The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-14

Pile, at lexington or Brookland, and this
TO meet the demands of future growth and
development. / think that the words in
this Senate amendment. to wit. city limits
west of Second Street east and east of
North Capitol Street. should be stricken
cut and the word District reinserteG.
'On page II. section {. occur severa!
amendments as follows: First after the
word avenue in line 2. has been AIDED
| and west of the east line of Third Street
to said north line of New York Avenue
and after the word city in line 10. has
| been added and west of the cast line of
| Third Street and third. after the word
station in lire 20. has ben added and of
the Metropolitan branch for the continu
| alton of Third Street from @ Street south
| to New York Avenue of an even width as
| north of Q Street
These three amendments all tend to
keep open Third Street from New York
Avenue to . Street. 1t Will be noted
that this street runs Immediately along
| the western boundary of the proposed
freight yards at lexington, and through
conipanys property, which extends con-
siderable distance on the west of said
street. In other words, it passes right
through the company's property. 1t will
| be further noted that First Street gives
an equally advantageous line of entrance
| and exit from the city. and is removed
! from the difficulties that the location
| throw around travel over Third Street.
| We think that these three amendments
| do not serve any beneficial purpose, and
| should be receded from.
of all the matters mentioned in the
| foregoing. the most important to us. of
course, is the location of the round
| houses.
| note thai the bill does not give to the
company any public park or reservation.
or any part thereof as is done in the
Pennsylvania bill. We surrender the right
| to remain in our present lines until 1910.
| We abandon trackage ard right OF way
| on the Washington branch and on the
Metropolitan branch of about $4,000 feet in
| lelgth and e. feet in width. Considera-
able of this is owned by the company, and
! is given to the Government. We have
to give up our roundhouses and works at
Trinidad. which have been recently beat
at a great cost, and hence the contribu-
| ton asked of the Government to those
! to lie built at lexington
| In reply to question Commissioner
Beach stated that the substitute for
ton had the approval of the District
| Commissioners. Chairman BabcOck said
| he would offer an amendment requiring
| tie company to remove its temporary
| tracks within sixty days after the COM
| pletion of the proposed improvements.
| Mr.. Sims gave notice of an amendment
| he would offer to section Z, which gives
| the Baltimore and Ohio Company bonus
! Of Sl,500.G 600 in cash, onehalf to be paid
| out of the revenues of the District and
one-half out of the funds of the United
States. Mr.. Sims amendment requires
the District to pay three-fourths and the
United States only one-fourth of the sum.
In answer to a question from Chairman
Babcock, who wanted some Information
about The section providing for the estab-
lishment of the terminal company Mr..
Bond explained by saying that the Wash
| ington branch of the Baltimore and Ohio,
between Baltimore and Washington, was
constructed with stock other than the
stock of the main company. II amounted
to about $2.s00. COO AS the improve
| ments were estimated. he said, to cost
| between $500. 900 and 6,00O, 600 less the
amount of the contribution of the United
| States. the cost could not be saddled upon
| that portion of the stock. and this prop
| osition was to permit the allotment of the
expenses.
Messrs. Irwin B. Linton and A. r. Ser
ven. of the lexington Citizens Associa-
ton, came in at this point. Mr.. Linton
made vigorous protest against the pro-
posed substitute for section 2. To locate
the roundhouse in lexington, as proposed
by Mr.. Hamilton. he said would seriously
ruin rutNe f section of the ciIy.--n would
rights.
Mr.. Norton wanted to know how the To-
cation of the roundhouses ON the site rec
commended by the railroad company would
iniure lexington.
Mir. Linton answered that it would bring
the locomotives with their escaping cam
and smoke SO close to the resident por-
tion of the suburb that it would make 1t
very undesirable place of residence
There was difference, he said. between
the roundhouse and the freight yards. |
The noise and smoke and dirt Of the for
mer would be greater than the incon- |
venience created by the latter
Mr.. Server also opposed the substitute. |
If the railroad company, he said, was
granted the privilege asked, then there |
should he a provision inserted in the bill |
compensating the citizens for the dam |
ages to their property.
Mr.. Hamilton asked thet section |
be amended by striking out the words |
lat such point or points within the city
limits west Of Second Street east. and
east o. North Capitol Street" the object |
of which would be to close Third Street
This proposition was opposed by Messrs,
Linton and Server, 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 T
Street, and the understanding at the time
was that ii met the approval of the rail-
road company.
There was quite a discussion over this |
amendment and it went over.
Mr.. Linton opposed an amendment,
which was acceptable to the Baltimore and
Ohio attorneys. the effect Of which, 81 put
in the bill. Will be to open Third Street
from Q Street to New York Avenue
In answer to a question from Mr.. Cow
herd, Mr.. Bond said the rights of the Balti-
more and Ohio would expire In 1910. and
until that time Congress could do nothing
to compel the road to remove the tracks.
Under the present bill Mr. Bond said the
road proposed to spend four or five million
dollars five years in advance of the time
before 1t would be compelled to do 60
The improvements to be made he said. |
would not increase the traffic of the road
,ne dollar. but 1t would increase the !
terminal facilities of the road for hand
ling the present business. Passenger and
freight traffic, he said. would continue to |
De divided between the Baltimore and
Ohio and the Pennsylvania Railroad, Just
he same as 1t is now
After some further discussion the com
nttee adjourned.