Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-03-18

was hard and bitter fight, and remember a.
the time that the city was considerably agi-
tated over the proposition to grant the
railroad any thing, but the bill was passed. and
now that the road has been allowed the right to
improve their freight facilities to accom-
modate the demand on them they are more
willing to accede 10 the proposition TO
improve their passenger termini and raise or
depress their tracks SO as TO do away with the
grade crossings. Certainly that matter is in a
more advanced stage than ever before. plan
for the depression of the tracks Of the
Pennsylvania road has been practically agreed
upon by the committee and the Commits
sioners, as well as FOR a bridge tina. will
wipe out the Long bridge, against which there
has always been SO much complaint. A bill
TO carry these improvements into effect is
now before the committee. The same thing
is true of the Baltimore and Ohio
Their plans have been practically adopted
not only bv the committee, but bv the Com
missoners, and with the opening Of the next
Congress there should be little difficulty in
accomplishing what so many years have not
done-the adjustment Of grade crossings and
the Long bridge.
IMPROVED STREET RAILWAY FACILITIES.
1.-The street railway facilities of the city have
certainly been greatly improved. The one
horse cars have been replaced by substantial
and good two-horse ones. Pennsylvania
avenue is supplied with an excellent cable
system, which is now running In very
good order, and has only frst-class cars upon
it. The suburban roads have been well ex-
tended SO that those living just beyond the
city limits well provided with means
for reaching the center of business.
The committee considerably bothered by
the inrumerable applications for street rail-
way charters. If l am not mistaken there
were about twenty applications made to the
committee, but only three or four were granted.
The policy OF the committee was to compel
the present roads to extend their lines
into the suburbs SO that passengers would not
have TO pay but one fare, rather than the
granting OF another charter which would COM
pei the payment of another fare. In this
respect the interests OF the citizen and
the District we're well guarded. The extension
of the charters of the lexington line. the Ana
costa and the Brightwood, as well as the
14th street, have supplied the outskirts of
the city with good railroad facilities.
especially in the case of the Brighswood
road. which now has an excellent line
all the way to Takoma But three new char
tiers were granted-the Suburban, the Great
Falls and the Sandy Spring road. The latter
however. failed to become q law, as the Presi.
dent did not sign it.
In the case of the Norfolk and Western
line the committee, by its amendments,
fully protected the interests of the Dis
trict. As the bill was reported from the
committee it allowed of no speculation and
had any road desired to enter tho city by
that route they could have done SO. The rail-
road charter question had been greatly abused
heretofore. A company would apply for a
charter, obtain it without much difficulty.
make few improvements and then sell
out. The committee took hold of this
question in earnest and every charter that they
granted was worGed IN such a way as wodld not
allow of any Of this former speculation, for it
was nothing more.
THE LIQuoR QUESTION.
"The liquor question was another matter
which the committee dealt with and finally
obtained favorable action upon. 1t is un-
necessary for me to repeat the condi-
ton which existed in reference to liquor
licenses, for every one was well acquainted
with them. The law enacted was not as salts
factory to me. personally. AS it might have
been, but this is something that can be changed
hereafter. and the PRINCIPAL object. which was
to enact law which would control liquor
traffic In this city, was Obtained.
Another question which has been before
Congress Tor many years was disposed Of by
the committee. 1 refer to the bill giving to the
Commissioners the right to extend the
streets and avenues after certain
plan. The city has been surrounded by
a.Chinese wall, and until this bill became law
the enlargement. growth and improvement
of the city was almost an impossibility
In this case. as in tina. Of the liquor ques-
ton. the bill finally passed could have been
improved. but without some concession moth
ing could be accomplished. and it was better
to have the present law than to be hemmed in
By an imp:egnable barrier. The District COM
mittee also accomplished considerable bv act
ing favoTabiy upon certain amendments to
appropriation bills, among them being the i'm
proyement OF the garbage service, the advance
ment Of the work on the second reservoir and
the sewerage problem.
DISTRICT APPROPRIATIONS.
duced by Senator Sherman to refer the District
appropriation bill to the District committee,
one would naturally suppose that I wonld
favor this plan. On the contrary,
believe the present system to be the
best one and for this reason: If the appropria-
ton bills were referred to the committees
having charge of the various branches OF the
government each committee would be interested
entirely and alone in the bill which af-
fected the subjects which they had control of.
Those subjects the members of each particular
committee are mostly interested in, and like
q man with a hobby. they would insist and in
themselves would be convinced that their
appropriation bill above al others
should be the most important. They would
want to zee their particular branches
OF the government the most improved.
and the consequence would be that
the appropriation bills would in every
case be much larger than at pres
cuts buO Que cOmInlttet WOulQ
against another in order that the appropria-
lions recommended by them should not be
reduced. Under the present plan the appropri-
alton committee invariably consults with the
chairman Of the committee having charge OF the
matters to which the appropriation bill
refers. and in this way one acts as a check on
the other. The result is much more beneficial
for the economy OF the government and the
protection Of the rights OF all citizens. 1t is a
matter of business knowledge that the more
checks tina. there are regarding the expenditure
of money belonging to organizations the more
satisfactory are the results.
''These points cover in q brief way the more
important question which the District commit
tee had to deal with during my connection
with it. OF course, there are a number of
other matters of detail which were Of considera-
BILE benefit.
LEGISLATION YET NEEDED.
II feel confident that at the next Congress
the question Of steam railroads in the city
will receive early attention, and also
the problem regarding the lighting OF the
city. The street railway problem is
another affair that must be dealt with. What
the result will be. of course, 1 cannot at tins
time say. Personally favor the plan to have
the street railways Of the District purchased
outright by the municipality. After providing
for a sinking fund for the proper management
OF them and allowing, say per cent on the in
vestment, the remainder of the profits could
go toward the improvement of the parks and
NJ Hh4 Ill IL