Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-28
THE PUBLIC GOOD
Continued from Ninth Page.)

Z. L. D. A.,
great expense, are being made part Of the
governments land reservation south of the
present parks, will in d very few years IL
the hands OF the vandals can be Kept off, be
added to Col. Wilson'S list of parks. The
report added that the views of the COM
mittee in regard to this reclaimed land have
been expressed in the resolutions adopted at
previous meeting, which were printed at
that time in The Star.
The chairman, however, read the resolu-
tons again, follows:
BE it resolved by the committee on parks
and reservations of the Washington board
OF trade, That this committee is unalterably
opposed to the use of said Potomac fats, or
any part thereof, for any purpose whatso-
ever, except that hereinbefore set forth.
BE 1t further resolved, That this COM
mittee is especially opposed to the PROPOSE
ton now pending before Congress to permit
the Washington. Alexandria and Mount
Vernon railway to cross with its tracks the
entire northern boundary of said Potomac
flats, and to otherwise secure privileges and
vested rights therein.
And therefore, this committee, as repre-
Senting the board of trade, most earnestly
protests against granting to any person.
persons or corporations authority in any
form to use or occupy said flats, or any
part thereof, for any private purpose what
soever and will strenuously resist any
measure tending to impair the value or fit
ness of said flats for national park
a Railroad Question.
When Col. Blount had finished the read
ing Of the report Mr.. A. d. Anderson asked
him to explain what he meant by stating IN
the report that the railroad would occupy
the northern bounds of the flats.
In reply Col Blount said that 1t I'M
derstood that this railroad originally con-
templated occupying large portion of the
flats, but their plans have been modified to
the present form. This change, however,
did not affect the opposition of the commit
tee, which applied to the occupation of any
fla nv Hp
that when a railroad gets its nose in To-
cality II is apt to spread out in all direc-
tions.
Mr. Anderson replied that there is a good
deal Of misapprehension in regard to the rail-
road in the minds of the public 1t not
the intention to occupy these flats or to In
terfere with the project of their becoming
park. He would state exactly what the
facts in the case were He had displayed
on the wall map of the city, showing the
route of the proposed road from the 9th
street depot along e street, and then to the
foot of 10Th street. across the flats to the
Virginia channel, and thence beyond on the
road to Alexandria. He said the road would
occupy a strip of the northern end of the
flats, about a hundred and fifty feet wide.
He thought that the building of this road
would be in the interest of the people IF
Washington. Objection was made by him
to the proposed crossing at the Three Sis
tiers, because of the added length to the
road.
In reply to a question he said that the
Virginia channel would be crossed by means
of steam transfer and when some one
suggested a ferry, he denied that 1t would
be ferry, and said that this means of
transfer would be used until more perma-
nent arrangement could be made. 1t was
proposed to build a memorial bridge at this
point and when that was done the company
would ask permission to use that bridge.
He characterized upprogressive the pro-
posed action Of the board in declaring that
the fats should be forever sacred as park,
since they occupy the entire river front of the
city, from Georgetown to the arsenal, and
We're In the line of direct communication
with Virginia
MIR. Glover Objects
1t was urged by Mr.. Charles c. Glover
that the proposition of this company was
not only to cross portion of the fats but
also to cross the old observatory grounds,
which part of this park. They would
have a location also at the end of Long
bridge, which would eventually be made use
OF by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
He stated that the proposed route would en-
circle this important reservation, comprising
nearly five hundred acres, by the tracks ex-
tending from the west side of the flats
along Its northern boundary to the 9th
street depot. with branch line down 18th
street to intersection with the Pennsylvania
railroad In this way, Mr.. Glover said,
the flats would be inclosed in the interests
of railroad corporations.
This was not merely street railroad en-
terprise. but he believed that the steam rail-
road was behind 1t, and 1t was simply
plan to get line of tracks from the 9Th
street depot 10 the freight yards which
would be located in what ought to be a.
park. AS an evidence that this road was in
the interests of the steam road he read
section OF the bill which was introduced IN
the Senate at the last session giving this
company the right to use any kind of motive
power. He said that there was not single
house along r street, or passenger to be
picked up from 9Th street to the river.
Mr.. Anderson denied that the company in
tended to use steam power, and Mr. r A.
Lambert said that the proposed road was
not to be a steam road. but an electric
road and would touch only the extreme
end of the flats, he thought it would not in
terfere with the ultimate of the flats as
a park. He offered a substitute for the
portion OF the report of the committee re-
lating to this road a resolution favoring the
admission TO the city of this road over such
a route as Congress may think for the best
interests of all concerned.
An Official of the Road Speaks.
1t was pointed out by Dir. Glover that
Congress was not unerring in its judgment,
and he cited as an instance the Senate bill
referred to, which practically turned over
TO a railroad company the entire flats.
The vice president of the proposed road,
Mr.. A. NJ. Read of Alexandria, is also
member Of the board. He made an earnest
and emphatic speech, and denied that this
proposed extension in the interests of
the Pennsylvania road or that it was the
intention to use steam The company had
asked for the nth street route because
they expected in the near future the Long
bridge would be rebuilt, and then they
would use that structure and abandon the
other route. He asserted that Maj. Davis
favored the proposed route. He said no one
was more surprised than himself at the
form of the bill introduced at the last ses-
sion of the Senate, but he had never bean
able to convince Mr.. Glover of his sincerity.
He explained that the main reason for so
ing to the 9TH street depot was the fact that
they got most Of their traffic to Mount Yer
non at the depot.
At this point in the discussion the attea-
ton of the board was called by the pre5i-
dent to the latenesS of the hour, and also
to the fact that there were several distin-
guished men who had been invited to al
dress the board, and. besides, there was
lunch awaiting the members down stairs.
1t was thereupon decided to postpone The
further consideration OF business to a meet
ing which will be held on Tuesday evening
Of next week. The board then listened to
brief addresses from Mr.. Gardiner G. Hub
bard and Mr.. w. b. Powell. Mr.. Charles
w. Needham and Mr. w. E. Curtis con-
scented to attend another meeting Of the
board. when they will speak.
The Duty of Winter Residents.
Mr. Hubbard spoke follows:
Your president has requested me to say
a few words upon the obligation of winter
residents to the national capital. Although
Washington has been my home for many
years, yet l came here winter resident,
and have neither forgotten the reasons