Evening star., 1897-02-10

assessed at 100000; the District now pays
$12500 annual rent for quarters for the
National Guard.
The area Of public space within the limits
OF the station of plan is ISL .525 square
feet. or 22.525 square feet more than the
are.s of the public space now occupied at
the mall for depot purposes, or more than
the excess of area to be purchased for the
station grounds over the area of railroad
properties on Virginia avenue released
from railroad use. The, area of public
space whose use would be granted to the
railroad company by plan ) is 129, ,026 square
ieet more than the area of such space
"h'ch 1t now uses. I, -A.s-
Plan Most Satisfactory.
The Commissioners find that plan would
do away with the grade crossings of South
" ashington in the most satisfactory man.
ner of all the plans discussed above: that
1t would be the most economical to the Dis
trict: is believed TO be not untuly expensive
to the railroad companies. and would fur
nish the most convenient and ampIest rail-
ROAD facilities for the roads now entering
South Washington, with capacity to accom-
inodate additional roads,
Two other plans were considered-one a
modification of plan >, by which the deoot
branch was laid up Ii IL street, or near it,
to station on south b street, and the
other union station for the Baltimore
and Ohio and the railroads now in South
Washington.
Ire depot location on south B street was
not considered acceptable and the ground
Eot as convenient in elevation as at G and
Sth streets: II was concluded that the prac-
t1cablity of a union station was now doubt
ful. and. in fact, that one station north
ana another south of the mall were prefer
abie; under existing circumstances, to a
single station: also, that a third passan-
ger station might be established at about
2ith and K streets. If needed in the future,
Tor railroads entering Georgetown from the
west.
Avenues and Mall Relieved.
Two things about plan 5, not plainly men,
toned heretofore. appear to commend
themselves for this plan one is the entire
removal of steam railroad tracks from Vir-
sihla ana maryland avenues, permitting
them. as the plan of the city contemplated
to be for South Washington what Massa-
chusetts and New York avenues are to
North Washington; and the other is the
removal of the tracks and depot from the
man: such occupation OF the mall was gu
tnorizeo before this grandly conceived park
was improved, before streets were paved
and while the few street car lines in ooer-
alton were the slow-gong one-horse cars,
making it desirable. as well as unobjec,ion-
apie, at that time that the depot should be
or street. The authority (act May 81
ls12) for the occupation describes she
site as the open grounds between 9Th
street and b street north. and the canal"
REQUIRES tnat the rails of the two
tracks from Virginia avenue to the 6s0ot
site shall be constructed as fiat rails, like
those used by street railways so as 10 IA
cliitate wagon and carriage. travel over the
same ana the tracks and the space te-
tween the same shall be kept paved with
some suitable material by said company,
ana 1t shall also pave, with proper ma
teriai. at least two feet outside of said
tracks tracks and provides that the United
States, by act Of Congress, shall nave the
right TO repeal or modify the provisions Of
this act
Congressional Orders Ignored.
The paving was not done or is not main
.aihed' neither are fiat street car rails Of
the time OF 1872 used. 1t would be burden
Soihe upon the railroad company to COM
ply with the laws quoted.
Sixth street from Virginia avenue to the
depot cannot now be kept fully open for
wagon tranc on account OF Increased rail-
road business. without interfering with the
use of the steam tracks
congress specifically limited the railroad
use OF the park to space fronting 15O feet
on street north and running south SO2
feet, and provided in thee act OF January
10. 1871, granting authority for certain
of the Baltimore and Po4dmac Railroad
Company, that nothing in this act and no
expenditure that may be made by said rail-
road company hereunder shall be held or
S'A'NA eSo- ~ ONS Sdlu company any right.
legal or equitable, not now possessed to re-
tam the passenger station Of said company
on 9th street"
The Jaw limited. 1t is believed, notwith-
stahdlng the present practice. the use of
steam locomotives on that part Of the de-
pot branch In MARYLAND avenue to period
OF twenty years from 1866.
Temporary Occupation Intended.
1t seems that Congress intended, or ex-
pected, that the railroad occ,,nation Of the
mall would be temporary,
Anyway, the railroad business has out
grown Its facilities at the B street sta
ton, SO that the railroad company must
soon move elsewhere or have granted to it
the use OF larger area of public space.
The Senate bill and the railroad company's
plan name an enlargement Of the depot site
TO space OF the mall fronting 225 feet on
street north and running back TO h street
south. which would take in the fish COM
mission building, and by moving the pres
ent stone wall westward ard backing 1t