The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-13
THE EB.&O.GRADE CROSSINGS
House District Committee Gives a
Hearing on the Bill.
Amendments Proposed by Counsel
for the Company and Opposed by
Residents of lexington.

The House District Committee met this
morning and took up for consideration the
Senate bill to abolish grade CROSSING on
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Messrs
c. E Hamilton, H. l. Bond, jr., OF eoun-
sci for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
and Mr. Strauss, of the engineer depart
ment Of the railroad. were present. The
District was represented by Engineer Com
missioner Beach. Before beginning con-
sideration Of the bill, on motion Of Afr.
Aude the Pennsylvania Railroad Grade
Crossing bill, agreed TO last Tues
day. was amended so as 10 pro-
vide that the tunnel at the Navy Yard
shall be vide enough to accommodate four
tracks.
At the suggestion OF Mr.. Babcock. NJ.
jenkins took up the bill and began its
reading b. sections The bill is similar
10 The Pennsylvania Railroad Grade Cess
ing bill.
When section Of The bin was reached
Ny Hamilton submitted the foIlogyi lg sub
stitutE- discussion OF which was postponed
until the BIil had been read through.
Section 2. That the said companies be,
and each Of them IS hereby. authorized
and empowered to locate construct. main
tain, and operate, outside OF the city i'm
its and south Of r Street. gard tracks,
switches, r9Endhouses shops. and other
structures necessary or proper for the ac-
conEods ton Of locomotives and cars for
the conduct Of its business or for the fsaF-
poses OF q freight yard, and also to To-
cate bGild- maintain and operate, be-
ySnd the city fiHits. branch track or
y for the passage o6 trains directly 20
and fro between the Metropolitan branch
and the Washington branch without en-
teFing This city"
When section was reached, Attorney
Hamilton said he would oner an amend
ment to the provision authorizing the
company TO locate depots within the city
limit west Of Second Street east. and east
OF North Capitol Street striking out
those words and inserting in lieu thereof
the words. within the District
At the conclusion of the reading of the
bill Chairman Babcoek asked the sttor-
neys for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
to offer their amendments Attorney Ham
nton explained 10 the committee the sub
stitute offered soT section ..
Captain Beach stated that the substi-
tute had the approval Of the District Com
nissioners-
Irwin B. Linton, representing the prop
erty holders of lexington opposed the
proposed substitute and argued in favor Of
the Senate amendment Mr.. Serven OF The
Civil Service Commission. q resident Of
lexington, also opposed the substitute
Mr. jenkins suggested that by locating
the round house and workshops at Eek
ington it would give employment TO
number of people who would build up
lexington and who would buy homes
Mr.. Serven said that would be q good
thing, but unfortunately the property in
the residential portion was too high fer
ueoufe Of small means
Attorney Hamilton explained the diff
Guilty that would arise by having the
round house situated a long distance from
the yards.
Mr. Linton said that the people of Eek
ington withdrew their opposition when the
bill was before the Senate last session on
the understanding that the round house
would not be located at lexington, and
they had hoped the House Committee
would agree 10 the Senate amendment
Mr. SeTVen said he was opposed to the
substitute, but that il the railroad was
TO be allowed to damage the property Of
lexington he would like to have sa
amendment adopted that would give he
lexington property holders the right to
acquire damages
In answer to a question, Captain Beach
explained why the Commissioners wanted
Street kept open
Attorney Hamilton asked that section
be amended by striking out the words
at such point or points within the city
limits west Of Second Street east, and
east Of North Capitol Street." the object
of which would be to close Third Street.
This proposition was opposed by Messrs.
Linton and Serven, who stated that the
language proposed to be stricken out was
placed in the Senate bill for the purpose
of keeping Third Street open south OF 7
Street. and the understanding at the time
was that it met the approval Of the rail-
road company.
There was quite discussion over this
amendment and it went over.
Mr. Linton offered the following amend
ment to section Z, which requires the re-
moval Of certain tracks in the city limits
within i've years after the completion OF
the improvements; ssalso extending from
the north line of New York Avenue to
north line Of @ Street, and" which In
sures the removal of the tracks from Third
Street
Mr.. Sims gave notice that he would Of
fer an amendment requiring the District
OF Columbia to pay thTee-fourths instead
of one-half of the expense as required by
the bill and the United States only one
fourth instead OF one-half of the 81 sOa.-
GOO to be paid the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company for damages caused by
the proposed improvements.
IN answer 20 d question from MI. Cow
herd, Attorney Bond said the rights of the
Baltimore and Ohio would expire in 1919
and until that time Congress could DE-
nothing to compel the road to remove the
Itrs=s5....----z-czL5IEE present bill Mr.. Bond
said the road proposed TO spend four OF
FIVE million dollars Ave years in advance
Of the time before it would be necessary
The improvements to be made he said
would not Increase the traffic OF the rcd
one dollar but it would increase ~
terminal facilities of the road for hans
ling the present business Passenger anr
] freight trafne. he said would continue I.
ne divides between the Baltimore ans
Ohio, and the Pennsylvania Railroad. jus
the same as Il is now
II was suggested by sfT Sims that III
improvements would lessen damage suits