Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-19
GRADE CROSSINGS
A Hearing by the Senate District
Committee Today.
COMMISSIONERS BILL CONSIDERED
Members of the Board of Trade
Give Their Views.
MR.. M'MILLAN'S SUGGESTION

There was hearing before the Senate
committee on the District of Columbia to-
day on Senate bill 1926 generally known
as the Commissioners bill to abolish grade
crossings. There were present Senators
Mcmillan, Proctor and Faulkner.
The hearing was given specially in order
that a committee of the board Of trade
might present statement in regard to
the measure. ard from that body there
were present Messrs. Frank Hume, c. +.
Church, j. H. johnson, S. w. Curriden, T.
A. Lambert, J. c. Ergood and w. J. Fritz
zell. Mr.. Evan H. Tucker president of the
East Washington Citizens Association, was
also present, and Mr.. w. J. Frizzell rep
resented the citizens association well
as the board of trade.
Mr.. Hume was the first to submit re-
marks on the bill, and he said that if the
Commissioners bill limiting the time when
grade crossings should be permitted to cX-
list We're passed he thought there was a
speedy way to solve the problem of such
Gre ssngs He said that Senate bill 17n2
also to abolish grade crossings, had re-
ceived the qualified Endorsement of the rail-
read committee of the board Of trade.
There were some changes that might be
made i'll matters of engineering. but IS q
whole the measure had the Endorsement Of
the board of trade. Mr.. Mcmillan. chair
man of the committee, here suggested that
the Dlil referred 10 had been gotten up very
carefully.
He said that if the board of trade would
use its Influence together with the Senate
and House committees in endeavoring to
bring about an agreement on some one plan
that might be adopted by both the en-
gineers of the railroad companies and by
| the Commissioners such action would
greatly assist in advancing the work of do
ing away with grade crossings. He said
the difficulty with this problem was that
through inability to agree upon some plan
the whole subject might be allowed to drag
along year after year without the accom-
plishment of anything of consequence.
Mr.. Hume replied that the board of trade
had pursued the course that Mr.. Mcmillan
suggested in many of its efforts to bring
about railroad legislation.
Mr.. Mcmillan said he noticed that the
board of trade favored a plan which In
volved having the Pennsylvania railroad
purchase property on Pennsylvania avenue
and there locate it's depot.
Mr.. c. 3. Church here suggested that that
plan had long ago been approved by the
board of trade. but it had long been aban-
dorcd. He said it was not now insisted
upon.
Mr.. S. W. Curriden spoke especially in
favor of the bill as it relates to the inter
es-.; of Northeast Washington.
Mr.. T. A. Lambert then addressed the
committee on the measure, and made a
comprehensive. but comparatively brief, ar
gument covering the subject. He thought
that as an initiative measure the Commits
sioners' bill to limit the time when grade
crossings may exist would have an excel
lent effect.
Mr.. w J. Frizzell also presented his
views on the Commissioners bill. and
urged the great necessity of Northeast
Washington for the satisfactory solution
of the railroad problem there.