Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-18

be one or two hundred feet of level endines
at the river bank. If car got away on this
grade 1t could not be stopped before plung
ing into the river. Mr.. Reed dwelt on this
terrible possibility of a shocking catastro-
phe to ensue if his road was not allowed
to cut across the fats, and was followed by
Mr.. Glover.
Mr.. Glover's Opposition.
He said the committee was opposed to the
road for many other reasons. 1t would cut
off the Presidents from the Monument
grounds, among other things but primarily
1t would give the road vested rights in the
reclaimed fats, which must be protected at
all hazards against any encroachments of
any character. He had found only one citi-
zen who favored the demand of the road,
and had talked with numbers on the SUBJ
1ect. Every one of the many Senators and
Representatives in Congress with whom he
had converseG had expressed their unyield-
ing opposition to any railroad crossing the
reservation in question. The danger Is that
such roads might grow into something inn
mense and extend their occupation of pub
lie property without limit The District, he
asserted, had entirely too great a stake at
issue along the river front to allow 1t to be
1eopardized By any proposition of any cor
poration, no matter how innocent and harm
less 1t might seem. He pointed out the utter
fallacy of the company's Representations
that the road would be a public benefit by
pointing out that it was proposed to run it
from 9th street to Goth street along an I'M
not be picked up once in week. He was
as strongly in favor of railroads coming
into the city as any one, said Mr.. Glover,
but he regarded the proposition of thew ash-
lngton, Alexandra and Mount Vernon Com
pany as being against every true interest
of the city.
Col. Blount read letter from Fish Com
missioner Mcdonald opposing the railroad
scheme and favoring the transformation of
the flats into a great park that can be
used as pleasure grounds for the people,
and dwelling upon the advantages of such
a system.
Mr.. Kings Remarks.
Mr.. Thomas J. King then took the floor
and after announcing that he was no rail-
road man. but taxpayer, a citizen and a
member of the board, said that he did not
believe the report of the committee was
In the nature of protecting the interests of
the District. The District did not own the
flats and he thought the board could more
probably employ its time in encouraging
capital to come in instead of keeping it
out.
He had heard a great deal about the
nucleus of a grand park on the Potomac
flats. but no one knew when we were going
to have it. When 1t was made 1t would be
three miles long and he wanted to know
how the masses of people who could not
depend on horses and carriages were going
to get there. He recited how the mall was
already crossed by horse cable and steam
cars, but there was no complaint against
them. Central Park in New York and
Fairmount Park in Philadelphia were
crossed by railroads, and Mr.. King saw no
reason why they should be kept off the
flats. He said that IL the District people
assumed such proprietary interest over
the flats, which did not and could not be-
long to them. Congress would be asking the
District to pay one-half the cost of i'm
proving them. He moved to lay the report
the table, but Immediately withdrew
the motion in order that debate might not
be cut off.
DR.. Fardon's Views.
DR. A. p Pardon declared his friendship
for any railroad scheme that would result
In benefit to the city, but he was heartily
opposed to the project under consideration,
which, he declared, did not contemplate the
accommodation Of the public, but which
merely intended to take possession of the
streets and parks in order to secure rapid
transit through the city.
Mr. John H. Magruder amused the meet
ing with description of a visit he had
made to the vicinity proposed to be covered
by the road and dwelt upon the unsanitary
conditions of the neighborhood. He recon-
mended that the board request the author-
ties to take immediate measures to remove
the pestilent pools of stagnant water exist
ing all along street and opposed the rail-
roads desire to run it's tracks across the
flats with vigor.
Mr.. Theodore w. Noyes' Remarks.
Mr. Theodore w. Noyes said that If the
principle of non-interference advocated by
Mr.. King had been applied for twenty
years past Washington would not have
been one-hundredth part as attractive as it
now is. 1t is only since the people have
awakened to appreciation of the value
of the parks as a factor In Washinston's
material prosperity, have jealousy an
tagonized encroachment upon them, that
the city has increased in residence attrac-
tiveness, and the volume of Its business and
the value of its property have grown in
proportion. The people of Washington had
brought the national government TO regard
its reservations as parks held In trust for
the use and enjoyment of all the people,
and now Ii was the policy to not even use
them for the erection of public buildings.
1t was admitted that some public sacri-
fees were necessary at times in order to
advance the interests of a community, but
in the present instance there would be no
remunerative advantages from the adnis-
sion of the road across the flats. and the
sacrifices were entirely unnecessary. Ex-
pert authorities had agreed that the road
could enter f street with Just as much
ease as where 1t persstently wished to
enter, and the city would, by this entrance
be spared all the injuries that were threat
ened. The main result of the construction
of the proposed line anyhow would be TO
cause the public who might patronze 1t to
take longer land trip to reach Alexan-
dria and Mount Vernon than is now nee
essary, and he wanted to know If such a
result was worth the sacrifice of the policy
which had brought beauty and material
prosperity to the city.
Mr.. King called attention to the railroads
occupancy of Hancock Circle and the Cap
itol grounds, and wanted to know why
some objection had not been urged to that
Past Wrongs No Justification for
Present Outrages.
Mr.. Noyes replied that If there had been
corporate trespass in the past he was ready,
for one, to aid In applying remedy, but
| that no instance of past wrongs should suf-
flee to make the people permit the perpetra-
ton of present outrages. He then went on
| to speak about what had been alluded to
as the prevention of enterprise, and re-
| marked that many municipal blunders and
crimes were committed in the name of en-
| terprise.
IF We should unnecessarily sacrifice in
the smallest degree" said Mr.. Noyes 1.-The
principle of park protection so essential to
the citys prosperity in order to bring about
the insignificant benz 1T offered by this road
we should be initiating the enterprising
fool who killed the goose that laid the
golden egg"
Regarding the closer communication with
| Virginia, which 1t was claimed would be
| established by the proposed road Mr..
Noyes called attention to the fact that the
| board had already recommended the re-
construction of the Long bridge and the
erection of a memorial bridge at Observa-
| tory hill, and he said when the flats were
| finally laid out in a Yrand national park
certain modes of CONF .nicaton with the
various portions of 1t might be necessary,
| but now there was no reason for any rail-
road crossing or touching any portion of