Evening star., 1898-09-20

Baltimore to sue for separate receivership>;
IN the United States courts of Ohio In
diana and Illinois for that portion of the
balumore and ohio which lies within those
states, respectively. This part of the Balt!-
more and Ohio is called the Chicago CiN!-
sion, and extends from Chicago Junction IN
chicago, distance Of about 276 miles and ii
requires no prophet to foretell thai if Mr.
Morgan takes this step and his appIicat ion
Is granted the appointment of receivers
other than Messrs. Cowen and Murray
would mean the practical dismemberment
or the Baltimore and Ohio system.
Effect I'm This City.
The question is being asked by many per-
sons in Washington what is to become of
the improvements in this city which were
SO earnestly promised by the receivers some
months ago now that the affairs of the
company are torn with the dissensions OF
capitalists who are contesting with each
other for the control of the road The read
ers of The Star will recall that the receiv-
ers promised that within one year after
obtaining the consent of Congress the work
or building a great yiaduct upon which the
road would enter the city would be begun
ana after its completion all grade crossings
would be abolished. while they even went
SO far as to buy some land in the suburbs
winch was considered necessary to have
in order to carry out the proposed improve
ments.
One of the highest officials of the b and
" told Star reporter that the only way
that II would be possible for the Baltimore
and OHIO to make the Improvements needed
and promised to this city would be by the
organization of a company especially for
the purpose and with capital of at least
So'Vooop No one will dispute the asser-
non that so far as the public have been
de aware no steps whatever have been
taken to form this company nor does there
seem seer TO be any probability that any action
VIII soon be taken in the matter There
uoeS not seem to be much probability of
anything being done to improve the r and
o. modes of ingress and egress from this
city until after the settlement of its pres-
etlt o;fhculty. There is not a prominent
oficial connected with any of the railroads
which enter Washington who does not con-
cede that every road here is at disadyan-
tage in the handling of its traffic but tho
oilhcuity seems to be that far. with the
exception of the southern Chesapeake and
ONO and Pennsylvania, they are unable 10
devise plans acceptable to the D:strict
government and to each other In con-
Versatlon some time ago with a Star re-
porter Mr.. Henry Fink. president of tha
Norfolk and Western Railroad Comnanv
SAID that he would like to have a better
station for his road in Washington than
the one now used by it, which is the r.
and o. station at New Jersey avenue and
= street, and he favored the construction
OF union depot near GEORGETOWN by the
n. and w. and the B. and o. AS the Nor
iolk ana Western is now owned by Mr.
1norsan, n VINO also owns the Southern and
ileS!deft spencer of the Southern is a
member of the company which has haan
organized to build a great union station
Ior the joint use of the Southern G. and n
ana PENNSYLVANIA, it is more likely that
scheme Will be devised which will eventu-
ally give the Norfolk and Western denot
privileges with the three others and thar
the b. and Q. will also be accommodated
cnrfi cnefe II the latter passes to Mr.. Morgan's
1t has been found necessary in other
cIlleS Tor several railroads who wished to
IHdch edI me center of the city as near as pos
sIoie, ana whose interests did not conflict.
10 use the same station and it is believed
SucI an arrangement could be made effec-
i've here. This is notably the case i'm Gin
cinnau and Chicago. In the former civ
the c. and O., Big Four and r and ~
southwestern use one depot for passengers
the Pennsylvania and Louisville and Nash
Vile another, and the Cincinnati Hamiltop
ana Dayton and several other roads an
other To have the Baltimore and Ohio do
this would, of course REQUIRE in to mall
somewhat of circuit of the CITY hut II
would not consume more than seven or
elsht minutes more of time than it now re-
qulres to come from the Boundary to New
Jersey avenue and c street and il would do
away with the dangerous grade crossings
which now are constant menace TO the
lVes OF those who have to cross its tracks
No Money for improvements.
There are few people, however. who be-
lieve that the receivers of the Baltimore
and Ohio company will carry out their
promise to abolish grade crossings No
doubt the representatives of the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad acted in good faith when
they made their last promises in this regard
to the District Commissioners. but they
certainly cannot be expected to make inn
provements if they have not the money 10
make them with, and there is no one who is
at all conversant with Baltimore and Ohio
affairs rash enough to claim that the COM
pany has. money to spend for improvements
that would cost at least So, ,0OU, 900 and at
the same time default on interest in the
pitiful sum of only little in excess of S47O,-
600