The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-28
THEY APPROVE THE BILL
The Report of the Commissioners
on the B q 0. Proposition.
An Exhaustive Review of the Plan
for AboIisbing Grade Crossings
The streets TO Re Closed and Those
to BE Left open-Opposftion to the
Scheme-The Cost TO BE Divided.

| The District Commissioners yesterday
| transmitted their report to the Senate
| committee on the bill providing for the
| elimination of grade crossings on the line
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad in the
! city OF Washington.
The report is exhaustive, going into the
minutest details Of the plans. 1t is pre-
| faced by a statement of the present system
and its Objectionable features.
| Speaking OF the objects of the bill the
report says;
/ The main objects OF the bill are: To
eliminate grade crossings by abandoning
certain portions of the railway rcJtes;
| by consolidating the Metropolitan and
! Washington branches, and bringing them
! into the city on a single viaduct along
/ the line of Delaware Avenue The viaduet
/ is to be carried over street crossings by
closing certain streets.
"A modern passenger station is 10 be
/ provided on the north of c Street north
east between First and North Capitol
Z Streets, and also a station for fast
and perishable freight on the east OF
North Capitol Street between u and F
heavy freight in the territory bounded by
/ Florida Avenue s Street, the Metropolitan
I Branch. and the Brentwood Road, are
/ part of the plan.
The bill also proposes TO authorize the
/ formation Of terminal company. If de-
sired, in carrying out the purposes Of the
bill. But this is believed TO be an in
ternal feature Of the project which reed
not TO be discussed in this report.
nf Closing
The report then gives the routes to be
abandoned and the new route provided 70:
in the bill. It also gives a list of he
streets to be closed by the new routes Or
these the report says:
Delaware Avenue, between + and c
Streets and D and Streets. between
North Capitol and First Streets. are bound
! ed by squares owned or controlled by the
company, or which the company is author
lied by the bill to acquire for abroad pu--
poses. They are virtually closed at pres
ent by reason Of existing tracks and shift
ing trains. Practically no traffic passes
over them except that connected with the
/ business of the company. 1t is recommend
ed that authority to close these streets be
granted
r Street, between First Street and
Massachusetts Avenue is quite an impOr-
, tant line of communication between the
| eastern and western sections OF the city.
II is believed that the constru- lions Cf the
company could be carried over it without
undue difficulty or expense. II is Therefore
recommended that the street be not closed,
and that the bill be amended so as TO pro-
vide for carrying it through.
Delaware Avenue, between Florida
Avenue and NJ Street, and y Street be-
tween Second and Third Streets, a-e
bounded by four small triangular blocks,
which are owned by the company, and all
four put together are but little larger than
an ordinary city block. There is consid- J
cradle rise in the ground here and in order
TO carry Street under the road, Delaware
Avenue. within the limits named. would
have TO be first eXcavated and viaduct
then constructed. Through travel would
not be in the slightest degree inconmoded
by the proposed closing, and as all Of the
abutting property is owned by the com
pany, there appears to be no objection TO .
closing the streets as proposed.
The streets in lexington east Of the (
Metropolitan branch between T Street and .
Florida Avenue, and Brentwood Road be-
tween 5 Street and Florida Avenue, are
bounded by squares already owned by the
company. or which they are authorized by
the bill TO acquire. They are desired for
use in connection with the proposed rail-
road yard and freight station. and viii not
the establishment OF the yard at this local
ity. The question of locating the yard and
freight station at this point is referred 10
further on in this report"
The New Passenger station.
Concerning the proposed passenger sta
ton the report says:
The new passenger aud fast freight ter
minal of the company will be located in
the squares between F and c, First and
North Capitol Street northeast. The com
pany now owns or controls most Of the
property necessary for the purpose The
proposed site is a most admirable one. Il
is on a bluff Just north Of c Street. In the |
line OF Delaware Avenue. The ground is
some twenty or thirty feet higher than the
land to the north, and possesses peculiar
natural advantages which make possible
the unique combination Of an elevated
railway with a station at grade.
The station building will be set back
from Street. affording a broad plaza in
front. It's main floor will be on the grade
Of c Street, so that passengers will not
have TO climb steps or use elevators. Along
the street In front run the principal street
car lines Of the District. II is bounded on
the east by a street 10 feet wide and on
the west by one 100 feet in width, which
afford ample room for the traffic incident
to a railway station. The location Of the
station upon this site will permit also the
removal of tracks from North Capitol
Street and the full restoration Of this
grand avenue to the uses of the public.
The company proposes TO locate its de
pot for fast and perishable freight to the
east Of North Capitol Street, between
and Streets. The station will be set |
back a good distance from the street. and
an ample yard will be provided SO arrang-
ed that no business attaching 10 IL will be
transacted in the street. the freight yard
having ample facilities within its own
limits The site is a most excellent one
for the purpose. being centrally located
and easy OF access"
The lexington Objections.
Taking up the subject OF the proposed
location of the railroad yard and freight
station the report continues:
THE bill provides for the location OF a
railroad yard and freight station on the
east side of the Metropolitan branch be-
tween Florida Avenue and T Street. The
lexington Citizens Association objects
most strenuOusly to the location Of a yard
and freight station in this territory. Their
grounds Of objection are that such an
establishment would affect most injurious
ly the value OF the contiguous property;
that the closure of the streets necessitated
thereby would cut of all travel between
their section and the east from New York
Avenue 10 T Streets. and that a large num-
Der Of residents in the county whose &C
cess TO the city is by way OF the streets TO