The times., 1899-04-01

ton as centre for large gatherings has
steadily increased railroad men nave
gradually recognized the fact that there
has been one great drawback-that OF in
ferior passenger terminals During the
Quadrennial inaugural ceremonies which
crowd the city with sightseers and visi-
tors, it has been necessary for the rail-
road companies TO lay additional tracks
in order to accommodate their hundreds OF
special passenger coaches and sleeping
cars This fatal lack of trackage facilities
has been not more patent to any one class
of citizens than to the general passenger
agents of the country whose duty 1t be-
comes to arrange for transportation OF
organizations and individuals TO large
conventions and gatherings.
1t is almost next to impossible to get any
of the general passenger agents of the
roads centering here to recommend or even
suggest Washington as place for large
conventions or gatherings OF any KIND.
They admit that they are fully aware OF
the Inadequate terminal facilities here and
would prefer to recommend cities which
do offer good trackage facilities. On the
other hand, they say that Washington, by
reason of it's being the centre OF govern
ment is like a huge magnet which would
draw almost double the usual number Of
visitors were they able to offer better IA
cilities.
Business men naturally rejoice when
| they are informed that past difficulties and
| obstacles are to be surmounted. Conyen-
| tions, conclaves, jubilees, and visitors mean
| increased receipts for them, and it is not
surprising that they favor all such gath
erings. All progressive business men in
this or in other cities. realize the impor-
| tance of large congregations OF strangers.
The transient public is on such occasions
a buying public, and increased sales mean
increased earnings.
The expressed intention OF the railroad
company to build large freight terminals
Is also a matter of vital concern to business
men. who will be benefited by the erection
of handy. substantial warehouses easy of
access The matter OF such warehouses is
of interest to all who ship or receive
goods by freight. II means a saving OF
time and expense in obtaining goods from
the depots and quicker shipments to out
of-town customers.
The value of new steel bridge across
the Potomac is itself of supreme impor-
tance. II will not only rid the city of
a tiresome eyesore in the shape, or rather
deformed shape, OF the old Long Bridge,
but will enable the four great Southern
trunk lines 10 reach the city more quick
ly and more easily. Travellers from the
South are the first to notice the miserable
condition OF the Long Bridge. and the re-
mark is constant: why is such nui-
sance tolerated at the very gate to the
Capital?' Swift express trains will then
be able to swing right into the city, dashing
across the bridge and along the proposed
viaduct of the elevated system without
increased danger of accident and without
imperiling the lives of pedestrians and
drivers on the streets OF the city. The new
bridge will be large and substantial enough
to accommodate all the lines entering the
city from the South and will contain four
and perhaps six sets of tracks, in order to
offer every facility for the trains of each
system.
The Long Bridge is a connecting link
| between the North and the South and is
Southern outlet for the great Pennsyl-
vania system. The South is developing
wonderfully and the traffic between the
two sections of the country is daily increas-
ing. 1t Is asserted that the demands Of
freight traffc alone warrant the construc-
tion OF the new bridge. and the railroad
ofhcials admit this condition. A new
bridge will. therefore. be of incalculable
value to each railroad from the point Of