Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-13
THE RAILROAD PLANS.
The Commissioners Make Their Report
This Afternoon.

THE VARIOUS PLANS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
CHANGES IN THE NNrILsS BItL-oBJEcTIoSs
TO THE PROPOSED DEPRESSION OF TIE TRACKS
THE AND WATER STREETS PLAN.
As soon the Commissioners received the
report of Capt. Fiebeger on the Mcmillan bill
today they approved its general features and
designated Capt. Resell to write the re-
port which is to be submitted TO Congress
This he did, and this afternoon the Commis-
s;oners formally answered the request of the
Senate committee for an expression Of their
views on the Mcmillan bill in the following
language:
Hon. James Mcmillan, Chairman Committee on
the District of Columbia, Senate:
Senator:
In reply to your reference to them Of Senate
bill No. 3411, ITO 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" the Commissioners have the
honor to submit the following:
The object desired by all in fixing the routes
and termini OF railroads in cities is TO bring
passengers and freight to the most convenient
points with AS little Inconvenience to the citi-
zens as possible
NheE several railroads come into a CITY, gen.
orally, the best solution is to bring them in to-
gether and make use Of union depots a nd stations
This may either be done by a separate company
owning and operating the terminal roads, &c, or
by mutual concessions by the companies them
selves. These arrangements are generally an
tagonlzed by competing lines, but are apt
to be advantageous to the public
The Commissioners outlined to Congress- a
plan OF this kind in letter TO Hon John J.
IngaHs, chairman Senate committee on the
District Of Columbia. dated April IL, 1890
Again, when railroad facilities are first
brought to a city the advantages to the citizens
are SO great that great favors and facilities are
given them Later, az the cities grow. the in
conveniences and damages become more and
more apparent and gradually complaints in
crease and demands are made for changes
The railroads are also, by this time, in a
position to be able to afford expenditure. in
this line They should, it seems 70 the Com
nissioners so far as possible, be kept of public
streets and parks. With 4 view to this they
should be required 70 purchase and, for their
protection, be given the right TO condemn a
line OF squares.
This would give the road control Of all stor-
age property and would in this way paw them
Handsomely. Or, an alternative, streets
should be selected either near the boundaries
OF the city or along which but few i'm
provements have been mado. With this
view the Commissioners forwarded to
you by letter of July IA 1892
q scheme for bringing the railroad down X
street to Water street and bv Water street to
the Long bridge. In this case they are now of
the opinion that the road should be required to
buy ell the squares along Water street and
build the road of the street through their prop
erty.
If, however the railroad is to remain on Viz
ginla and Maryland avenues as now the Com
missioners would respectfully call attention to
their letter to you. dated March Il, 1892, in
which it is proposed to vacate the mall ard put
the station at the intersection of the avenues.
The Commissioners desire to state further
that in case the railroad is to be permitted TO
occupy the mall and the streets and reserva-
tiQns now used by them that either by denress-
ing OF raising their tracks they shall leave free
for use all cross streets. They believe that an
elevated track would more nearly satisfy the
conditions than a depressed track.
The plan proposed by the bill Of half
sunken track blockades entirely many streets
and puts bridges much above the level OF the
streets along other streets. IT, however, a bill
Ia to become a law which is to solve the prob
lem In the way proposed in this bill the
Commissioners recommend that it be amended
as proposed in the appendix TO Capt.
q. j. Fiebegers report. which is inclosed
The Commissioners desire to have the
charges proposed made in accordance with the
plans and drawings on file in their office. as
they think that they are much more advan-
tageous to the interests of the public than those
on file In the committee room. copy of these
is inclosed.
THE LONG BRIDGE
With respect to the Long bridge the Commits
sioners are Of the opinion that the railroad COM
pany should be required to rebuild the bridge
in accordance with such plans as shall be ap-
proved by the chief of engineers United States
army. to accommodate both the public and the
railroad, and that they shall keep the same in
perfect repair.
-
posed by this bill the Commissioners refer 10
the report made by tine officer in charge of pub
lie buildings and grounds. They think that he
Is more capable of I, porting on this matter
than they are, as be is in immediate charge of
reservations. But the proposed using of the mall
resulting IN the opening OF 9th street would
furnish another tborougnfore to South Wash
ington, which is greatly needed. the number Of
such thoroughfares being limited by the mall
itself.
In closing the Commissioners desire to call
attention to the fact that in their opinion the
elevated construction (Which would only
close four north and south streets--5th
9th, 18th and 13i5-and would leave
open all east and west streets, provided
steel trenching is used. would gain the same
object OF avoiding grade crossings and would
be much to the advantage of the CITY: also that
the increased depression recommended by
them wonld make the streets less open for
travel in much better condition TO be used than
by the depression called for in this bill
The change recommended by them with ref
erence to the Long bridge would result in NOV
ing a menace to the city from flooding and also
give increased facilities for the railroads and
for the public using the bridge
They are Of the opinion that the cost
of the work and tine damages should be paid by
the railroad, and it would give to them facili-
ties which they have been anxiously wanting
for long time and permanently leave them
III al advantageous position. The cost
of the railroad Of the depressed tracks
would be about one-half Of that for an elevated
track. and the maximum would be about
$4,000 900, exclusive of the Long bridge. The
Commissioners also call attention to the plan
submitted by the citizens of South Washington.
with sketches drawn by them. They will be
found in Capt. Fiebeger's report
THE CENSUS OFFICE INQUIRY.