Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-25
Important political and financial consid

Ynnortant political and financial consid-
erations have kept Congress busy ever
since It met in extraordinary session. out
the rush now seems to be over ana II Is
easily probable that matters of minor con-
gressional interest. but most weighty In
the purely local estimation will begin 10
receive the attention they deserve. Inc
District Of Columbia will make no excess
sive demands and is going to ask only Tor
such things as 1t really needs. and these
should be given IT with the least possible de-
lay. For many years Washington has suf-
Tered from the grade crossings which steam
railroads seem to regard as essential to the
conduct of their business. Men. women and
children have been slaughtered In the city's
streets by rapidly-moving locomotives:
property values have deprecated. and sec
lions Of the city that should be crowded
with handsome homes are. in part. render
ed unfit for residence purposes. Reforma-
tory agitation was for a long time seeming
ly without effect, but within the last year
or SO the two corporations which control
all the steam-railroad trackage in the Dis
trict have evinced q desire to move for
ward and keep in touch with that practical
and sensible popular idea which is founded
upon the law of self-preservation. AS soon
as the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and
Ohio companies realized that further delay
would only result In seriously increased
friction between themselves and the peo-
pie whose servants they were. they did
themselves credit and surprised the pub
lie by volunteering to abolish all grade
crossings on their roads within the City OF
Washington. The Pennsylvania company
declared its willingness to depress its
tracks until 1t would be possible to carry
the crossed streets over them with but
slight changes in grade: the Baltimore an6
Ohio not to be outdone, announced It's in
tention to elevate its tracks on a SOLID
masonry viaduct and to build in place Of
the present unsightly structure a new sta
ton that would be worthy Of the nationa
capital Since making those announcement!
preliminary plans have been prepared an(
for a while there was 50 much activity a:
to give many people an impression that tn
work OF reconstruction would commenc,
In little while. But the Fifty-second Con
Gress passed away and there was no legis
lative action on either of the bills. Befor
any of the improvements can be starte,
there must be congressional consent. VIII.
there should be delay in securing the ap
prevail of the Senate and House is no
quite plain and it may be that the Fifty
third Congress will appreciate the necessit,
for change Of conditions and will sem
the necessary attachments to the Presiden
1T an early date. A Baltimore and Obi
blu has received the approval Of the Dis
trict Commissioners and IS now in tn
hands OF the House Committee on the Dis
trict Of Columbia. The plan. as develope
In the bill in question, Is thoroughly moder
and seems to accord closely with the view
expressed not so long ago by the railroa
officials, though it Is not definitely know
what their present opinions are. OF tn
superiority OF viaduct construction, vigor
ously advocated by The Star and accepte
with apparent willingness by the company
engineers. there can be no question. If tn
Fifty-third Congress succeeds in abolishin
grade crossings within the limits Of tn
national capital II will deserve and n
ceive the unqualified thanks of a communit
that Is thoroughly weary of the antiql
and murderous methods now in vogue
South and East Washington.