Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-10-18

.. II ps LII.
WEATHER PRoBABIL1TINs.-For this
section fair warmer; southerly winds.
-~.0.G--
FAYErTE STREET.-The committee
on streets mes last night to consider
the proposition from the Washington
Southern Railway Company for double
tracking Fayette street. The meeting
was hell in tho Aldermen's chamber
and was presided over by Mr.. Fl. r.
Burke, chairman. The other members
OF inc committee present were Alder
man Smoot and Councilman McCuen.
CITY Engineer Dunn and number OF
residents of Fayette street were also
present. The railroad company, as has
heretofore been stated, wants to lay q
double track through the entire
length of Fayette street. For this
privilege the company offers to pave
The entire street, leaving eight feet
sidewalks and to fence in the tracks,
leaving driveways of Is feet On each
side of the fence. A plan of the pro-
posed work was shown and Mr.. Burke
explained the drawing. esaid it was
proposed by the committee to require
The railroad to pave the street with
vitrifed brick; TO erect gates at each
of the corners and to sewer the street
from Oronoco to Duke.
Mr.. VIM. Rodgers said he would not
consent to the proposition, nor submit
TO the railroad having the use OF the
street; he would not allow anyone to
touch his pavement or his trees, and if
the street was used as it is proposed
it would damage his business; if the
company wanted land for shifting cars
it could buy all it required.
Mr.. NJ. Greene SAID if the company
wanted the use of the street let them
buy the property along that street from
the owner;.
Mr.. A. Cheshire opposed the propo
sition; he said he could now feel his
house shake when trains passed by it
on a single track, and wanted the
tracks no nearer him than at present.
Mr.. J. II. Nails asked that the prop
erty owners interests be looked into by
the committee whom he hoped would
not allow the railroad to infringe on
the rights of citizens.
Mr.. Rodgers then presented paper
signed by about fifty citizens represent
ing fully two thirds of the property
owners on the street. protesting against
the use of the street by the railroad.
The protest set forth that the use by
the railroad would damage the proper
ty on that street and neighborhood and
would erdanger the lives Of the resi-
dents, who were already subjected to
great annoyances by the railroad. The
petition ended with request that con-
sent to use the street be withheld.
Mr.. Rodgers said if the street had to
be paved that the property owners
would pay for the work much rather
than let the railroad monopolize it.
Mr.. Burke said he thought as one
track was on the street already, but
little more damage could be done by
another and the street would certainly
be greatly improved by the paving, &c.
Mr.. Richards cited an instance to
show that paving in front of property at
considerable expense had not increased
the value of the property one dollar.
General opposition to the plan was
then expressed by the property owners
present, who said they would pave the
street at their own expense rather than
let the railroad pave it on such terms,
and several said they would fight the
railroad in the courts if it attempted to
use the street with a double track.
Mr.. J. A. Marshall favored the plan
proposed by the railroad, but the
others present said he did not live on
the street and had been driven of by
the railroad: they would leave too Ii
thew could do so under as advantageous
conditions as his.
1t was stated that of all the property
owners on the street only Messrs.
Marshall, Lunt, Schiller, Jones and
Fairfax favored the plan.
Mr.. Smoot wanted to encourage the
railroads and bring people here; be-
cause he could not get a double track in
front of his company's property he was
going to leave the city and go where he
could get more accommodations for
business. He suggested that MI.
Rodgers get up petition to council re-
auiring the property owners to pave
Fayette street and see how many per-
sons would sign such paper as that.
After more discussion Mr.. Burke said
he saw that the property owners were
almost unanimous in their opposition
to the plan, so further consideration
would be useless.
The property owners then withdrew
and the committee took up other
matters.
It is understood that the committee
will report to Council that, in view of
the opposition to the petition, the right
to double track Fayette street be de-
MED the railroad company.
During the meeting the railroad CON-
PAW was severely criticised for not
building proper depot in this city.
POLICE CoURT.-Mayor Thompson pre-
sidinG.-The following cases were dis
posed of this morning:
A man arrested by Officer Smith for
being drunk and asleep in the street,
was fined $3.50 or given 30 days in the
work house. /,
Robert PinkeTton, colored, arrested
by Officer Atkinson for disorderly con-
duct, was $3.50.
Harrie Davis, colored, arrested by
nf;ror ,yles for assault and CARRYING