Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-16
TIL e B. AND 0. TRACKS
A Delegation Calls on Senator MCMILLAN
in Regard to Them.
He Thinks a Change Essential to
Safety-The PrOvfsiOns of the
Sherman Bill.

A delegation of citizens of Northeast
Washington called today on Senator McMil-
Ian at the Capitol to press on him the
necessity of the passage of the Senate bill
6o6. introduced on the 22d Of August last
by Senator Sherman, defining the route Of
the Baltimore ard Ohio railroad in the Dis
trict. The delegation consisted of President
Frizzell of the Northeast Washington AS
sociation, Rev. Mr.. Seymour of the Fifth
Congregational Church, Father Gillespie Of
st. Aioysius. Col. J. ID. Brady, formerly Of
Virginia, but now of this city. and Mr..
Evan H. Tucker, the secretary of the
Northeast Citizens Association. They rep
resented to Senator Mcmillan the great
danger that there is now from the grade
crossings of. the Baltimore and Ohio road
in the northeast section, and they repre-
sented that the 10000 people of that section
feel that some such legislation the Sher
man law is absolutely necessary at the
earliest possible moment. They said that
should the Senator, who is member of the
subcommittee, desire any legal references
as to the right of the government to pass
such measure, which they intimated has
been denied by the Baltimore and Ohio
people, Gen. Birney, the District attorney,
is amply furnished with precedents and
citations applicable to this case.
Change Essential.
The Senator told them that he understood
the situation pretty well, and that he had
investigated the matter when chairman of
the District committee, and that he felt
with them change in the track system of
the Baltimore and Ohio in this city is es-
sential to a preservation of life and prop
erty- lie was in favor, he said, of such a
bill as the Sherman bill. ana should the
delegation desire he would endeavor to Sc
cure Tor them hearing before either the
subcommittee or the full District commit
han h.a hi f,l..
sideration.
Senator Mcmillan has been at work upon
TINS problem OF abolishing grade crossings
ana reducing the danger of railroad acct
dehtS In the northeast almost as long as he
has been in the Senate. 1t was one of the
earliest OF the local questions to which he
addressed himself, and two years ago he
proposed to the Baltimore and Ohio Com
pany that they should make some change
In their tracks. The company engineer soon
afterWard submitted q project for an un-
derSround conduit leading from Just OUT
sloe the boundary to the North Capitol
street passenger station. The Senator then
suggested that an overhead system, such
as might be afforded by a masonry Viaduct
elevated above the streets, would proba biy
be much cheaper eventually, and would af-
Iord better entrance 10 the station lust
north OF the Capitol. Since then the COM
pany has practically assented To this plan
Which Is similar to that outlined in the
sherman BIN, and the matter is thus in a
OF Dolh the government and the corpora alton
Inc project, however, has been POSTPONED
IL is understood, for the present, owing to
the hard times of the past season which of
course have been felt by the railroad COM
pany as well as other interests The plan
Will be taken up within few months, and
no doubt satisfactory legislation will ensue
There Is no division of sentiment in the Sem
ate District committee, and as the Balti-
more and ohlo---people have consented to
make the change there will proba bly, be no
delay III the Legislative proceedings as soon
rs the start is made.
Provisions of the Sherman BILL
The Sherman bill provides that after the
lst of January, 1897, the Baltimore and
Ohio Company shall not maintain any of
Its present tracks inside the District of CO.
lumbia, except from the boundaries of the
District to a point that may be selected
north of the city, where the Metropolitan
and Washington branches shall be made to
JOIN, thence to enter the city, and to pro-
cced aIonS Delaware avenue ami the pres.
ent route on an elevated via iuct built of
masonry. There are to be four parallel
tracks on this Viaduct from the depot to the
junction. The tracks connecting line is to
be located entirely outside of any property
OF the Columbian Institute for the Deaf and
Dumb. larger part of the bill is devoted
TO provisions for condemnation proceedings.