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

million dollars. as compared with the one
recurring the long tunnel at 18th street or
18th street. The matter was then taken up
by the Senate which, by a resolution in 1887,
instructed the Commissioners to prepare a
plan 'for final settlement Of the whole
railroad question" both street and steam
roads. The Senate District committee held
hearings on the subject from November q,
1887, to January, 1885, which were published
for the use Of the committee, and cover
nearly 300 pages, one-half on steam rail-
roads.
The Powerful Pennsylvanfa Company.
These hearings were almost exclusively
with the officers of the two railroad COM
panies, some of the citizens being allowed a
hearing at the close. At these hearings the
powerful Pennsylvania Railroad Company
appeared on the scene. and Objected in toto
to union depot. or permitting the Balti-
more and Ohio to cross the Long bridge, or
even to go below the avenue at all. (See
Hearings, p. 1856 and following) And, as
usual, that company had its way. From
that day all hope of union depot was
abandoned. Then the citizens Of East
Washington turned their attention to get
ting rid Of the grade crossings of the Balti-
more and Ohio alone At public hearing
before the Commissioners in 1892 the engi-
neer admitted the necessity for better ter
minal facilities, and exhibited plans for a
new depot they proposed to build, precisely
wanted to come in partly on grade and
partly in a cut.
The Commissioners, in their report to the
senate committee on Senate bill 1740, known
as the Faulkner bill, of January 20, 1892
again recommended, first, a union depot
where the Baltimore and Potomac now is
the Baltimore and Ohio tracks to reach 1t
by the Eastern branch route, without grade
crossings; or, second Qf there could not be
a union depot. that the Baltimore and Ohio
snail enter via Delaware avenue on a via
quot, as the present bill provides, the COM
pany TO abandon all other tracks, and to
establish its freight yard at New York and
Florida avenues. formerly Boundary street
me viaduct plan had been frequently sug-
gested by the citizens, and in the winter Of
io3z IL was announced that such a plan had
peen considered and practically agreed upon
In the Senate committee. The citizens
heartily Endorsed the viaduct as a perma-
nent remedy, as 1t would do away with all
grade crossings; and it was understood
that the company accepted that plan.
The VfRduct Plan ApprOyed.
For the past year and a half II has been
generally understood that the B. and o. had
settled on the viaduct plan. and II has been
SO announced time and again, the only
points made by the company being. first.
that they would build 1t of stone instead Of
iron, and. second, that they preferred the
ioop 10 the stub plan. 1t is not true that
the delay has been caused by a disagree
ment OF the citizens as to route or PLAN We
agreed at once to their proposition to 90
below pennsylvania avenue and across Long
bridge and we agreed. as did the Commits
sloners. that the route should be via East
e el oranch. When 1t appeared to be settled
tnat they could not go below Pennsylya MIA
avenue We first asked that they stop at III
street, and when we could get no action on
tnat Dill We agreed. without a dissenting
voice, 70 the viaduct plan, as the petitions
hled with this committee abundantIy tes-
tify. vs.
At public hearing before the Commits
sioners February 20, 1892 Mr. Douglas
tnelr engineer. himself said there was seri-
GUS OBJECTIONS to the road coming in by two
sets or tracks from different directions"
and yet that Is what we now understand
tney insist on doing, even IL on a yiaduct
Aceording to the statement of Capt. Febiger
IN senate report 1879 second session Fifty
second Congress- page 40. the two steam
railroads occupy 1,15S.325 square feet of
government property, including streets the
steam ana street roads occupying 6,4S3. 544
square feet, for which. with their franchises.
tney nave never paid one cent! According
to Senator Morrill's statement in the Rec.
ora OF January 3, 1883. page 6366, the B. and
y. company owns a35.673 square feet Of
ground. mostly in the city. on which 1t was
taxed y, 1896; on its tracks and euuip-
ments. 8. orc Sand on its depot and grounds.
s96O.2I-a total of $5,S3sS1.
Danger of Grade Crossings.
We have spoken of the dangerous grade
crossings. In order to show that we have
rot magnifed the Importance of this point
we submit statement showing the
actual number Of deaths and serious
Injuries caused by casualties on the grade
tracks Of the two steam railroads In the
District Of Columbia, figures being furnish
ed from the police records.
This statement shows that the total num-
Der of persons killed and seriously injured
by the two roads from 1873 to 1893 Is 300
The report further shows that instead of a
sparseiy settled commons. as was the con-
dition of Northeast Washington when the
railroad was built II is now the center of
large population. An enumeration of the
streets and avenues crossed by the main
stem branch of the B. and o.. with grade
ent established grade. forms an INTEREST,"
ing feature of the report.
An answer is given to the statement con-
tanned in the printed argument submitted
by the attorney for the company, that the
provisions of House bill 3425 would cause
an expenditure of four or five millions of
dollars" by quoting the estimate which
was carefully prepared by the Engineer
Commissioner and others, as follows:
Cost of viaduct from Florida
avenue to North Capitol
street, I mile and As feet at
$9I0OO0 per mile estimate by
Engineer Commissioner D.C) $3.50 OOO 90
Cost Of passenger station. as
proposed by b. and o. r. r.
Co. lin connection with Senate
bill 1740, Fifty-second Con-
gress, first session known as
the loop bilD. Estimate by
Appleton p. Clark, jr., archi-
tect ......................... 100000
Cost of car sheds. OBSTINATE
by Appleton p. Clark ........ 100000. 90
Cost of connecting the two
branches of the road, and
other changes proposed by
the Engineer Commissioner,
and estimated for by him.. 34,976. 90
Allowance for judgments which
might be granted for damage
to private property, and for
other contingencies. ........... 200, 000.0
Total cost 81 S14, $1,000
To Connect the Two Branches.
A letter addressed to Mr. Tucker by Com
missioner Powell is included In the report
with estimates in detail. The letter is as
follows:
I'm compliance with your request, I in
close an estimate of cost for double-track
railroad connecting the Washington and
Ohio railroad by way of Ivy City on the
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