Evening star., 1900-12-11

might be utilized by the company under its
perpetual use of the street spaces. IT Is
questionable whether this half-miilion
charge should be made against the public
more equitable plan would be for the
public to retain the use of the space within
the viaduct, requiring an arched construc-
ton, and thus to secure the dement's OF the
street occupation far as possible.
No part of the charge Of $914,36O Tor the
cutoff from Montello to Florida avenue
should in equity be charged against the
public as attributable to the elevation OF the
tracks and the abolition of the grade cross
ings This shift in the line is in the interest
of the road more clearly than In that Oh
the public. 1t effects a substitution on ioa 1oa
the roundabout way now pursued Dy tne
Washington branch of a comparatively
straight route, over which the trains may
be run at full speed instead OF, as now, pc
Ing subject to the speed regulations OF the
municipality. 1t permits a consolidation of
the lines beyond the city, and thus ellnl-
mates the necessity for two Vladucts from
Florida avenue to II street. BY granting
the privilege of uniting the lines thus pe-
yond the city limits the public agrees to a
very material lessening of the expense oL
the Improvement and to the betterment OF
the railroads condition. and II shoula no.
be charged with the cost of this device IN
turn when practically all the benent there-
from flows to the railroad.
This attempt to collect one-half the price
of its right of way from the public must pe
attributed to the fact that railroads In the
District have been SO much In the napit oi
paying nothing on this account out utliiZ-
ing gratutously the public thoroug mares,
that the necessity Of expenditure under tn.s
head conveys distinct and disagreeable
shock.
Public to Pay All.
Taking one item with another and apply
ing business rules and equitable principles
to the account, the portion fairly charge
able to the project Of abolishing the grace
crossings may be brought down. in round
numbers, to less than S2,OOO,ooO. This does
not take into account details Of the esti-
mate which are paipably stated too high.
for the detection Of which an expert ex-
animation Of the balance is required. IN
deed, in the light OF the feW Items WHICH
are susceptible Of immediate analysis, II Is
easily to believe that this bill proposes tnat
the public shall pay in cash virtually every
cent Of the cost Of abollshlng the grace
crossings. besides contributing neaSliy ~
the account in lands. privilegse, exemp-
TONS etc.. leaving the railroad company 10
bear only the expense OF meeting the oe
mand for improved and enlarged termlnal
facilities, the benefit of which 1t Is to reap
without division and for the facilities and
ouportunites for which it stands to pay
mere minimum of cost.
The public's proper snare OF Ine expense,
as has been previously shown, Is the cost
of the Improvement lying beyond the risnt
of way This rule has been established IN
many other cities, and has worked equlta-
bly, It is apped Ne In peedas BILL It is NOT
applied, however, to the Baltimore and
Ohio bill, save one small item of the
charge The public in the Baltimore and
Ohio case, is asked to pay all the expenses
incurred outside Of the right of way, to
donate the lands necessary for the VIA
ducts, to abandon several important streets,
to permit the ruin of one Of Its featured
avenues. to grant an extraordinary right of
condemnation, to grant gratu1tously the
precious southern connection. to remove all
legal limitations upon the right to use
steam within the city limits. to allow the
correction of the faults in the route and to
pay in addition a sum equal. according to
q fair estimate to the entire expense of
the elimination of the grade crossings which
the railroad company has made so deadly,
through it's negligence, during the years Of
its occupancy Of the streets.
The assumption by the public of the
mere expense of the improvement charge
able to the area beyond the right of way
ought to cover the whole case without the
Inclusion of either the public's heavy mis-
cellaneous contributions in lands and privi-
leges or the bonus of $1,5OO,OOO.