Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-22

1t needs but brief examination Of the
plan to give the Pennsylvania railroad
thirty acres Of the Potomac Park space for
storage and yard purposes to expose its
ucter abSurdity- The natural, and in fact
the only available, approach to the main
section of the fats park. that is. the sec
ton lying south of the present Long bridge.
is by way of the northern part, which COM
muniC ates directly with the city streets. 1t
is the hope and belief of the citizens that
in a very short time this entire area will
be beautified- by the laying out of drives
and walks. the planting of ornamental
trees and shrUbbery, the erection of pavil-
ions. perhaps the establishment of foun-
tains. There will be. it is expected, many
features to attract people there to enjoy the
fresh river breezes. the shade of the trees
and the atmosphere of beautiful natural
surroundings.
Should 4 strip of this land five hundred
feet wide be given to the railroad company.
as is proposed by the pending bill. it would
be virtually impossible to gain access to
this southern section of the park. 1t would
he isolated. a thing of beauty lying before
the eyes of the people of Washington and
yet unattaiuable, like the food and water
set before the eyes of Tantalus. 1t is to be
assumed, of course that the tracks filling
the thirty acres of storage space would be
laid at park grade, and not at bridge
grade, for otherwise ii would be impossible
to unload conveniently, or else necessary
for the railroad company to construct
enormous elevated freight yard, at a prob
able expense sufficient to appall even the
most extravagant corporation.
So with these tracks at park grade the
southern section would be cut off from the
northern part by series of grade cross
ings. whose dangers would be vastly
greater than are the dangers of the streets
today SO menacing would be these as
sured dangers, in fact, that it is inconceiv-
able that any sane citizen would venture
to visit the park Or even if the storage
yard were elevated to bridge level, this
would neCessitate the provision of a series
of tunnels at least five hundred feet in
length. affording at best a dark gloomy
and after night-fall dangerous means of ap-
proack. such as could not be tolerated for
a moment.
The only way out of this dilemma. pro-
vided the space were thus sacrificed, would
be to build one or more bridges across the
Washington channel, giving access to the
park from the the city side. These bridges
would require draws. to accommodate the
river IFdIHc, ana III OTuef IOr cltlZenS 10
reach them with carriages it would be
necessary to drive far out of the way with
the possibility of meeting serious obstacles
on Water street, natural approach to
such places. when given over to the rail-
road under the terms of the bill.
This consideration of the matter takes no
account of the uEsightIiness of a great ag-
grtgation of smoking locomotives and
dingy freight cars, with the usual accom-
paniments of the railroad yard. No greater
violence could be done TO the artistic pro-
prieties of the situation if a freight yard
were located in the center of Jackson
square Immediately in front of the White
House So amazing is the proposal. indeed.
that it is difficult to accept it even as
play of the railroad company for trading
material in the final adjustment 1t is i'm
possible to see wherein the plan can be de-
Tended even on the basis of the most ex
IRENE partisanship and the most rapacious
saIf-5TraraEf