575
4. I'd ct. sw. and ~ st. s.w........1 I, 100
8. AZ ct. s.w. and 9Th at. s.w.... 800. $50
8. 9Th ct. s.w. and 9TH st. s.w............. $40
2. 7th st. s.w. and 9th ct. s.w..-...-....... $50
8. 9th st. s.w. and 18th st. s.w..1 I, l60
1t viii be observed that the first, fourth and
eighth intervals in this list are very consider-
able. The first is explained by the fact that
on one side Of the main line at this locality is Q
large public park-Garfeld Park-snd on the
other an extensive system of side tracks, for
which reasons there can be no great amount Of
cross traffic, and no reduction Of the interval
appears to be necessary. The second Is proba-
bly, due to the difficulty Of bringing the tracks
at Sd street, as the bridge here would have to
be long (crossing street well as Virginia
avenue and the marrow triangular block be-
tween them) and high, the level OF the de-
pressed track at this point being only four
feet below the present level of the street,
necessitating long approaches. But in my
Judgment Sd street is too important . street to
be closed, and the interval between the ad-
jacent bridges as proposed is too great For
the third long interval, that between
9Th and 18th streets, there appears to be no
good reason, unless the existence of the
Smithsonian grounds, a block or two to the
north, can be so considered. In my judgment
the foot bridge proposed for 10th street should
be replaced by a highway bridge foot
bridge should also cross the tracks in res
ervation 10l. on the prolongation Of 9Th street.
The principal changes in the location of the
main line are at reservation 10l and at the en-
trance to the passenger station in the mail At
reservation l01 there are at present two
branches of the main track, as shown in black in
the inclosed sketch No. 2. 1t is proposed to
abandon one of the branches and to approach the
passenger station from westward through reser-
walton 102, as shown upon the sketch in red. This
will be a decided improvement in reservation
101, for the attainment Of which reservation
102 may well be sacrificed. From eastward the
passenger station is approached by q curve
through squares 1853 and 1853 south, and the
tracks are removed from 9Th street. This also
is an improvement IL the mall is to be further
sacrificed as proposed.
TERMINAL FACILITIES.
Increased terminal facilities are provided
besides the grant of additional space in the mall
by authorizing the company to purchase, by
condemnation if necessary. several blocks of the
city and to enter them by side tracks. The
blocks to be purchased are for freight purposes.
No good reason appears why additional blocks
shOnld of he has pl fcy f,as nvar
The side tracks Just referred to and those
already existing will cross and destroy for
other public use the small triangular reser-
vations los, LOG. 109, ia, IFS. 176, III,
17S and PAL. The company already occu-
pies reservations los, 100, ia. III, l78 and
24l. 1t claims, believe, and perhaps justii-
ably, that this occupation was legalized by the
act Of January Is. 1891. The three additional
reservations. and. indeed, the entire list, are
insignificant in value compared with the ave-
nues the use Of which has been given to the
company.
Proceeding to examine the billsin detail for
amendments it is evident that il the funda-
mental principles which 1 have favored be
adopted-viz: that the government should pay
a fixed sum to be equally divided between the
federal and District revenues, and the mall
should be preserved-the bill must be re-
written, O modification be made in the
plan and careful estimate of its
cost be prepared. l recommend that this be
done. 1t will, Of course, not be practicable to
estimate the damages accurately in advance,
but provision can be made that when awarded
they are to be paid in the same proportion as
the other expenses. Legislation as to the Long
bridge may be kept in or left out, as may be
thought best.
Ii the principles upon which the bill has been
drawn are to be retained, then l recommend
the following amendments:
l. On page /, line IL, after South Second
Thtrd
2. On page1, line 10, after Ninth street, insert
Tenth street.
8. On page 2, line 10 of section 1. strike out
Tenth and insert in lieu thereof Eighth.
4. On page 2, lines IA, Is and 16 Of section 2,
strike out the words land to occupy a strip Of
ground not to exceed the width of seventy-fve
feet from street southwest" as inconsistent
with the provisions Of the following section.
s. On page strike out lines II and II OF sec
ton Z.
6. On page 6, line 10 Of section z, strike out
the words tenth and' and make the gram
NAUTICAL corrections necessitated thereby.
z. On page 9, line 2, strike out the words
"shall be filed" and insert in lieu thereof the
words ''are those now on file" and then send
word to the railway company that before the
bill can be acted upon the plans and profiles
must be filed with the officers referred to. Very
respectfully, &c.
Maj. Davis Report.
The report of Maj. Chas. E. L. B. Davis, made
to Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Casey, chief Of engi-
neers, U. s. A., and sent with Secretary Elkins'
letter to the Senate District committee, is as
follows:
have the honor to acknowledge the receipt
of department letter Of the 10th instant (69l9
E. D.-lS92) referring for report Senate bill
No. 3477. Fifty-second Congress, first session,
entitled "A bill to provide for doing away with
certain grade crossings on the lines Of the Bal
timore and Potomac railroad in the city Of
Washington, District OF Columbia, and for
other purposes"
Upon examination Of the bill find that Sec
ton 10, relating to the Long bridge over the
Potomac river, is the only part that refers to
work under my charge, and l therefore limit
my report to that section. Section 10 Of the
bill reads as follows:
Sec. 10. That the said railroad company be,
and it is hereby, further required to construct
. double track on the Long bridge over the Po-
tomsc river and the island in the said river,
and to build on the Virginia side Of the said
river two additional spans each lao feet
long, in consideration whereof the said
company shall be, and it is
hereby, freed and relieved from the
obligation to maintain the said railway bridge
in good condition for ordinary highway travel;
it being hereby understood and agreed that q
proper highway bridge shall be provided at the
expense of the United States or of the District
of Columbia, between the foot Of l4th street
in the city Of Washington and the Virginia
shore at such point as may be determined upon
rnoat auixa HE nv the