Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-24
THE B. AND O. VIADUCTS
Senator HoMillan's Bill May Pass This
Congress
Believed That the Compromise VIII
BE Satfsfactory-A Design Of the
Proposed Improvement.

The bill compelling the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad to elevate its tracks in this
city, recently introduced by Senator Nc
MILAN, Is expected tor pass during this Con-
gress, II not at this session. 1t represents
IN lts present form, the combined PROPOSE
tons OF the railroad company and Senator
MCMILLAN, who has devoted great deal OF
attention to this subject, and who Is es-
pecially anxious that something should be
cone within year toward the abolition OF
Inc grade crossing evil in this city.
The railroad company, having made nu-
mer0us promises that wera never K"pt, has
at last leen forced to realize that the time
mas arrived when something must be
gone, or else the company will lose Ger
tain valuable privileges now enjoyed. To
tnls eno the order of tho Commissioners
now pending in court requiring the steam
trains entering the city to be halted before
crossing rapid transit street car tracks was
invoked, and the suggestion was held cut
70 the rallroad company chat If some earn
est We're not given by the company of a
disposition to fulfill past promises with re-
gard to grade crossings there might be bill
CsitiCn.
In view of these facts the company offered
us plan for IN abolition Of the grade cross
Hss' aithough 1t was and sti!l IS embar-
r.ssed by the receivership and the pending
10 ieol ana senator NC
Millan mas received assurances that the
company Is sincere In It's offer to elevate
us tracks The bill as 1t now stands pro-
wees tor two viaducts from the intersec-
tion OF delaware avenue and II street to
the city limits, and one from that point to
the station In other words, the present
pan or trackage Is to be maintained with
the exception that the Metropolitan branch
VIII go out OF town by way CT Delaware
avenue instead of 1st street east the pres
ent route. The citizens of Northeast Wash
lnBton protest that 1t Is unnecessary to
grant the road the right to use two viaducts
anu ihSlst mat the problem solved by the
requirement. that the two branches shall be
joined at about lexington and thence
Drought into the city by way Of the Della
ware avenue viaduct.
The Compromise Acceptable.
But the railroad company urges that this
would seriously delay trains on the Balti-
more and New York run, and argues that
IL IL Is willing to go to the great expense
OF second viaduct for the sake of saving
ABOUT w enty minutes the citizens ought
10 De wiling to permit such an eXtraVa-
sance, especially as the grade crossings
Will all be abolished. Senator Mcmillan be-
HeVeS that the compromise is acceptable, in
view OF the fact that it practically insures
legislation by this Congress on this long
pending subject. whereas the company has
sufic!ent strength in Congress to cause
the postponenent of any bill that it might
regard as inimical to its interests
lie company has far perfected it's
plans to construct the viGducts as to pre-
pare a great map or design of the entire
PROJECT, showing in great detail the entire
plan. the streets to be occupied and vacat-
ed, the location OF the structures required
ana the exact character of the viaducts,
which. by the way. are to be of masonry.
This design is now in Baltimore at the
companys central Office. and. being too
cumbersome to he brought to Washington
there is project on foot to have the Dis
trict committees of both houses and the
District Commissioners visit that city in
the near future and examine into the
plans. If this inspection should prove sat
isfactory it is expected that the bill Will
pass in short order.