Evening star., 1896-12-19
The Commissioners Report on the
Mcmillan Bill.
FOR A &kHGLEVI VIADUCf
Their viewsAas to the Location of
he Station.
CLosING OF STREETS

The Commissioners today made the fol-
lowing report upon Senate bill 300, first
session, Fifty-fourth Congress, entitled,
A bill to provide for the elevation of the
tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
in the city of Washington, and for other
purposes"
The bill contemplates among other
things:
First. That the track elevations be male
upon the existing route of the company $
lateral or Washington branch for that
branch. and upon route for Its Metropol!
tan branch changed from 1st street to
Delaware avenue, the two viaducts for the
track elevation intersecting at Delaware
avenue and H street.
I'd. That the viaducts shall be wide
enough to accommodate four tracks and
nee essary sidings and switches.
3D. That street north, between the
east line of New Jersey avenue and the
east line of Delaware avenue: e street
Capitol street and Delaware avenue. and
Delaware avenue at N street north, be
closed.
4th. That during construction. necessary
temporary tracks may be laid on adjacent
Stretts, and
9Th. That construction must be begun in
two years and completed in six years.
Plate l, herewith, shows the railroad
Washir gton. and plate = shows the routes
proposed by the bill.
Outside the City.
1t may be noticed that provision is
made in the bill for .he abolition of grade
crossings outside of the city of Washington.
Experience shows that more accidents &C.
cur at county road crossings than at grade
crossings in the city; and it is believed that
the bill should require the speedy aboli-
ton of county grade crossings. either by
depression or elevation and upon plans sub
ject to approval of the Commissioners.
Paved or improved suburban streets near
the city boundary are substantially city
streets. 1t Is further judged proper that
changes of grades of intersecting city
bill. or any substitute for it, should be
under the control of the Commissioners.
ard that the viaduct plans should be reg
ulated accordingly.
AS to the 9TH provision ahoye-Tha time
of completion of eonstructiol--six years--is
deemed unnecessarily long; fcLr years is
thought to be ample, and that the con-
.struction should begin within ore year.
AS to the fourth.-The laying and opera
tion of temporary tracks on other streets
during construction, to greater less ex-
tent, will be necessary for execution Of the
plans proposed1in the DILL, and will result
not only in expense to the railroad COM
pany. but in damage to public and private
properties and Inconvenience 20 the rublic
especially if the viaduct construction cor
ttnues as longfsa time as three or four
years.
The substitute plan presented below rem
ders temporary tracks unnecessary-an i'm
portant advantage.
Closing Of Streets.
AS to the third The closing of and F.
streets and Delaware avenue at street, is
thought to be UNNECESSARY and unwise, and
therefore should not be permitted. North
Capitol street (which would be closed at
both D and E streets by the bilD ought
to be kept open, and not lowered any at the
cross streets narned::'the elevation of tracks
for head room at cross streets. intended by
the bill and required iby the public in
terests, would result in giving sufficient
head room at D, E and N streets: North
Capitol street will already have a steep
grade from G to Din fact, the steepest
grade of streets in Washington-and made
so by lowering of the street level by the
District to accommodate the surface
tracks.
To close d and streets would transfer
hauling from their lines to the hill at C
street Massachusetts avenue for east
ward traffic, or along F street-a residential
street in the northeast; the proximity Of
these streets to the depot will cause more
or less hauling upon them.
The reason for closing Delaware avenue
as called for by the bill, at N street is for
an avoidance of a grade crossing. The rea-
son for wholly closing the avenue at d
street. also as called for by the bill is not
apparent.
The railroad compsny's model of terminal
structures, patterned for conformity with
the provisions of the bill. shows closing
of Delaware avenue from the east curb to
the west building line between D street
and point near G street. length of l, 400
feet.
This grand avenue and North Capitol
street. radiating from the Capitol, should
be retained. at least in part for general
street traffic and for preserving the views
of the Capitol from their spaces, unless
the blockading Of these highways or the
erection of barriers across their vistas is
absolutely unavoidable, which Is not the
case here, as exmbited by the plan on
plat 3.
AS to the second-A viaduct for four
tracks will measure about fffty-five feet In
width over all. or five feet more than the
ordinary avenue roadway. To permit sid
ings in addition to the four main tracks. as
proposed in the bill, will substantially turn
Delaware avenue over exclusively for rail-
road purposes and damage all properties
fronting it except for use as railroad Yards
warehouses. etc.
The freight and passenger stations being
on the west side of the avenue the viaduct
should be located on that side. as on plate
3, leaving the whole of the roadway and
the east side and ten feet for sidewalk on
the west side free for other use. That
would give the railroad company strip
seventy feet in width next to the west
the purchase or condemnation of private
ground should include a requirement for
the extinguishment by similar means, of
the right of frontage on the west side of
the avenue. Tracks now running into pri-
vate premises, some of which are on the
east side, have been suffered to be estab-
lished it Is believed, without warrant Of
law, and, in fact, contrary to the statutes.
Single vinduct.
AS to the first. the advantage to the city.
of a single yiRdpct over two viaducts fro
the same depotots evident. The Comnf6
sioners proposea' route and plan for a
single viaduct which they believe to be
practicable aid rot unduly inconvenient
nor Of additional cost to the railroad COM
pany. This poute is laid along Delaware
avenue to beyond the city, and for the
Washington branch then curves to the line
of P street and, follows it, passing by a
deep cut through the northern grounds of
the Institution for. the Deaf and Dumb to
a junction with the present tracks east
ward of the institute
The route f6r the Metropolitan branch is
a prolongation iof the west side of Della
ware avenue until the route intersects the
tracks of that branch.
Plate 4, herewith, shows prof1les of the
Washington branch upon this new line and
upon its existing route the latter being the
one named insthe Senate BILL
The new line is 800 feet longer than the
-IYftr HrNn OF