Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-19

Why should picturesque lexington be
sacrificed to the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road instead of the public dump south of
FLORIDA avenue? a plan Is presented by
the attorney Of the railroad company in
Senate bill 1929, under the provisions of
which some of the grade crossings shall be
abohshed, many others avoided by closing
the strss.s -ai,sts,s|af YES r",,a the station be
moved one square farther east, but not one
inch farther north. In consideration of
these and other concessions our District
and the government are to pay the sum of
s1.5oO,000; to present to the railroad cor
poration the land covered by number Of
streets, avenues, alleys and reservations
either opened or laid out on the plan of
the city north. of Florida avenue and east
of 4th street estst (Sec. 3 of Senate bilD,
leaving open only Florida avenue and T
street, also closing o street between Sd
and 4th, street between Sd and 4th
streets, which are south of Florida avenue
and all others between G and streets east,
except Massachusetts avenue; and, worst
OF all, so far private rights in
volved. to require the citizens of Ecking-
ton-which section, by reason of popula-
ton and the valuable improvements now
existent there. and lying, as it does be-
tween p and w streets and North Capitol
and Ith streets east, Is more nearly a part
of the city proper than the section known
as the public dump" lying south of p
Stitel HOTtu u street,, WHICH Is Ill
most totally unimproved-to surrender their
vested rights to the peaceful and uninter-
rupted enjoyment of their beautiful homes.
prosperous educational institution which
was located on the commanding site at L
street between I'd and Sd streets east,
partly because of the magnificent view
across the valley to Patterson's Hill, is
also called upon to sacrifice this beautiful
outlook to the same corporation and ac-
cept in it's stead a vast aggregation OF
belching smokestacks of locomotives in the
proposed roundhouses, of unSightly and
noisy machine shops, of fuSSy and dirty
switching engines and blocks of freight
cars.
The so-called suburb of lexington has at
tanned the reputation of being one of the
most beautiful additions to the city of
Washington. Whether this be true or not
the residents of this section are devotedly
attached to it, and they regret that they
were not consulted in any conferences be-
tween the District Commissioners and the
agents of the railroad corporation looking
to the surrender of the territory In which
they are vitality interested. And we still
look to our Commissioners for assistance,
and demand that if a new section of the
District must be delivered over to the rail-
road company in consideration for the gra-
cious removal by 1t OF its deadly grade
crossings such land shall be found in the
comparatively unoccupied region in the Vi
entity of the Ivy City race tracks. And we
confidently look to Congress to regard our
reserved privilege of protest against any
contemplated private or public wrongs, and
to preserve our right citizens to the pur
suit and enjoyment of happiness in our
beloved homes on the grassy slopes of pic
turesque lexington. IRWIN B. LINTON.