Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-06
GRADE CROSSINGS
Continued from Eighth Page,

clearance of the mall compensate for these
new disadvantages?
THE present station was established I'M
der authority of an act approved March
%, 1871, by the board of aldermen and
common council of the city of Washington,
at a time when the people were supposed
to have voice in the affairs of the District
government. 1t is therefore assumed that
this location was the choice of the people
at that time. This action was confirmed
by the act of Congress approved May 81,
1872. since which time the company has
been In quiet possession. The ACCESSIBILITY
Of requiring change of location at this
time is left to the wisdom Of Congress:
In addition to the property hereinbefore
referred to. the bill proposes to authorize
the company to acquire the following:
THE east $40 feet Of square 49, squares
Virginia avenue, B. 9th and It'll streets
southwest. They are desired for the pur-
pose of clearing 9Th street of tracks and.
for securing q more direct entrance to the
proposed station and for other railroad
purposes. 1t is recommended that author
1ty to acquire them be granted. The COM
pany should be required to acquire all of
square 49,, and the Commissioners so rec
ommend.
Square 493. About half Of this square
Is now owned and occupied by the COM
pany: it is used as a freight station. 1t
Is recommended that authority be granted
to acquire the remainder Of the square.
Squa1 es south of the present main tracks
between South Capitol, 1st and NJ streets
built-up section: the assessed value of the
land ranges from 80 cents a square foot
down; the assessed value Of the improve
ments on them all aggregates less than
S40.O06. 1t is recommended that the COM
pany be authorized to acquire them as pro-
posed by the bill. If such authority is
granted. I street southeast between LIST and
South Capitol streets should be closed;
within said limits 1t would be entirely sur
rounded by railroad property, and no
through travel passes over 1t on account Of
it's being closed by existing tracks in Canal
street.
Property on Water street west of It'll
street southwest, said property to be con-
nected with the main line by tracks in Wa
ter street. The Commissioners are of the
opinion that tracks on the north side of
Water street would not he close enough to
the wharves to permit handling goods
directly between cars and vessels. and
wagon haul from rail to water would thus
be necessary. They further believe that
the establishment of surface tracks along
the entire water front is something not de-
manded by the citys commerce at the pres
ent time. nor is there any prospect of their
being required soon. They therefore
ommend that this portion of the bill be
stricken out.
"a 5O0-foot strip of land on the south
easterly side of the road between the main
channel and the Washington channel of the
Potomac. The Commissioners recommend
that this portion Of the bill be stricken out.
New Bridge Over the Potomac.
SeCllOuS Ii anu L. Ttldle " Tie CoIlSli uC-
ton of new bridges in place of the present
Long bridge. The Long bridge Is noto-
riously inadequate. and a modern bridge
for railway and highway traffic is most
urgently needed. This portion of the bill,
however, pertains to the War Department
and not to them, and they respectfully sug-
gest a reference to the Secretary of War
for his views concerning the matter.
Division Of Costs.
According to the bill the cost of the
work is to be divided thus: The following
Is to be done at the expense Of the COM
pany: K and Canal streets shall be cleared
of railway tracks and the streets restored
to the use of the public; all tracks are to
be removed from 9th street, modern pave
ment laid and the street restored to the use
of the public; D street southwest Is to be
widened 30 feet on the south side between
| 18th and 14th streets; West Capitol street,
| so called, is to be carried under the rail-
road viaduct through an arch, and a pave
ment and sidewalks provided beneath said
viaduct; the cost of retaining walls, all
structures in the right of way Of the COM
pany, all bridges over the railroad and all
crossings under the railroad to be borne by
the company SO far as the same are within
its right of way.
The United States and the District of
Columbia are to pay, in equal proportion.
the following: The cost Of approaches
where streets are carried under or over the
right of way of the company; all damages
resulting from change Of grade
The United States is to pay for removing
the fish commission building.
The Long bridge project is not discussed
| in this report for reasons before stated.
AS the fish commission building is not
under the supervision control of the
Commissioners they also deem it best not
| to go into the question of the cost of its
removal, but to respectfully suggest ref
| erence of the matter to the authorities hay
| ing charge of same.
'The provision that all damages to prop
erty shall be paid by the District Of Column
bia and the United States is objected to by
the board of trade who are OF the opinion
that they should be borne by the railroad
company. On this point the Commissioners
would state that as far as they have been
able to ascertain. Damages Of this charac-
ter have been paid generally by the NUM-
| cpalities in similar cases elsewhere and
they do not think that harsher terms should
be imposed on the company here than have
been imposed in other cities. As matter
| of fact, careful consideration of the fea-
lures Of the plan leads to the belief that
the expense on this account will not be
large, If there Is any at all. The approaches
to the crossing can be so constructed, it is
believed, AS not to produce any injurious
effects to the adjacent property. and it is
estimated that the amount Of damages will
not exceed $4,000 at the utmost
The estimated cost Of building the ap-
proaches to the company's right of way Is
s2oO,00O; the amount Of damages is esti-
taken in Garfield Park is go, 600 square
feet, valued at 60 cents per square foot,
$162, 900; the amount Of land taken in the
nall in excess Of that at present occupied
is 1854 600 square feet mot including street
spaces), valued at $3.50 per square foot,
$4,000. Making the total cost to the gov
| eminent. excluding the bridge over the Po-
tomac and the removal of the fish commits
sion building. 81 ,322. 900.
''Of this sum there is paid in land. 81, 072,-
00O. The actual money cost being: Pay
| able by the District of Columbia, $125, 600;
| payable by the United States, s125,OOO-
| $50, 900
'In the above statement the portions of
streets abandoned to the uses of the rail-
| road are not charged against the company
for the reason that public travel will not
| be interfered with by such closure, there
being no traffic over the portions closed ex-
| cept in connection with the railroad, and,
| of course, ample lines Of ingress and egress
| for this purpose will be provided by the
| company. 1t would be an expense to the
| public to keep them open without any cor
responding advantage, and 1t Is believed
| that the company should be required to
maintain and care for them at Its own ex-
| pense.
Requirement of Necessary Land,
| in cases where the company cannot