The Roanoke times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1897-1977, 1897-02-04
WASHINGTON LETTER.
a 100000 Railroad Station Planned.
a Society Tale of Two Cities-Con-
gress Hard Bargains.
Especial Correspondence. ]

lSpccial correspondence
Washington is going to have n new
railroad station. That doesn' seem very
important at first blush to the casual
newspaper reader who lives Mt some dis
lance from the national capital, but it
is important nevertheless, quite as i'm
portant from some points of view us tho
erection of II new building by the gov
crnment. If you want proof of that, YOU
should see the change made in the as
pect of the city by the new city post
office which the government has put up
and which, by the way, they talk of
using as II postoffice department. build
ing now that it is almost completed
This postOffice building has given new
scenic value to historic Pennsylvania
avenue.
Washington without its public build
ings would be rather tame city. Few
of its business men have been public
spirited enough to put up handsome
buildings. There are two buildings of
granite, erected by trust companies; IL
fine dry goods store, handsome structures
belonging to the Baltimore Sun and the
Washington Post. Then there are some
nice hotel buildings, and of course there
are beautiful and costly residences al
most without number. But these would
make Il beggarly showing beside the
buildings i'll other large cities, and only
the public buildings, the broad, well
paved streets and the many parks and
reservations save the city from being
rather commonplace.
Of National Importance.
/: a
ness buildings, then, is important, and
when Il So 900, 600 railroad station is
suggested the matter becomes of nation
III Importance. Why? Because Washing
ton is the nations city 1t belongs i'll
part to al of lis, and all OF us have an
interest i'll its Identification. 1t is the
city by which many people judge the
whole of the United States. Hardly
stranger visits our country who does not
stop here for Il few days. And it is the
city where every American citizen may
come and swell proudly with the
thought of his nativity.
The reason Washington has not had a
fine station before is that congress and
the railroads are always ut war here
Congress Drives Hard Bargains.
In other cities there are 'boodle. al 4
dermen" to be bought and mayors To
be influenced by business considerations
and many other elements with which
the railroad companies have learned
how to deal Here there is only CON
gress, and congress tries always to drive
Il hard bargain. Sometimes congress is
cheated woefully. The street railroads
of the city have led congress by the nose
for many years. But when the steam
railroads want anything they have to
be very adroit if they are going to get
the better of the senate or house
There are virtually only two railroads
i'll Washington-thc Pennsylvania and
the Baltimore aud Ohio. The Pennsyl
vania controls the famous Long bridge.
which is the only direct outlet to the
south. The Southern railway comes in
over this bridge under arrangement
with the Pennsylvania, and the Ches;l-
pcake and Ohio does Il small business
south and west over the Southern rail
way tracks Then the Atlantic Coast
Line is operated south in connection
with the Pennsylvania. Over the tracks
OF the b. and O. the Norfolk and West
crn gets into the city.
The Point of Contention.
The sluggishncss of congress is
blessing us we'll as Il curse 10 the Penn
sylvania and the b. and O. 1t keeps
other roads from gaining ;ul entrance To