Evening star., 1900-10-08
TRACKS TO BE RAISED
u. AND o. RAILWAY COMPANY EX-
PECTS BILL TO PASS.
Cost of the Proposed Improvement
Branch in Near Future.

high official of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company is authority for the
statement that the company expects the
passage of the bill by Congress at its next
session under the terms of which the Bal
timore and Ohio will be compelled to raise
its tracks within the greater part of the
city limits of Washington by 1906
1t will be recalled that bill passed the
Senate without a dissenting vote, and Is
now pending in the House of Representa-
tives. which provided for the elimination OF
certain grade crossings of railroads in the
District of Columbia, and required and au-
thorized the construction of new terminals
and tracks for the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company in the city of Washing
ton and for other purposes.
The official. continuing, stated that the
enactment of the bill into law will require
the construction, as soon possible, of
new works by the railroad company In the
District of Columbia the cost of which is
estimated at $3.50, 4OS. Toward this eX-
pendture the United States and the Dis
trict of Columbia, as has been stated in
The Star. will contribute S1.500.OOO leaving
S4.10O,O0O to be provided by the railway
company
This enormous expenditure of capital for
new works. The Star reporters informant
went on to say, Is required simply to MAIN
tain the present position of the Baltimore
and Ohio in its ability to do business with
in the District of Columbia. The bill re-
qures the completion of the new works
within five years from its passage and
makes unlawful the use of the present
tracks and terminals after the expiration of
five years. While the bill reached the
House of Representatives. too late for ac-
ton by that body at it's recent session,
there is every reason to expect that it will
be passed. possibly with some slight amend
ments at the next session.
II hn inn nd IN
Company has already expended 81 800. 900
In the purchase of property in Washington
rendered necessary by the action of Con-
gress and the District of Columbia requir-
ing the railway company to bring its tracks
into the city by an overhead structure.
These improvements, which affect the
tracks of both the Washington branch and
Metropolitan branch, will. it is expected be
of great benefit to the company and conve-
nience to the travelling public.
Site of New Depot.
The new depot here will occupy the
square east Of the present station and will
face the Capitol. The tracks of the two
branches will be brought together at
point north of Florida avenue, and be car
ried thence above grade so as to avoid all
grade crossings. down Delaware avenue to
terminal station west Of 1st street north
of street and east of North Capitol street.
1t is further stated that the stockholders
or the Washington branch of which the
Baltimore and Ohio Company owns 81 O2S-
600, the state Of Maryland 1850, 900. and in
dtvtdual stockholders $27, 600 need not look
for any dividends in the near future. 1t is
frankly admitted by those having control
of the matter that, while 1t Is true no div
ldend has been declared or paid on the
Washington branch stock since the div-
dend of . per cent for the six months end
ing September 30 1896 the reason why no
subsequent dividend had been declared and
paid is because the president and directors
or the Baltimore and Ohio Company, in the
exercise of their best Judgment have con-
stdered and determined that 1t would be
unwise and unsafe, in view of various
matters within their knowledge. to distrib-
ute the moneys of the Washington branch
to the stockholders of the same and that
under existing circumstances the moneys
could not be considered or treated as avail
able for the purposes of division among the
Stockholders