The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-11

Senate bill 1929 providing for the elmi-
nation of grade crossings on the line of
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, in
the District OF Columbia, was favOrably
reported 10 the Senate yesterday by Mr..
Mcmillan, from the District Committee.
The bill as submitted 10 the Senate con-
tains number Of amendments suggested
by the District Commissioners, and three
changes were made in ii by the District
Committee.
The first of these requires the railroad
company 10 rebuild.the United States Fish
Commission buildings on the Mall. west
OF their present location. which will be
occupied by the tracks of the company,
at cost OF not exceeding $40, 600. The
original bill provided that the cost should
be borne by the United States.
Section - of the bill. which provided
for a passenger bridge to be constructed
over the Potomac above the site OF The
Long Bridge at the expense of the United
States, is changed so as to arrange for
street car traffic, and the cost. which is
net to exceed s56s, 600, is 10 be divided
between the United States and the Dis
;rict of Columbia.
third committee amendment provides
that arches shall be constructed not less
than 200 feet In width on the line Of WesI
Capitol Street, or the proposed Centennial
Avenue through The Mall The original
bill provided for an arch fifty feet in
width.
The Committees Report.
The report submitted by the committee
10 accompany the bill is in part as follows:
For ten years the subject OF eliminating
grade crossings along the line of the Bal
timore and Potomac Railroad, and provid-
ing enlarged terminals. has been agiJated
both in Congress and among the people Of
the District. The rapid increase in the
Southern business of the railroads the
increasing size OF the crowds OF people VINO
come 30 Washington OF special occasions.
and the natural growth Of the city itself
all have combined 10 make the present
terminal growth facilities Of the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad inadequate TO the
point of discomfort of passengers and un
due expense Oh the part OF shippers. The
crossing al grade OF two great street rail
way lines and of many much-used streets
has been the source always of delay ana
apprehension. often loss of life. The press
of the city the representative bodies Of
citizens. and the public generally have re-
peatedly and unanimously called for a
change in the location of the tracks OF this
company, and this committee has long
been working on plans TO meet situation
constantly growing more and more EN-
barrassing
There has been 10 reluctance on The
part of the railroad company TO meet the
desires Of Congress and of the people OF
the District. On the contrary, the highest
officers Of the Pennsylvania Railroad nave
recognized fully the importance and de-
STABILITY OF placing their Washington ter
minals in a condition not only TO meet the
fast growing business but also to make
them worthy OF the Capital City OF the
United States. The one great thing that
stood in the way Of an adjustment was the
engineering problem. The railroad regard
ed as a physical impossbility an overhead
structure and the elevation OF its tracks,
while the District authorities opposed
sinking the tracks. or at least we're not
able to work out the change in a way sat
isfactory to the engineers OF the railroad.
After repeated failures TO handle the
engineering features of the plans in such
i way as to commend them for presenta-
ton TO Congress. Capt. William VI. Black,
while Engineer Commissioner Of the Dis
trict. devised a plan OF combining the de-
pressed and overhead systems. according to
the topography of the region through