Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-06
GRADE CROSSINGS
Commissioners Report on the Penn
sylvania Railroad Bill.
some AMENDMENTS SUGGESTED
Do Not Approve Giving Up Pc
tomac Park.
THE PLAN RECOMMENDED

The District Commissioners today SUBJ
mitted to Senator Mcmillan, chairman of
the Senate District committee their report
on Senate bill 1929, providing for the elimi-
nation of grade crossings on the Baltimore
and Potomac railroad commonly known as
the Pennsylvania railroad grade crossing
bill The report is quite volumnous one,
and suggests a number Of amendments to
the bill. While the Commissioners say
the present Long bridge is VIGOROUSLY I'M
slightly, inadequate and obstructive Of the
flow of the Potomac river, they do not dis
cuss the new bridge project, because that
portion OF the measure pertains to the War
Department, and they, therefore, merely
suggest reference thereof to the Secretary
| of War for his views concerning the matter
They express the opinion, however that
| modern bridge, for railway and highway
traff1ce Is most urgently needed. Refer
| ring to the proposed taking of a portion of
| Garfield Park for railroad purposes the
Commissioners say the advantages to the
| pupilc are so many and great that they be-
| tages, and are sufficient to warrant an APP
| proNal OF this portion of the bill The ad-
| Vlsaplilty OF requiring the railroad COM
pany 10 change the location of its passenger
| Statlon the Commissioners leave to the
| wisdom of Congress. The proposed loca-
| ton of tracks on the north side of Water
street west of Ith is not, the commission
| ers believe. demanded by the city's com
| merce at the present time. nor is there they
| think, any prospect of the tracks thereon
| soon being required Therefore they sug-
out.
He also announced that the provision Civ
ing the road an entry to Potomac Park be
stricken out. This Recommendation is made
without comment.
The Commissioners state that the board
OF trade objects to the provision of the bill
mat all damages TO property shall be paid
by the United States and the District, the
beard believing, they explain that the
damages should be borne by the railroad
company The Commissioners state in this
connection tEat as far as they have been
ahle to ascertain damages of this char
acter have been paid generally by the
municipalities in similar cases elsewhere.
and they do not think that harsher terms
should be imposed on the company here
imam have been imposed in other cities
IN conclusion. the Commissioners say
tEat while the bill as recommended is not
exactly what they might prefer, nor al!
that the railroad company desires they be-
heve 1t to be one which will secure the
support OF as laIge a number of citizens
as any other which could be found There
fore. as they believe the main object of
avoiding grade crossings would be accom-
pushed. they recommend that the bill with
the amendment suggested by them, be ia
Norably acte upon.
Present Conditions
The report states:
AT present the tracks of the Baltimore
and Potomac railroad enter the city at the
foot of Pennsylvania avenue southeast. pass
along the Anacostia river front to square
1867; thence through squares 1867, 1O4s and
1924 into Virginia avenue at 18th street.
thence by tunnel along Virginia avenue to
'th street east; thence in the open through
* street TO Canal street; along Canal street
and the south side of Garfield Park, by
-FOUR tracks, crossing square E 642 to Vir-
glnla avenue just east of Delaware avenue.
thence along Virginia avenue to its inter-
section with Maryland avenue, and along
Maryland avenue to the river
Inc passenger station is situated upon
the portion of the Mall known as Armory
Square, and is connected with the main
line by spur forming " From the
east the branch runs up 9th street from
Virginia avenue. and from the west the
branch continues along from the main line
on Maryland avenue to 9Th street, thenAe
north to the station. The tracks and sta
ton on Armory Square occupy 12gOOO
square ieet OF land. The occupation is au-
thorized by act of Congress approved MAY
Il, 1872 The tracks on 9th street connect
ing the station with the main line practi-
caly close 9th street to vehicle traffic; the
vehicles.
There is railroad yard, at grade, ad-
Joining Garfield Park on the southwest into
which children playing in the park might
easily wander.
With few unimportant exceptions
every street crossing along the line of the
road within the city limits is at grade sub
Ject 10 the delays, Inconvenience and dam
gers mat VIGOROUSLY attach to this class
OF crossing. The exceptions referred to
are the crossings from It'll to 18th streets
southeast, under which the road passes
through a tunnel and the driveway over
the road just northeast of the fish commits
sion building which is highly Objectionable
on account OF its steep approaches and
narrowness.
The present Long bridge is VIGOROUSLY
unsightly, inadequate and obstructive of
the flow of the Potomac
The freight and passenger terminals of
the company are very unsatisfactory The
facilities for handling freight are entirely
insufficient, which insufficiency has direct
and material bearing upon the price of
every commodity coming into the city by
freight The passenger terminal is too
small even for the ordinary volume of busi-
ness, and is utterly inadequate when impor-
tant events attract unusual crowds to the
city. prominent railroad president re-
marked to the Commissioners several wears
ago that Washington was stunned as a
convention city on account of the inability
of the railroads to handle the crowds here
under existing conditions These condi-
tons have been recognized by Congress pc
riodically, as, for instance. on inaugural
occasions, when authority has been given
FOR the temporary construction of addi-
tional tracks.
THE business Of the city has outgrovn
the railroad facilities. and a congested con-
dition has resulted, which is daily cause
of loss, inconvenience and danger both to
the railroad company and the public.
Object of the Bill.
THE bill has for its object the correction
OF these conditions, its principal PROPOSE
tions being:
ID To eliminate grade crossings along
the line of Dad within the city limits by
(a) closing certain crossings; OBJ by carry
ing certain streets over the railroad on
bridges; (c) by carrying the railroad over
certain streets on a viaduct; Ia by chang
ing the route between Sth street southeast
ana Delaware avenue, passing underground
by means of tunnel along the line Of Vir-
ginia avenue.
"t2) To enlarge The present passenger ter
mlnal OF the company, occupying an addi-
tiCnal strip of the mall 100 feet wide on
the west side of its present station, and to
erect on said strip and the present site