Evening star., 1900-04-10
FAVORABLE REPORT
Senate Committee Amends Pennsyl-
vania Railroad Bill.
POTOMAC PARK Is SAVED
Two Bridges Across the Potomac
River Provided.
DIV ION OF co S 7

Mr. Mcmillan today reported Senate bill
1879, to eliminate grade crossings on the
line of the Baltimore ard Potomac railroad.
from the committee on the District of CO.
lumbia to the Senate with a number of
amendments. Many of the amendments
were suggested by the Commissioners and
have been published in The Star. The
committee has adopted most of the Com
missioHers' amendments and made three
new changes in the bill. These are to re-
quire the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad
Company to rebuild the United States fish
commission buildings on the mall west Of
their present location, which will be oc-
cupied by the tracks of the company, at a
cost of not exceeding $4,000 The original
bill provided that the cost of the removal
of the fish commission plant should be
borne by the United States
Another amendment of the committee is
in lieu of section u of the bill, which pro-
vided for passenger bridge to be con-
structed over the Potomac above the site
of the Long bridge at the expense of the
United States. The amendment provides
for street car traffic, and the cost is to be
divided between the United States and the
District of Columbia. The amendment fol-
lows:
Sec II. That the Secretary of War be,
and he is hereby authorized to enter into
Railroad Company to construct within two
years after the passage of this act, at d
point not less than so feet above the site
of the present Long bridge, a new and sub
stantial bridge for highway travel, of iron
or Steel resting upon masonry piers and
provided with suitable approaches, and with
d sufficient draw, all in accordance with
plans and specifications to be approved by
the Secretary of War; and there is hereby
appropriated (one-ha'f out of the revenues
of the District of Columbia and One-half
out of any money in the treasury not other
wise appropriately the sum of s56S, 600 or
so much thereof as may be necessary, to be
paid from time to time, as the construction
of the said bridge progresses, by the Sec
retary of War, under such regulations as
he shall prescribe.
THE said bridge shall he for highway
traffic, and all street railroads chartered
or that may hereafter be chartered by
Congress shall have the right to cross said
bridge equal terms: Provided That the
street railroad now using the Long bridge
shall be permitted to change its location
so as to cross the highway bridge herein
provided for; all plans for such change to
be approved by the Commissioners of the
District of Columbia and the chief of en-
gineers of the United States army And
provided further, That a standard under
ground electric system of street car pro-
pulsOn shall be installed by said company
on the park highway leading to said bridge
and that the cost of asphalt paving between
the tracks and two feet outside thereof
shall be paid by said company. Each street
railway company using said bridge shall
pay in addition to other taxes as by its
charter provided one-half of l cent for each
and every passenger carried across said
bridge
a third committee amendment provides
that arches shall be constructed not less
than 300 feet in width on the line of West
Capitol street. or the proposed Centennial
avenue through the mall. The original bill
had provided for an arch fifty feet in width
on 10 (,f oct nj
In reporting the bill to the Senate Mr..
Mcmillan called the attention of senators
to it as an especially important measure.
and said he hoped to call it up at an early
day and ask for its passage.
The Committee Report.
The report accompanying the bill follows !:
For ten years the subject of eliminating
grade crossings along the line of the Bal
timore and Potomac railroad and providing
enlarged terminals has been agitated, both
in Congress and among the people of the
District. The rapid increase in the south
ern business of the railroads, the increas-
ing size of the crowds of people who come
TO Washington on special occasions, and
the natural growth of the city itself all
nal facilities of the Baltimore and Potomac
railroad inadequate to the point of dis
comfort of passengers and undue expense
on the part of shippers. The crossing at
grade of two great street railway lines and
of many much-used streets has been the
source always of delay and apprehension,
often of loss of life. The press of the
city, the representative bodies of citizens
and the public generally have repeatedly
and unanimously called for change in the
location of the tracks OF this company, and
this committee has long been working on
plans to meet situation constantly grow
ing more and more embarrassing.
There has been no reluctance on the
part of the railroad company to meet the