Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-06

however exaggerated, on account of the abo-
lition of grade crossings and the recon-
struction of Long bridge"
This report was signed by Theodore W.
Noyes, chairman, and by John B. Wight,
Francis r. Fava, jr, FRANK Hume, c. B.
Church and John G. Slater. Mr.. Noyes is
now president of the board of trade, Mr..
Wight is Commissioner of the District, Mr..
Hume is the present chairman of the
board of trade committee on railroads and
Mr.. Church is a prominent member of the
same committee.
. Capitalintne the Offset PriviIeSes.
1t is to be seen from this presentation of
the case that the railroad company is heav-
lily the debtor of the city in the matter of
acquired or donated privileges and that If
capitalized at a proper valuation the city's
bill against the railroad company would be
heavy indeed. On the basis of theoretical
90 per cent division between the railroad
and municipality in payment of damages
caused by changes of grade this debt, it Is
thought, should be counted in to reduce the
Sitys burden in meeting necessity caused
by the short-sightedness and cupidity of
the railroad company in it's deliberate ag-
gression and trespass upon public lands and
spaces
One of the most important features of
TINS Item of calculating the cityS bill
against the railroad company is the en-
croachment upon and Disagreement of the
mall by means of the tracks that are now
uSeu III Otn street. 1nere nave been many
projects before Congress for the improve
ment OF this area. One of the most elaborate
and ambitious of these schemes was that
advocated by former Representative
Springer, who would have had the mall
transformed into sort of Champs Elysees,
carrying a broad and beautiful area of land
clear from the. Capitol to the White House
free from all possible distractions and dis
fgurements. The tracks on 9th street,
however, have always puzzled those who
would utilize for the adjournment of the city
this magnificent stretch of public land. The
tracks were there and are there today like
the man in possession. and the problem was
and Is not only to Dust them. but to provide
another terminal arrangement for the
eral roads that now use them. The citi-
zens' plea always has been for such a
scheme as would stop the roads on the
south side of the mall. This would neces-
state the abandonment of the present sta
ton and the construction of a new one
south of the mall to take it's place. OF
course the railroad company has always
objected strenuously to this proposition.
Engineer Greene's Views.
The point that the people have insisted
upon in this connection at all times during
it's tendency has been that the grant OF
space privileges on the mall and over 9Th
street was originally only temporary, it be-
ing in the minds of Congress a the time
that the railroad company would in the
future proceed TO make other arrange
ments- on this pcint Lieutenant Greene,
then assistant to the Engineer Commits
s!oner Of the District made report in
1889 as follows:
Tine concession (of the station site on
the maiD was recognized at the time as an
extraordinary ore and would perhaps not
have been granted but for the dissatisfac-
ton then existing against the baltimore
ard Chic road. which had so long had the
monopoly of all railroad connection with
this city. 1t has never been considered
a fiEai settlement of he railroad question
the act itself contained an express provi-
son rcserVins the right to modify OF repeal
1t at any time, and hardly a session of
Congress has since passed without some
effort being made to have the concession on
9Th street repealed At that time
the old canal was not vet filed up, the
park WAS only partially improved, and it's
value WAS only appreciated as d thing OF
the future. Now it is reality, and 1t is
not too much TO ask that the subject may
now be reconstructed as was distinctly i'm
piled in the wording of the bill. aud so
stated in the debate, and the final decision
be made. If it is again decided in favor
of the road. then there is nothing more to
be said; the park will practically termi-
nate at eth street. its size will DE reduced
from 80 To $50 acres, and the continuous
drive from the Capitol 10 the White House
will be cut off If it is decided in favor of
the city then the park will be preserved
ard the depot will have to be novel ore
third of a mile to the south, still remain
iEg, however, within but little more tnan
half mile from the city of property valua-
tons, which is at Sth and B Streets
Nearly every board of Commissioners
since the establishment of the present per-
manent form of government in 1878, has
urged the removal of the station from the
mall. and while considering the Atkinson
bill of unfragrant memory. the House of
Representatives once passed the removal
Proposition but subsequently reconsidered
it. There has been public acquescence
i'll the railroad occupation of the mall to
reduce the price which the corporation
should pay, if it's temporary and prerarous
tenure of the reservation is to be made per-
uanent.