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

neer Omcers.
Secretary Elkins today transmitted to the
Senate District committee the reports of Maj.
C. E. L. B. Davis and Col O. b. Ernst in regard
to the Senate bill ''to provide for doing away
with certain grade crossings on the lines of the
Baltimore and Potomac railroad in the city Of
Washington and for other purposes" This 10
the bill known as the Mcmillan bill.
The letter Of Secretary Elkins is Is follows:
81 have the honor to return herewith q COPY
Of Senate SAT-, bill, &C., and beg to invite
attention to the inclosed reports Of Col. O.
H. Ernst, In charge Of public buildings
and grounds, Maj. Charles E. B. L. Davis,
corps of engineers, in charge Of the improve
ment Of the Potomac river in the vicinity Of
Washington, and the chief Of engineers, U. s.
A., dated respectively December l6, December
20 and December "a, 1898, and to the
accompanying papers including a copy of the
bill embodying certain amendments suggested
by these officers In this connection 1 desire
especially to emphasize my belief that the con-
struction Of highway bridge alongside
Of the railroad bridge would be preju-
dicial to every interest involved; would increase
rather than lessen the existing objections
which apply to the present bridge at
the foot Of 14th street and would in every
way be Objectionable, besides being dangerous
to life. In my judgment the better plan
by far would be to authorize the railroad
company to construct new bridge whom neces-
sary, exclusively for railroad purposes at its
own expense, and the government to build q
wagon road bridge at the most suitable point
for public travel.
Very respectfully,
s. B. ELKINs,
Secretary Of War.
The letter Of Gen Casey, chief Of engineers,
transmitting the reports of the other officers to
the Secretary Of War, indorses the amendments
to the bill proposed by these officers.
Col. Ernst's Report.
The report Of Col o. H. Ernst is as follows
II have the honor to return herewith Senate
bill No. 3477, Fifty-second Congress, first ses-
sion, transmitted to me by your letter Of the
10th instant, with instructions to make an early
report thereon.
The bill is "to provide for doing away with
certain grade crossings on the lines Of the Bal
timore and Potomac railroad in the city Of
Washington. d. c., and for other purposes"
The ''other purposes are mainly to give to the
railway company greater terminal facilities and
greater facilities for crossing the Potomac river.
work OF much magnitude is contemplated, and
its cost is to be shared by the federal govern
ment, the District Of Columbia and the railway
company. The proportion Of the cost to be
borne by each is not clearly defined. The fed
eral government grants public grounds
Long bridge over the Potomac. The
Dis trict of Columbia builds the ap-
proaches to the bridges over the sunken tracks,
changes the grades Of streets where necessary
and bears all damages to adjacent property
arising from the entire work. new bridge
is to be built for highway use at the expense Of
the United States or the District of
Columbia. The value of the various grants
and burdens assumed will be esti-
mated differently by different persons.
No good reason appears why the United States
should contribute to the work, except in its
capacity as the principal taxpayer of the Dis
trict, in which capacity it would pay an amount
equal to that paid from the local revenues. 1t
would seem to be more accurate to provide that
the government shall pay fixed sum
some given fraction Of the estimated
all-that fixed sum to be equally divided
between the federal and District revenues as
in the case Of other local public works. leav-
ing to the railway company the balance of
the total expense, damages and all.
Besides the advantage Of accuracy the adop-
ton of this rule would leave the questions Of
the further occupation of the public grounds
and of the Long bridge to be considered on
their merits, which it is difficult to do if they
are to be hampered by considerations Of re-
9uital by the railway company. The
latter questionable Long BRIDGES not
necessarily part Of the scheme of
doing away with grade crossings for the princi-
pal part of the city. Understanding that the
bill has been referred to the officer in charge Of
the Potomac hatsimprovement, 1 beg leave to re-
fer to his report for information and opinions
as to the merits Of the portion Of it referring to
Long bridge.
THE OCCUPATION OF THE MALL.
The portion of the mall now occupied by the
company under the act Of May 81, 1872, is a
rectangle measuring S02 feet on 9Th street west
and $50 feet on B street north, an area Of 12O,-
300 square feet. 1t also occupies a right-ange
triangle of which the sides measure $50 feet at
the south end of this rectangle, for which l can
find no legal authority. The total area occupied
l3l, $50 square feet tits proposed to grant
which shall extend from the south side Of B
street north to the south side Of B street
south, a distance of 1,675 feet, and 225
feet wide., containing S76,s75 square
feet. The additional area to be given is
245.S25 square feet. Within this area lies the
building occupied by the United States fish
commission. A very modest estimate Of the
value Of this ground I suppose would be
81, 900, O00
The chain Of parks, called the mall, which ex-
tends from the Capitol to the Potomac and the
executive mansion, is an important part Of the
great design upon which the city OF Washing
ton is built. Now that the design is taxing
ehape in actual execution, and the most
beautiful city in the world is grow
ing about us, it may well be doubted whether
the policy which has allowed serious blemishes
to creep into the design should not be altered,
and be changed toward eradication of those
which exist rather than to their aggravation
The only explanation that I have ever heard of
the granting permission to the Baltimore and
Potomac Railway Company to establish
passenger depot upon the mall is
that at that time the ground was un-
improved and was useless to the public.
Three-quarters Of century since the founding
Of the city had passed, and SO little had been
done toward identifying it, and there was 30
little expectation Of a change in that respect,
that the ground considered practically
waste ground. Whether that explanation
be correct or not there can, think,
be no doubt that if the station were
not there and permission were asked today
to put it there. It would be refused without
hesitation. But unsightly as it is, and serious
obstruction as IL 10 to free communication from
one part Of the mall to another. 1t 10 inngnifi-
cant aa A blemish cOmpared tn what IL vouid bo