Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-26
The Railroad Company Promises to
Properly Repair It.
CAUSE OF TIE DELAY IN TIE WORK
Will Commence When the Frost
Gets Out of the Ground.
DEP ARTMENT IN EARNEST

The Pennsylvania Railroad Company has
finally concluded to repair the causeway
of the Long bridge in accordance with
the recent suggestions of Major Davis, the
army engineer officer in charge of the
Potomac river Improvement. The causeway
is in a most deplorable condition at pres
-ent, the lightest fall of rain Transforming
it into a veritable pool of mud to the
depth Of from five to ten inches. The So
called repairs, consisting of a deposit of
clay and gravel in the deep ruts have only
aggregated the case by converting empty
holes into sloughs of mud. Major Davis
has repeatedly called attention to the un-
satisfactory state of affairs, and has re-
minded the company that its grant of the
bridge required that it should maintain
the structure in good condition. He also
forwarded to the company at Philadel-
phia copy of petition received by him
using the bridge, protesting against its
present almost impossible condition and
urging him to take steps to compel the
railroad company to remedy the situation.
Mai. Davis. Letter.
In an accompanying letter he said:
''The roadway, owing to the raising of
the flats to the northward, is now too low
and should be raised and graded in the
manner asked for by the petitioners, the
present method of dumping on a layer or
two of gravel being but temporary at best
ard of doubtful utility, as the road is
not properly drained. / have to request
that you give this subject your careful
consideration"
This letter was written on the 14th in
slant, and. TO reply having been received
within reasonable time, Major Davis
again wrote to the company on the 18Th
instant, saying that he had received fur
ther complaints about the condition of the
mr. q OF nv
rex Give immediate attention.
Promises of the Company.
This letter seemed to have had a good
effect. for a few days later the local en-
greer of the railroad company called on
Major Davis and said he had been in
structed to inform him that the causeway
would be properly repaired as soon as the
ground dried sufficiently to permit it. He
explained that 1t was proposed to raise
ana grade the road SO as to do away with
the present cause of complaint, but said
that the work could not be done properly
Until the frost was out of the ground.
Major Davis said he thought such repairs
would be satisfactory to the parties using
the bridge, and that he recognized the
necessity of delay in the work for the
reasons stated.
The Department I'm Earnest.
1t therefore appears that there will be no
present occasion for an appeal to the
courts to annul the charter under which
the railroad uses the bridge, because of the
failure Of the company to live up to its
agreement to maintain it in good condi-
ton for ordinary travel" It is said that
the War Department was in earnest in
this matter, and that it would have gone
to the full extent Of the law, in case it was
necessary, to bring the railroad company
to terms in the premises. Maj. Davis is
satisfied that the railroad company is sin
cere in its promise to put the causeway in
good condition, and will allow them a rea-
sonable time to do 1t. All that he asked in
the matter was that the road be raised
and graded. and the company has agreed
to do that. And there the matter rests for
the present.