Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-30
ECKINGTON'S PLAN
Substitute Railroad Project Proposed
BY Citizens of That Subdivision.
NO STREETS 10 Be CLOSED
Nuisanceof Round Houses and Ma.
chine Shops Avoided.
PROTESTAGAINsT sPOLIATION

PROTESTAGAINST SPOLIATION
| Last week a delegation representing the
lexington Citizens Association appeared
| before the subcommittee on railroads Of the
Senate District committee and urged the
adoption Of an amendment to the pending
Baltimore and Ohio viaduct bill, calculated
to ebviate the necessity Of closing streets
in lexington and otherwise injuring tina,
subdivision. The senator's, after hearing the
arguments offered and noting the plans
spread before them, suggested that the rep
resentatives OF the association file
q formal statement of the pro-
posed amendment, together with de-
tailed drawings and figures. These pa
pers. the subcommittee said. would be for
warded to the District Commissioners for
examination and report. and would thus
form part Of the material on hand in the
consideration Of the bill. The statement
and maps were filed today. The former is
signed by Irwin B. Linton, president OF
the Citizens Association, and by w. s.
Chase chairman of the associations COM
mittee on Baltimore and Ohio viaduct. Ii
is as follows:
LAS suggested by you at the hearing re-
Gently given to the representatives OF the
North Capitol and lexington Citizens As
ISOLATION In regard to the relocating OF
tracks and the establishing OF shops. ROUND
houses and storage tracks, within the I'M
proved limits of lexington. we have the
honor to transmit herewith copies OF a
part Of the street extension map showing
the location involved and the line pro.
posed by our engineer in order to avoid
closing streets between Florida avenue and
T street and ID and It'll streets northeast.
Also two copies Of profile map OF the
proposed location of part OF the Metropot'-
tan branch tracks, Indicated in req on the
map before referred to.
A RegrettabIe Conflict.
1.-The members of the association regret
exceedingly to be forced. in order to protect
their property interests, into a POSITION
which may seem in any way IN connect
with the honorable Commissioners of the
District of Columbia, or the Baltimore and
Ohio railway authorities, in any enort lena,
inp to abolish grade crossings, as we are all
thoroughly in sympathy with the eIorls
made to accomplish that object; yeI ene
nlan as proposed will be SO disastrous IN
its results to the owners OF property IN the
vicinity of lexington that we have no ptner
recourse than to point out. as best we may
what we are assured IS feaslote pracucd-
BILE substitute for the plan proposed In the
pending bill, inviting attention TO the COIN
paratfvely small difference In expense IN Of
der to provide the Baltimore ana ONO , Iaa-
traffic. and at the same time relieving us
from the necessary damage TO properly oy
leaving all of the thirteen streets open
which the bill proposes to close north OF
Florida avenue The advantages OF TINS
plan as an Offset to the small Increase OF
expense involved, in addition to saving the
thirteen streets above referred to, are:
Advantages of Substitute Plan.
First That the grade by our proposed
line Is less than six-tenths of per cent pc
tween Florida avenue and the point on 'he
present Metropolitan branch. where 1t in
tersects It'll street northeast, as against
from a uine-tenths per cent to ruiz per
cont prarfa from T street north on the line
proposed in the bill. OF course, II must De
Understood that this grade may be DIS
trfiuted rs the railroad desdresS over any
portion, OF this line. If the most Of 1t were
distributed over the south two-thirds OF our
line between Florida avenue and the pres
ent tracks on 7th street. 1t would result IN
very materially lessening the amoun. or
expense involved IN the cut, which must be
made on our proposed line within some too
to LOCO feet Immediately south Of Rhode Is
land avenue.
is extremely Hight (nOt to exceed one de-
gree), and therefore entirely practicable.
In this connection attention Is caIled TO
the fact that the line from Florida avenue
to Rhode Island avenue. as proposed in the
bill also contains a curve.
'"Third. The bill conternplates the erection
of Shops roundhouses and their accesso-
plan, while not containing definite prope-
sition as to where the road should locate
them, simply stipulates that they should
not be located in any section OF washington
or its suburbs. where streets and sidewalks
have been laid and roadways concreted.
Our engineer has suggested the feasibility
and practicability of locating the shops.
yards etc, within the plateau or level
space in the immediate vicinity of the aban-
doned Ivy City race tracks, and that the
crossover from the Baltimore line to the
Metropolitan branch might be located at
whatever point would best suit the conve-
nience of the railroad company.
Estimates of Cost.
"Our engineer has made the following
computations:
Il. Cost Of grading, necessary additional
track and bridge on our proposed line: 243,-
240 cubic yards excava ton, at 30 cents per
yard, s72.972: 2.O0O.OOO cubic yards over
haul. per 100 feet, at s0.OO75 per yard,
5000: new bridge over Rhode Island ave-
nue., $4,000: additional track over B. and
O. proposition. 2,300 feet, double track, at
50 per foot, $500: total. HAST
20. Cost Of filling between Metropolitan
Branch track, as proposed in bill, and
Brentwood road from T street to Florida
avenue. for the purpose of locating shops.
roundhouses, etc, there: $4,000 cubic yards
hlling. at 30 cents per yard, $1t6. 100: 2 400 :
eco cubic yards overhaul, per 100 feet. at
SO.OO75. $4,000 total, $134. 700.
Total excess cost Of our proposition over
the proposition as contained in the bin.
80 172
A More Practicable Grade.
"If. as before suggested. the most Of the
grade be distributed so as to avoid a con-
siderable portion of the cutting immediate
ly south Of Rhode Island avenue, the dif-
ference in expense of the two plans would
be entirely changed, and the excess Of cost