The times., 1900-12-20
RAILROAD BILLS PASSED
The Grade Crossings in the City
TO Be Eliminated.
The House of Representatives
Agrees to the senate Measures
without Material Amendments
Futile ODpos...on by the Minority
a Costly Station to Be Erected.

The Senate bills to eliminate grade
| crossings on the lines of the Pennsylvania
and Baltimore and Ohio Railroads within
the city of Washington were passed by
the House of Representatives yesterday
afternoon. The vote by ayes and noes on
the Pennsylvania bill was 1853 to II. The
vote on the Baltimore and Ohio bill on
division. the ayes and noes not being de-
manded by sufficient number, was 159
: to IL.
The House reassembled at II o'clock, it
being still the legislative day OF Tuesday.
and Mr.. Babcock moved that the House
| resolve itself into Committee of the Whole
for the resumption of consideration of the
I Pennsylvania Grade Crossings bill. This
/ was agreed to and Mr.. Moody of Massa-
| chusetts took the chair.
Mr.. Cowherd offered an amendment pro-
viding that the PENNSYLVANIA Railroad
| Company should remove its tracks and
station from the Mall to a point soutI of
| it. but that should it be permitted to con-
| tinue its occupancy of the present site,
then the plans of the proposed station to
! be approved by the Commissioners of the
/ District of Columbia. and that provision
| be made in the bill so that other railroad
/ companies desiring to enter the city of
| Washington may do Sc over the tracks laid
| on Government property. upon equitable
! terms. Otherwise, Mr.. Cowherd said. in
explanation of his amendment, other rail-
road companies might want to use the
White Lot or the eMcnument Grounds for
tracks and a station,
Mr. Lacey offered an amendment that
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company be
authorized to construct its station partly
upon the present site and to extend it to
Pennsylvania Avenue. building aboye B
Street.
Mr.. Richardson moved an amen lment
to Mr.. Lacey's amendment. providing that
within FIVE years from January I, 1901,
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company is
directed to erect on the site allowed in
the bill station t9~eost not less than
81. coo and on plans TO be approved by
the Commissioners of the District of CO.
lumbia. Mr.. Richardson said. however.
that he favored the erection of the sta
tion south cfthe Mall and the with
drawal of the railroad tracks from the
great central park of the city.
Mr.. Grant, advocated the adoption CT
Mr.. Cowherd's amendment. He said that
generally he was in favor OF the
pending bill, but he was strenu-
ousiy opposed to that part of
the bill granting vast privileges to the
Pennsylvania Company upon the pub
lie parks Of tie city. which are he said.
as much the property Of all the people OF
the United States as Of the people of the
District OF Columbia Mr.. Grout made a
stirring plea for the preservation and in
tegrity Of the public parks In the District.
He MAINTAINED that the bill granted
to the railroad company fourteen acres of
the Nall practically in fee. Mr.. Mudd de-
MED this, but Mr.. Grout insisted that the
grant once made could never be recalled.
He insisted that the policy OF Congress
had for years be an against giving up the
public parks even for ground for public
buildings. and yet 1t was proposed to sur
render it to, and permit IL 10 bs dsspoiled
by. corporation.
The gentleman from Vermont said
he was not opposed to railroads He knew
how much the world owes to them. But
he thought it was reasonable thing for
the railroad company to, remove to a
point south of the Mall.
MT. Williams of Mississippi supported
the proposition to require the railroad
company to remove from the Mall
Congress, he said. had expended mil
lions Of dollars to beartify the National
Capital. and now it was proposed to give
away two or three million dollars to Jug
lify'' the National Capital.
Mr. Richardson's amendment was lost
Mr.. Lacey's amendment was lost on 4
division, ayes AZ, noes. 20.
Mr.. Cowherd's amendment was put and
the Chair ruled that the noes had it and
a division being demanded the vote stood,
ayes SO. noes 76- Teliers were ordered
Among the Republicans who voted
for the amendment were: Gr0ut,
Gillett of Massachusetts. Hit. Cushman
Jones Of Washington. and Henry Of Con
necticut. Among the Democrats voting
against the amendment we're: Messrs.
Cummings. Clayton Of New York. Green of
Pennsylvania, Norton Of Ofjo. Otey, and
Rixey.
Mr. Cowherd then offered two amend
ments The first provides that neither a
freight station warehouse nor tracks 9th
er than for the passenger station shall be
put on the Mali. This was agreed to.
The second amendment provided that
hereafter should another railroad COM
pany seek to enter the city of Washing
ton, it might enter through the land
granted TO the Pennsylvania Company
upon terms to be prescribed by Congress.
The amendment was lost on division,
the vote being ayes 40, noes 56.
MIR. NewlaDds offered an amendment
that the station shall cost not less than
81 500, 600, that the plans shall be approved
by the District Commissioners, and that
the elevated tracks shall be of o.'na-
mental design. This amendment Sas
agreed to.
Mr.. Newlands also offered an amend
merit that the Baltimore and Potomac
station should frontv on Pennsylvania
Avenue and that the company should
have the right to condemn the property
in the square between Sixth and Sew
cnth Streets. B Street and PENNSYLVANIA
Avenue The amendment was defeated
on division-ayes 35,s noes as. a-
An amendment was offered by Mr. Ste
yens OF Texas vesting the Supreme Court
diction to try damage cases arising under
the bill. It was defeated.
Mr.. Ridgely offered an amendment pro-
vding that the railroad company pay all
the expenses incident to the Improvements
He asserted that the improvements would
certainly cost the people 81 500 600, for all I
that is known to the contrary s., 900. 600 /
or more. His amendment was defeated
Consideration of the bill was completed
in Committee OF the Whole. and by vote
of "a to 10 the bill was ordered to be laid
aside. with a favorable recommendation.
Mr.. Babcock then called up Senate bill
1929. providing for the abolition of grade
crossings on the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad in the city of Washington. Mr. ,
Pearre. with the aid of large map, ex-
planned the changes contemplated by the
bill.
Mr.. Cowherd opposed the bill. for the
reason, he said, that the charges put
upon the people were excessive.
He said that when the two bills Should
have been passed 1t would be proper to
appoint committee to wait upon the
Pennsylvania and Baltimore and Ohio Off