Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-08
GRADE CROSSING BILLS
THEY NEED ONLY THE PRESIDENTS
SIGNATURE TO BECOME LAWS.
Eloquent Plea for the Preservation or
the Mall During the
Debate.

The House yesterday afternoon adopted
| the conference report on the Pennsylvania
| and Baltimore and Ohio railroad grade
| crossing bills, and those measures now go
| to the President for signature.
| Mr. Cowherd of Missouri opposed the
| granting of pubic land to the railroads.
and urged provision for union depot
| to which all railroads could hereafter find
| admission He also questioned the state
ment heretofore made by Chairman Bah
| cock, that no one opposed the grade cross
ing bills. and said that numerous civic
| organizations had opposed the grants con-
| templated by the bills
II have not seen any resolutions of that
| kind" said Mr. Babcock, nor have they
| been addressed to the committee in an OIL
| cial way. And, further, want to say that
| do not know of a single individual IN the
| District of Columbia-whether property
| holder or man without property-who has
! protested against the passage OF these pllls,
| except certain people at lexington where
| the " and other matters In connection
with the construction of the road nave
| been changed to meet the objections.
Il will say to the gentleman" replied Mr..
| Cowherd, that whether the resolutions
have been properly and formally communl-
Gated to him or not all the civic associa-
tons of the District have protested against
the measure
Mr. Sims OF tennessee n IrlelIlpei VI ihe
committee, was then recognized.
II want to appeal to this House., Sald
Mr. Sims ito undo far as 1t can, or fali
to consummate what has already been done
| with the intent only to reject this report,
to the end that the bill may be so amended
as to leave out the fourteen acres or the
mall. L do not know whether sentiment
cuts any figure in this House or not, put
1 think it ought to- This park was deui-
Gated by those having authority to DO SO
by Washington himsclf-with the purpose
tnat II should remain such forever, IN us
integrity, as whole.
Now | have failed to hear one single
reason or argument outside OF the desire
! to remove grade crossings why we should
permit this permanent structure TO De
erected in this park. If there were no other
means by which grade crossings could be
removed except by erecting depot Of large
proportions, covering fourteen acres. with
car sheds reaching into the very heart Of
this park, then there might be at least
utilitaran argument made In favor OF 1t.
But 1t is clearly feasible as an engineering
proposition to locate the depot just south
of the mall answering all the purposes OF
public convenience that it will to place 1t In
the mail. The people of the District OF Co
lumbia are opposed to having 1t In the mall
The people of the United states are op-
posed to having 1t in the mall. Who, them
| is in favor of any such dissertation Of this
| almost sacred property for this unitarian
purpose? Can there be anybody favoring
1t except the railroad company? And why2
Because 1t is valuable land and desirable.
Il admit that the directors of the railroad
corporation are looking out for the inter-
estS of the company from a financial stand
point only. l am not asking them to exer-
else any sentiment, or yield to such feel
ing as that and yet l am not ready to
make any attacks upon them as soulless
corporation. The only purpose they can
have is to put It to their own uses. Re-
CARELESS of the large appropriations that
have been made by this Congress the peo-
pleE of the United States will vote cheer
fullV and willingly If do
equity to this company. that we pay them
in cold cash every dollar that this part of
the mall is worth. l know they would vote
1t. Now. then, what excuse is there to
desecrate. demolish and destroy 1t forever
by permitting the railroad to enter into this
park. If the people are ready to give to this
company every dollar in cold cash that 1t is
worth today.
A Powerful Appeal.
"This is the only opportunity We will
have, and l appeal to you. This park be-
longs to you, and not locally to the District
of Columbia. 1t belongs to every citizen of
the United States, and presume that every
citizen of the United States has sufficient
patriotic sentiment to want to preserve 1t
in its integrity. Who would listen, were It
in our power, to scheme to desecrate
Mount Vernon by some utilitarian struc-
ture? Sentiment does cut figure. 1t ought
to; and whenever this free people cease to
be moved by patriotic sentiment goodbye
to institutions which such sentiment has
built up and maintained to the present hour.
/ have personal reason on earth to ask
you to reject this conference report, except
that we may not now and forever undo
what Washington did one hundred and ten
years ago, and which all the Congresses
since to this day have kept inviolate 1 ap-
peal to You to vote down this conference
report out of no i'll feeling to the railroad
company, out Of no disrespect to the judg-
ment Of those who differ with me, but In
order that we may preserve and make more
beautiful this magnificent city Of Washing
ton.
II will vote for an amendment to pay the
railroad company every dollar which this
land will be worth to them. Is not that
sufficient? | would rather pay reasonable
tax for the balance of my life. if necessary,
than to take out Of the very heart of this
beautiful city, out of this magnificent park,
fourteen acres and devote it to the most
beautiful depot that ever could be built.
What makes 1t beautiful? The object and
purpose for which 1t was dedicated, for
which it was created: and no structure,
however beautiful intellectually, can ever
take the place Of the sentiment the most
hallowed patriotic sentiment, which hangs
around and over it.
You can build a unitarian structure. IL
you want to, on the White Lot. in front of
the White House. anywhere, upon the sole
argument that is presented here. and that
Is that the corporation would like to have
1t and can use it in their business. l do not
propose tc do them any injustice. l would
rather give them bounty, subsidy, a
gratuity, anything that we can pay, to get
rid of what has been, done in this park
When this park is demolished 1t is demol.
ished now and forever. / appeal to you to
lay your hands on your hearts and think of
what you are doing before 1t Is forever too
late. Let US reject this report and have the
bill reformed, and give them as fine depot
as money will buy, and am almost willing
to vote all the money out Of the treasury
to pay for it. although 1 do not think that
is necessary or that there is any good argl-
ment for 1t. but l would do it rather than
see this House do what no other Congress
has ever done, and may God prevent any
other Congress ever entertaining such a
purpose"
MIR. Mudd Defends Measure.
Mr.. Mudd Of Maryland, discussing the
Pennsylvania bill, said
1T has been stated in the report. upon
Information furnished, 80 far as am
aware. by the District Commissioners, that
the railroad company-I refer to the Balti-
more and Potomac-will have to expend. ex-
elusive of expenditures for its passenger
depot and carsheds, a sum Of money ap-
proximating $40O0,000 for the relocation of
Its tracks and the elimination of grade
crossings.
~ have here, but will not read in detail