Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-19
STATION TO REMAIN
Cowherd Amendment to Pennsylvania
Bill Defeated.
BEATEN BY Sc YEAS TO 90 NAYS
The House Resumes Consideration
of the Measure.
SENATE CLOSES IT'S DOORS

| From the hour The Stars report Of the
House proceedings closed yesterday after
neon until o'clock pm. the House was
| engaged in a filibuster against the Penn
| sy.vania railroad grade crossing bill insti-
| tuted by the democrats in resentment of an
| eftCrt of the majority to c.ose debate. Five
roll calls were made, and finally, without
| reaching a conclusion upon any portion OF
| the bill, a recess taken at o'clock
| urtil II o'clock this morning.
Upor. reconvening this morning after the
recess Mr.. Babcock moved to go into COM
n::ttee Of the whole to resume considera-
ton of the bill.
| Mr.. Cowherd demanded that reasonable
| time should be given the minority to offer
amendments and discuss them.
| Mr. Babcock suggested that a great deal
| of time was unnecessarily consumed yes
| terday which might have been devoted 10
| this purpose. There no desire on the
part of the committee. he said to prevent
conside ration of amendments in good faith
The House then went into committee OF
the whole, with Mr.. Moody in the chair.
When the House assembled at IL o'clock
this morning in pursuance of the recess
taken last night until that hour, 1t was
still the legislative day of Tuesday. Had
the House adjourned yesterday the day set
aside for the consideration of District OF
Columbia business would have expired and
the bill could not have been again taken up
until after the holidays. The opposition,
however agreed to abandon their dilatory
tactics, provided opportunity was offered
for amendment and reasonable discussion.
With this understanding the consideration
of the bill was resumed.
The committee amendment authorizing
four tracks in the Virginia avenue tunnel
was adopted.
To Clear Sixth Street Of Tracks.
Mr.. Cowherd then offered an amendment
providing for the removal of the tracks
from 9th street and the depot from the
mall and to locate the depot somewhere
between 9Th and 7th and and q streets
southwest. The depot shall be constructed
upon plans to be approved by the Commis-
sioners Mr.. Cowherd said he had pur-
posely left the provision vague so that 1t
could be perfected in the conference COM
mlttee He thought the Commissioners
| should have something to say about what
| kind Of depot should be constructed.
Mr. Babcock said that II this amendment
should be adopted it would DESTROY the en-
tire plan and would mean that all the work
would have to be gone over again and
new bill prepared. He thought, he said.
that this explanation was the only com
ment needed upon the bill.
Mr.. Lacey of Iowa ouered an amendment
| authorizing the railroad company to con-
denim land out to Pennsylvania avenue bet
tween 9Th and 7th, so as to construct the
depot fronting Pennsylvania avenue, with
an arch over street.
At this point the proceedings were
pended for ten minutes to allow some good
natured remarks by Mr.. Gaines of Tennes-
see and Mr.. Grosvenor Of Ohio on the ques-
ton of the protection of the tomb Of An
drew Jackson.
Two Million Dollar Station.
Mr.. Richardson offered an amendment to
Mr.. Lacey's amendment requiring the rail-
road company to construct depot building
within five years to cost not less than
So OOO,O 600. Mr.. Richardson said he favored
abolishing grade crossings but did not be-
lieve in giving the railroad company four
teen acres Of the mall.
Mr.. Dalzell said the bill gave only 117O
acres.
Mr.. Richardson replied that even if this
amount of land was given, a 100000
building should be placed on it.
Popular Sentiment.
Mr. Shattuc of Ohio caused to be read an
editorial in morning paper urging the pas
sage of the Pennsylvania railroad bill. and
asserting that Chairman Babcock of the
District committee, in urging the passage of
the Pennsylvania railroad bill by the
House. spoke the simple truth when he as
serted that ninety-nlne out of one hundred
citizens Of Washington are in favor Of this
measure"
Mr.. Richardson controverted the idea that
the people agree TO the taxing OF the mail,
and he had read a resolution Of the East
Washington Citizens Association opposing
the despoiling Of the mall. AS to the
sertion conveyed in the editorial that the
people Of the city favor both bills. he would
submit in rebuttal the editorials OF The
Evening Star opposing some Of the fea-
lures of the bill.
Wants to Save the Mall.
Mr.. Grout of Vermont said he favored the
amendment to keep the Pennsylvania COM
pany off the mall. and he believed that
many men on his side of the House heartily
favored 1t also. He said that Tom Scott
of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company had
obtained permission for his road to sit down
on the mall, and Congress had never been
able to get the company off.
Mr.. Grout said that while there might be
a question Of vested rights which would
prevent ousting the railroad Congress could
prevent additional use of land in the mall.
He was opposed to authorizing the extern
sion Of the depot to face on Pennsylvania
avenue. However, If the company is to
have the mall Mr.. Richardson's amendment.
providing for a $2OOO.OOO building, should
be adopted.
Mr.. Williams of Mississippi, referring to
suggestions that Congress could at any
time repeal the authority for the occupancy
of the mall by the railroad company, said
he would like to see Congress get the COM
pany off after the latter had put $2OO0,-
600 building on the land. He said Congress
is called upon day after day to give to cor
porations large amounts of money and prop
erty, and he was opposed to the practice.
He favored requiring the construction of
the depot south Of the mall, as proposed by
Mr.. Cowherd. He was willing for Congress
to share the equities with the railroad COM
pany for the cost of public improvements,
but not to give the land demanded.
Amendments Defeated.
Mr.. Richardson's amendment was voted
down. Mr.. Lacey's amendment was de-
feated, 46 to 20
BY unanimous consent. 1t was agreed
that general debate on the Cowherd amend
ment should close at 1 O'Clock.
Mr.. Hepburn Of Iowa. speaking of the
authority for the occupancy of the mall by
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, said
1t was authorized by the common council
of Washington, and was recognised by
Congress when 1t required the company to
pay taxes on the property located on the
mall Mr.. Hepburn said 1t was customary
for communities to bear a share of the
cost of improvements OF the kind proposed
by this bill
Mr.. Hepburn claimed that If this bill
passed. providing for the construction OF
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