The morning times., 1896-02-20
TIME TO ABOLISH THEM
Senate District Committee Listen TO
Strong ArgumeDts-All Agreed
That Al Change Must BE Mnde--The
Method the Only Question Under
Debate-All Say Ii Is Sure TO Come

I
! 10 raise monument for dead statesman
But we VIII raise il for you while you
are alive, was the response, las s~sa as
! trains begin 10 enter The city ou y1adncts
or 10y tunnels I'll head subscription list
ror monument to you for $3.50" With
this the hearing began.
Messrs Mcmillan, Proctor and Faulkner
appeared for the committee, From the
board of trade was committee consist
ing of Hon. Frank Hume, chairman; Messrs.
G. h. Church, j. IL. Johnson, S. w. Curri-
den, 7. A. Lambert and j. C. Ergood.
Messrs. w. j. Frizzell and Evan ii. Tucker
of the Northeast Washington Citizens As.
sociatiOn, were also present.
MR.. HUME'S ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Hume was the first speaker, and
urged the passage of the Commissioners
bill. That passed there would be little
trouble in passing the bill introduced by
Senator Gallinger. This bill, he held,
was the best bill ever brought forward, but
the railroad committee could not agree with
it on all points.
Mr.. McMillaD urged in the committee
that tile board OF trade and Commissioners
act promptly and to agree with tie rail-
roads. Then the bin could go right through
Mr. Church said the board of trade had
unanimously adopted the Commissioners
bin. Senator McMillans bill, be said,
was the best yet given 10 the citizens of
this District. The day he bill was passed
the committee was in consultation with
the Commissioners on the bill now known
as the Commissioners bill. For the section
between the Long Bridge and Sixth street
the bill was the best. OF the section east
OF Sixth street he could not say as much
just now.
Mr. :. W. CuTrideD said the citizens of
Northeast Washington We're very anxious
that some plan OF raising the tracks bc
settled upon. They urged the passage OF
the bill making il urla VIAL for any steam
railroad to cross at grade any street in
the District after January 1900.
Mr.. I. A. Lambert said: Il beg leave
TO occupy the attention of the committee
Tor but very few moments, not because
i think can add anything To what has
already been sa ii, but I desire 10 speak
on the internal evidence furnished by the
bill itself OF the pToprictY OF its sanction
by CoDgress. We come 10 you, in defend
ing this measure, in the interests of self
defense ard for protection against what
We consider illegitimate use of corporate
privileges. a state OF affairs which does
not exist in any city OF like maEnitn nde
in respect To population, to say nothing of
it's social and political importance, in this
country or in Europe
Senator Mcmillan asked Mr.. Lambert
Few questions which caused him To modify
4
then continued his remarks, saying:
LIST OF CASUALTIES.
The need of this thing is emphasized by
the increasing list OF casualties which is
going on from year TO year The board or
trade have been 10 considerable pains to
secure from the municipal authorities the
official record on that point"
Senator Faulkner here asked question
which led To the answer that more people
We're killed by street cars than by railroads.
The argument became a trifle heated and
Senator Faulkner said he was In favor the
proposition to make the railroads either ele-
vate or depress their tracks.
Senator McMillan-There is no question
aboat that. We are ali in favor OF IT,
Mt. Lambert, resuming, said: THE his
tory of the past IL that in the diversity of
demands created by consideration OF details
in the method OF doing this thing, the main
question has been pe-Sistently lost sight OF
and theraiirOad eompa nies have advantaged
by the resulting inaction and continued the
existence of what we believe to be nuis-
ance.''
Senator Faulkner The reason / have not
been very earnest in pushing these matters
in the last three years i'm Congress is be-
cause one of these roads. am satisfied, was
not able To make the expenditures and when
we compel them TO do so, we should make
am i'm hopes now that thai road being virtsl-
ally reorganiZed 10y Mr.. Cowen being elected
president will soon be able TO be put in
frst-class condition everywhere.
FOUR YEARS FOR IMPROVEMENT.
Mr.. Lambert, said: IF you VIII refer
To the bill for moment you will see that a
period of more than four years is per
mltted in which to have these changes made
The bill may be amended in any way that
Will suit the views OF the committee. What
we are after is the result 10 he obtained nv
the first section-immunity from the exist
ing grade crossings, which we consider q
menace to the continually growing popula-
ton In advocating this thing we are only
desiring that the National CaDital NAV no
placed on the plane of other cities OF like
character. both al home and in Europe.
we, of course, feel peculiarly alive TO
this thing and we feel that we must come
TO Congress on this subject for we have no.
where else TO go. We would have rjghted
this thing long ago had we been in the
States, Tor then we would have gone to the
ballot box and obtained relief We can't
do that here. Whether by design or acci-
Gent or otherwise we are occupants OF pub
lie territory, But we carry with us the
guarantee of the constitution and must be
protected"
Senator Mcmillan: 81 do not think there
is any dispute at all as to the necessity of
making some change in the grades. The
only thing we may disagree upon would be
the method by which we can get at it,
think the proper way to do. after looking
the ground over very thoroughly, is to do
what have already done. introduced n bill
that may be satisfactory TO the board of
trade. the people in the District, and the
railroad companies.
III we are going to start in after the rail-
road companies and compel them 10 do
something indefinite we may find we cam
not do il. If we can get them 10 agree 10
something it is better than to have anything
indefinite.
PREPARING AN AGREEMENT.
'.The Baltimore and Ohio people are pre-
pairing an agreement now, which they are
TO submit as to what can he done. They
propose TO come in on the elevated system
such as Mr. Faulkner. chairman of the sub
committee. and myself. agreed to some two
or three years ago. They will come in on
viaduct of stone masonry with arches to
cover the streets The only thing now is
the question OF details. as TO where they
shall come in and how much ground they
must obtain to make the necessary curves
to come in and go out. They are preparing
or three weeks, so / am told."'
Mr. FriZzell. as n member of the board
OF trade, and repre- sentative of the North
east Washington Citizens Associations then
spoke. He warned the committee not to
believe the Baltimore and Ohio people.
They had broken promise in the past and