Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-04-20
A STRENUOUS OPPOSITION
To the Proposed Steam Railroad on Water
and K Streets.
An Interesting Hearing Before a SUBJ
committee of the House District
Committee This Morning.

Vigorous opposition has developed to the
bill which proposes to allow a steam rail-
road company to lay double tracks along
Water street and X street in South WASH
ington from the Long bridge to the East
ern branch and also in West Washington.
A final hearing was given this morning by
a subcommittee CT the House District COM
mittee on the BILL
Would Destroy Business Industries.
Mr.. Lambert in behalf of river front prop
erty owners, said that the progress of the
bill through various stages of legislation
last session was unknown to the interested
persons in South Washington. The bill
proposes to grant to a private corporation
a power never before attempted in this
jurisdiction, a power which would oblit-
crate large number of private and bust
ness interests. Within the space of half
a mile. the territory proposed to be COW
cred by this bill, exist the principal COM
| mercial interests of the city, industries alb
solutely indispensable to the business of the
District. 1t is over this territory that the
bill proposes to exert the potential power of
jurisdiction by a private corporation. The
bill has been solemnly opposed by the board
of trade after full elaboration. - 2, !"
Mr.. Lambert read a statement showing
that the owners of riparian rights and the
occupants of property in front oiof'fl the
squares bordering on the proposed oroute
are opposed to the bill. Nearly the entire
line of the half mile of territory Is taken
I'D by people whose interests would be
damaged by the road. ....
No Necessity for the Extension.
Mr.. Clarence A Brandenburg, in behalf
of 100 property holders, said there is no
necessity for the extension of this road.
This is scheme to get Congress to aid
private interests. The object and scope of
the bill is to make connection for the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Company The ad
vocates of the bill are not aiding public In
terests; they are asking for privilege
which is worth hundreds of thousands OF
dollars The occupancy OF the street by a
double track railroad would absolutely de-
stroy the use of the street. The bill actual
" gives the incorporators the right to use
any streets they choose In WestW aSnington'
without even asking consent or the prop
erty holders. The bill will make a coal
dump of South Washington, and In doing so
will destroy the riparian rights of property
owners and obstruct the access to the river
front The bill will also destroy the pending
litigation for the possession OF the water
front If a provision should be put in the
bill limiting the motive power to electricity,
and celebrating grade crossings, the ad-
vocates would abandon the bill. III the
bill is reported, there should be a provision
compensating the government for the Valu-
able privilege given.
Mr.. Ross in Behalf of the Bill.
Attorney Ross appeared for the bill. and
erty in the section affected by the bill, the
possessors of $1,000 feet have signed for
the bill, and the owners of $4,000 feet are
opposed to it. From these figures, he said.
II is evident that the people whose property
abuts on the proposed road are in FAVOR OF
It, and the opponents are those whose III
parian rights, about which there Is litiga-
ton, lie in the rear.
Mr.. Johnson said that the railroad COM
mittee, when 1t decided against this bill,
had barely a majority present and II re-
ferred to the committee again. four out of
the seven members would vote for the bill.
He said the property along K street would
be benefited 30 per cent by the railroad.
How about the property south of K
street?" asked Mr.. Murphy. II have S40,-
600 worth of houses there, and as a life
long resident OF South Washington, know
how railroads affect property
Judge Hine FavOrs the Road.
Judge Hine said the objection to this bill
because the road will be on grade should
not hold, for the reason that this will be
freight road, and it is necessary to have
such a road on grade. 1t would destroy the
usefulness Of the road to put it on stills.
That is a sparsely settled portion of the
city, with few houses, except those used for
business purposes. Steam power is the only
power which can be used for the purposes.
How much of the river front will this
read cut OFF, asked Mr.. Cobb.
THE entire river 'front.'" put in one of the
audience.
Judge Hine said there will be about one
third of mile of the railroad on the river
front He denied that the charter to the
road will affect the pending litigation over
the water front.
As to Riparian Rights,
Mr.. Cooper of Florida asked If the United
States wins its suit and gets title to the
water front, would this bill grant the ripari-
an rights to the railroad company.
Judge Hine said that it would not
Mr.. Frank P. Madigan suggested that the
disputed question of the signatures of prop
erty owners be submitted to the District
assessor for an opinion as to who are the
property owners. Mr.. Richardson replied
that the Commissioners have already re-
ported the bill. The hearing was then
closed. the time allowed for discussion hay
H. -.