Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-27

With extraordinary lack of consideration
for the best interests Of this city, the
House committee on the District of Column
bia has made a favorable report on a
bill which proposes to give life to the
Washington and Georgetown Terminal Rail-
way Company. For years honest effort has
been put forth to remove all steam railroad
grade-crossings within the city and the
agitation In favor Of such reform had re-
suited in making 50 plain the sentiment Of
the people that the railroad companies had
announced their alleged willingness, the
one to elevate. the other to depress. their
lines within the city limits. And yet, with
the promises to modernize unfulflled. the
House committee on the District of Column
bia proceeds to recommend legislation
which, IL It should ever find its place on the
statute book. would add to the distressing
conditions now existing; deliberately puts
itself on record as DESTROYS of placing add
tional distractions of a probably permanent
sort between the principal portion Of the
city and the river-front; announces itself
as the champion Of obsolete methods OF
urban railroading and Of an extension Of
the murderous and traffic-delaying system
Of surface tracks The measure Is a re-
markable specimen of unconstrained Hber-
atty and shows the extreme willingness Of
generous men to give away public property
and privileges which can never be right
eously donated even should both branches
of Congress and the Chief Executive COM
bfne to make the gift. In other cities rail-
road corporations. in this day and genera
ton. are generally required to purchase the
ground they need for their right Of way. but
here is a proposition to give away valuable
territory and privileges. not only without
recompense but with positive public injury
In the resulting aggravation Of the grade
crossings evil and the indefinite postpone
ment Of its cure. In Philadelphia and else
where, railroad companies have deemed
themselves fortunate In securing permits
sion to condemn and purchase squares Of
improved property over which, after the
improvements had been removed, the tracks
were laid, but here a congressional COM
mittee designs to give away the whole of
Water street from the Long bridge to K
street south. and the whole Of X street to
a point near Third street southeast, where
the tracks Of the Terminal Company may
connect with those Of the Pennsylvania
road. The company Is also to have au-
thority to build and maintain a dock or
docks on the Potomac between New Hamp-
shire avenue and the Aqueduct bridge and
at other points on the Potomac river adj
3Acent 70 the line Of its road. and 1t may
= build warehouses and depots at any points
nsav those docks and II may construct sid
ings, turn-outs, turntables and switches
necessary for the delivery Of cars to those
warehouses and depots and to connect its
lines with other railroads In West WASH
fngton. and to cross any streets or alleys
necessary for that purpose.
II as a condition Of granting to the Penn
syivania railroad, Of which the terminal
railway win be virtually q branch. the
right to create numerous additional grade
crossings along K street and Water street
This road were required to carry out its
promises In respect to the removal Of its
erads crossings from Maryland and Wiz
ginia avenues and the mall. the general
public would derive scme benefit from the
proposed grant The Board Of Trade and
the city generally, which are thoroughly
and heartily committed to the campaign
against grade crossings, might without in
consistency agree to the creation Of new
grade crossings along the proposed line II Q
corresponding number were eliminated
along the roads existing route, and by this
tearTargement passenger trains would
proceed over elevated or depressed tracks
along the northern route across the mall
70 the heart Of the city, while freight trains
would cross the city or unload at ware
houses on surface tracks near the river
trent In section suitable for business pur-
poses. But the changes must In fairness
be Simultaneous: no new freight surface
tracks on z street until Maryland and vir-
ginia avenues are relieved Of such tracks,
and no new grade crossings along the pro-
posed line until provision Is made for elIni-
mating them from the existing line. 1t Is
hardly believed that the present House of
Representatives n the kind Of legislative
body which win turn over to a corporation
public property and privileges without at
the same time looking after the interests
Of the people and protecting them by suita-
BILE provisions.