Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-09
The Washington and Mt. Vernon railroad

The Washington and Mt. Vernon railroad
asks legislation which will permit II to skirt
the northern boundary Of the reclaimed
flats, pass south OF Observatory Hill and
traverse the northwest corner of the flats
TO river frontage and ferry landing on
the reclaimed ground o. This occupation
Of the flats will violate the policy of park
protection, the scrupulous and extreme OBJ
servance Of which, even against the gov
eminent itself. has made Washington the
most beautiful Of American cities and WON
derfully advanced its material interests by
rendering it irresistibiy attractive as a
place Of residence. O. 1t will violate. by
giving to the corporation with Jut compensa-
ton valuable river frSrtage and other
rights on the reclaimed ground, the munich
PAL commandment which forbids the dona-
ton Of public property for private uses;
3 commandment which has already been
sufficiently broken to the peoples detriment
IN Washington, and concerning the rigid
enforcement Of which strong public senti-
ment now exists. g. BY cutting off OBJ
Eervatory HILL the high ground belonging
10 the government. from the low flats the
road renders impossible OF realization the
wise plan which provides a varied and
beautiful surface for the park to be created
here a. Entrance over the new-made
ground renders necessary the use of the
overhead trolley for thousand feet or as
far east as 18th or Goth street, since an I'M
foreground conduit cannot safely be put
into such ground until it has settled. an ex-
ceedingly indefinite and remote date. Such
entrance involves a suspension or abroga-
ton Of the existing law against additional
overhead wires at the very time, when, in
view Of the threatening attitude Of the
he Iayv dc rO ho ricri.1 ly
enforced. and it will create a new and pow
erful ally Of the combine in the struggle to
use the overhead trolley in all parts Of
Washington. o. In running over and by
the side of the reclaimed flats, as a through
rapid-tTansit line. competing with a steam
railroad as far as Alexandria, the road will
have no inducement to travel slowly and
10 serve the public as a street car line, but
will be tempted to rush over this unfre-
CGented ground at full rate of speed az
niles per hour. and will by so doing make
It's tracks as dangerous at the grade cross
ings and as obstructive to traffic and travel
as the Pennsylvania railroad tracks on the
other side of the park
The public sacrifices involved in these
violations of sound municipal policy are
entirely unnecessary. The road can have
its ferry landing at the foot of E street, as
IeGOHAnS1ucu py the COMMISSIONERS anu
the War Department, and cross to 18th
street on E street, thence south to 3 street.
BY adopting this course the road ID will
remove itself just of the fats and leave
the park-protecting principle intact. ~ will
buy or lease its ferry landing property in
stead Of sponging on the government, 2)
will go north instead of south of Observa-
tory Hill, and thus leave 1t an integral
part, conspicuous and beautiful feature of
the proposed park. go will enter immedi-
stely upon settled instead of new-made
ground, that the use of the overhead
trolley will be unnecessary and the wire
may enter at once an underground conduit
and 90 will traverse defined streets where
1t will render valuable street-car service to
residents, and will be compelled to travel at
street-car rates of speed, thus minimizing
the danger and obstructiveness of it's grade
crossings.
The spirit of so-called enterprise which
would unnecessarily and gratuitously and
solely In the interest of a few capitalists of
New York and Philadelphia, strike this
blow at the attractiveness, the material in
terests and the permanent prosperity Of the
capital, Is not enterprise. but municipal in
sanity Of the suicidal kind.