Evening star., 1896-11-17
Board Of Trade Committee Hopeful of
Action.
LOOKING FOR LEGISLATION
Question Of Doing Away With the
Grade Crossings.
T R A OK E LIE " A T I o N


committee on steam railroads recently SUBJ
mitted said:
"The pressing need for the removal Of
steam railroad tracks from existing grades
of streets and roads within the District of
Columbia has been emphasized in former
reports of your committee. To the CHASTITY
list of homicides and bodily injuries which
terminated the last report might be added
other disasters of like character which
have occurred In the interval since that re-
port was submitted for your consideration,
In the nature OF existing conditions the
evil, so far from decreasing, must grow in
the progressive ratio Of population.
stimulated by the boards approval Of
their previous suggestions in this regard,
your committee. on the I'D day of January
last, sought the cooperation Of the Com
missioners In securing such legislation as
might effect the consummation so devoutly
wished by all. The utmost courtesy and
consideration was accorded to your COM
mittee by the Commissioners. The confer
ence related specifically to the provisions of
Senate bills numbered, respectively, 1926
and BAIT.
"At the very moment of the conference.
however, the chairman Of the subcommit-
tee on steam railroads, Senator Mcmillan,
introduced q measure, numbered 1902, look
ing as did Senate bill a4T7, to the depres-
sion Of the tracks of the PENNSYLVANIA rail-
load from the Virginia avenue tunnel to
the north end of the Long bridge, but con-
tanning notifications of the 1ast-named
Dill. 1t placed all the tracks from 9Th
street to the Long bridge almost entirely
under the following streets, viz: 7th
SIN, 9TH, 10th, 11th and 18th streets south
west. AS this part of the system would
cost the citizens Of the District practically
nothing, your committee were inclined to
request of Senator Mcmillan your COM
mittee had a conference with the Senate
committee on the subject. which proved to
be very pleasant, and were favorably i'm
pressed with the sentiments expressed hy
Inc several members of the committee each
OF whom seemed desirous to convey the
idea that as the railroad company was a
very important factor in the project If
would be well to get all parties interested
together. With this suggestion the con-
ference terminated, and whilst your com
mlttee were considering the most available
plan for carrying into effect the Senators
proposition, your committee was invited to
neet the pennsylvania railroad officials at
their Office in Philadelphia. The invitation
was promptly accepted. and after spending
several hours in the discussion of proiecteJ
1outes, President Roberts terminated the
interview by remarking that while the Bal
tlmore and Potomac Railroad Company
was a very poor corporation and not able
10 90 all the work the bill called for nj
once, yet the Pennsylvania road was per-
fectiy willing to aid your committee in ae-
comprising the removal of grade crossings
along the line of their road in this city, and
1of the purpose of arriving at a definite
conclusion on the subject would have the
engineer of the Pennsylvania road make
drawings and specifications to be submitted
10 this committee and the District Commis-
siopers.
VERY shortly after this interview the en-
glneer of the Pennsylvania road came over
", WIN the proposed plans and specifications
in accordance with Senate bill No, 1902 the
one tnat seemed to meet with general an
proVai. After several interviews with the
railroad engineers and the Commissioner
we found that the whole matter seemed 70
hlnge ON the depth .of the cut between 9Th
street and the tunnel. the railroad company
declining to go below ten feet above datum
at delaware avenue, which would bring the
foadbed just on top of the present arch of
the sewer near South Capitol street Tie
Engineer Commissioner after careful CON,
slGeration of the subject, was unable to
agree to this line of grade and holds tbat
II the railroad company deems it impractf-
caple 10 depress their tracks to the depth
OF 1our feet above the designated datun
no other solution of the problem remains
tnan LOT the company to adopt the system
Oh track elevation within the city limits
your committee were assured by the en-
Slneer OF the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pahy that II We could get the co-opera tion
OF the District Commissioners. and have
the bill passed by Congress at thai session
ne 1elt quite sure he could have all grade
crossings In South Washington abolished
by March 4, 1897.
w nile the railroad company appear to he
.Iioiousiny IN earnest in their desire to re-
move thelr tracks from the street surfaces
ana thereby abate the nuisance created nv
the eHiSung grade crossings, they are
nevertheless, indisposed to adopt any other
,ral p,an s,o ior SO dolng than that of track de-
preston as prescribed by Senate bill 17O,-
On the other hand, the Commissioner
VINO are equally jealous with ourselves to
secure the abolition of grade crossings and
their attendant evils are satisfied thai tha
engineering difficulties in the way of snnh
track depression are practically insur-
mountable. No other alternative there
fore, suggests itself to their minds than to
require the Pennsylvania Companv 70 "a
locate their tracks and maintain tbar,
within the city limits on elevated WAYS or
structures. To this end the Commission
ers are ready to cooperate cordially with
your committee and the board of trade J,,r
ing the forthcoming session of Congress-
Your committee have had frequent con.
| ferences with the Commissioners on tho
| suD1ect OF the elevation of the tracks OF
The text for these conferences has hnen
furnished by Senate bill No 2Sg. In so
far as this bill provides for the erection of
| two viaducts for the conduct of the tracks
within the city limits it is obiectionahie
alike to the Commissioners, the Northeast
CITIZENS Association, and to your COM
mlttee. 1t is insisted on the part of the
ci'i1eis that one elevated structure should
De ample TO accommodate the railroad and
any addition to the number would inev-
1tably work injurious results upon th.
values OF property, the use of the streets
and the comfort of the people. Your cow
| mlttee refrain from designating a Iocation
Tor the Vladuct in the full assurance ,h,,
| II the railroad company shall acouiesoa T.,
the proposed amendment of the hill in tha
| behalf a satisfactory agreement can a.
speedily reached upon that point. Won,
committee take this occasion tn exnr,ss
their high appreciation of the inteiIipen,
| zeal with which their efforts for the relia,
| OF the city's highways have heen
| seconded by Mr.. Evan H. Tucker and he
other officers of the Northeast Citizens A..
sociation. Among the members of that as.
sociation to whose cooperation your com.
| mittee are also indebted your COMMITTEE
would mention Rev. Cornelius Gillesnie
| president of Gonzaga College, and DR.. led.
ward M. Gallaudet, president of the Deaf
| Mute College. These gentlemen have been
| at all times. ready to respond to the lib.
| eral calls which your committee have made
| upon them for statistical and other fnfor-
nation aud their participation in the con.
ferences between your committee and the
Commissioners has been of substanfia
| value to both. 1t is proper to remark in
| concluding this report that Senate bill
| 2SO9 as drawn RENTS much of the power nf
supervision and control of the Baltimore