Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-07
ECKlNGTON'S PROTEST
How It Stands on the B and O. Grade
Crossing Bill.
A Statement of the Attitude of the
the Commissioners' Report.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
1t is always deplorable when citizen Is
forced by circumstances into an attitude Of
antagonism toward propositions which in
the main tend toward the general benefit Of
the community. Yet in accordance with
the rule Of self-defense, 1t sometimes hap
pens that property owners and residents
are compelled to bear the brunt of odium
for occupying this uncongenial role. This
is the case with the owners of property in
lexington, VINO are protesting against the
spoliation Of their homes and the destruc-
ton Of their values through the readjust-
ment Of the B. and o. terminal lines. The
pending bill to abolish grade crossings on
that line provides that the company MAJ
establish freight yards, round houses. ma
chine shops and other railroad appur-
tenances around it's tracks at the "Y'' to
be located in lexington The inevitable
result Of such a combination would be the
driving away Of the present residents.
They have gone to lexington to build
homes, to live peacefully and in comfort.
They are not spectators, hoping for rise
in the market. All they ask Is to be al
lowed to live quietly. This they could not
do under the menacing conditions of a rail-
road establishment such as the bill author
ICES. In many cases these people would
lOSt Their eQulIleS III IQelT ptIlly -p<iIu-loi
properties, representing in some Instances
frreparable damage.
The people Of lexington recognize the
truth of the axiom about the greatest
good for the greatest number They I'M
derstand the urgent necessity for the abo-
Gtion of the grade crossings. They are
eager for the proposed improvement, and.
If the plans were amended In the part1cu-
find no more ardent advocates than these
same cssizens. But they cannot be blamed
for choosing now to protect their own in
terests rather than by their advocacy to
help despoil their own homes and rum
their own purses.
They adopt the course of opposition to the
bill as now framed for the simple reason
that they believe the evils of which they
complain can be averted by the adoption
of plan which. as far as it has been eX-
amined by competent persons, appears
feasible and in no wise inimcal to the
general public interests. Thus, the peo-
pie of lexington are not acting as a
dog in the manager, snarling and swapping
and trying to prevent progress. They are
| trying to protect their homes. in the full
belief that their homes can be protected
without delaying or hampering great pub
lie Improvement.
Their proposition has been rejected by
the Commissioners. The reasons given by
the latter are inconcluSive and Will not
bear close examination. For instance, the
Commissioners aver that to adopt the cit-
ZenS' plan would result in the invasion OF
d part Ol f1dTHlOUy cemetery, lying dbout
three-quarters of a mile north of Florida
avenue. The Commissioners seek to es-
tablish the doctrine that it is better to de-
spoil the homes of the taxpayers,
who are expected to contribute to the
81 100000 which the government and the
District are to pay to the railroad company
than to invade the homes of the dead.
They forget that only recently was North
Capitol street cut through two cemeteries in
order to provide an additional, and by no
means necessary. approach to the Soldiers
Home The citizens of lexington now are
asking whether a new principle is sought
to be established, a principle of avoidance,
which shall regulate all improvements with
preference to the approach to or departure
from grave yards. 1t is not believed that
this is good public policy or constructive ad-
ministration. 1t is certainly not good sense,
and 1t does not tend to make good citizen
ship.
The Commissioners further aver that the
citizens plan would throw the '4 upon a
hill, which would have to be cut through,
thus making the land intervening between
| the arms of the ''Y'' useless to the railroad
company. The plan proposed in the bill
would commit far more serious blunder
| from practical point of view. 1t would
throw the .'Y' over a deep hollow, which
would have to be filled with earth to bring
it to the general level. If this We're not
done the land intervening between the arms
of the "Y' would be unavailable. the 'Y'
standing high on earthen entertainments,
just the reverse Of the condition in the eiti-
ers' view, and equally bad. In order to
avoid the difficulty with the ''Y' on the hill
the land would need to be graded. In order
| to avoid the difficulty with the ''Y'' in the
company's plan the hollow would have to
be filed. To do 'the-latter would require
| that dirt be dug from somewhere. The
question therefore arises: Is 1t not Better
to prepare the ground by the original dig
cling and thus to secure solid foundation
than. to prepare 1t by digging and dumping,
and thus provide an uncertain foundation
for the tracks? The question may be the
more easily answered in view of the fact
that by adopting the levelfng plan a grave
Injustice to a furnishing section is avoided.
The railroad company objects, 1t is said.
to the grades and curves proposed by the
people of lexington. The Commissioners,
It is understood have done nothing to
verify the citizens plan, but have ac-
cepted the dictum of the company to the
| negative effect. Indeed, as the case stands,
| the citizens of lexington feel that the Com
mssioners have not exerted themselves to
seek solution Of the impending evil. There
| is nothing sacred about railroad COM
pany's survey sufficient to justify the Com
| missioners in adopting it without ~demur
against every other proposition. 1t Is with
| in recent memory that this very company
proposed a project for abolishing the grade
| crossings which provided for a double via
duct. When urged by the citizens to con-
| solidate the lines outside of the city the
| company put forth an elaborate report by
| the then chief engineer Of the road. gravely
showing that the grades involved in the
single viaduct scheme were impracticab1e.
| On this showing they prevented action in
| favor Of the single viaduct. Today the COM
pany is urging the adoption of the very
plan which a few years ago 1t as steenu-
ously opposed on the ground Of physical
impossibility. In the light of this expert
| ence the citizens Of lexington are not will
| ing to accept the Commissioners attitude
| of Difference to the company's surveys and
| plans.
Thus the case resolves itself to this prop
osition: Here is section of the city
| threatened with spoliatior and the rest
| dents thereof protest against the threat
| ened invasion of their peace and purse;
they offer a substitute plan which has thus
| far stood every reasonable test: the Com
missioners, without investigation, as far as
known reject that substitute and make
no effort to ameliorate the situation. I'm
| der the circumstances are not the citizens,
still firm in the faith in their offer of a
| solution, warranted in taking their own case
| to Congress and w.rking earnestly for
| themselves, even to the extent Of opposing
| the passage of the bill itself? And in that
attitude they protest against being charac-
| terized as "kickers" and recalctrants, and
| likened. as in the course of an anonymous
| communication to the Commissioners to the
| obstreperous reptiles, birds and animals who
| failed to agree upon mythical franchise
| proposal What hurts the people of Eek