Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-14
The Union Station Bill.

Since the union station bill has been
amended by the Senate to meet the objec-
lions most seriously raised against it, by
the adoption of a provision facilitating the
entrance of other railroads into the station
than those now granted that right, it's
passage may b. expected within a short
time The amendment in question is dis
tinctly improving. 1t will keep open the
door for legitimate future railroad enter
prises which otherwise, could not secure
a share in the station facilities. If the sta
ton Is to be of union character 1t
should accommodate not only all present
but all future lines. SO to avoid the ne
Cessity for the construction of other ter
mlnals. The modified Patterson amend
ment covers the ground sufficiently and
guards the interests of the community, the
railroads now designated for entrance and
those which in the natural course of de-
velopment will be granted rights of way
into the District hereafter.
The people of the District are pleased
with the measure as it stands, with the
reservation that if they were consulted
they would urge a reopening of the whole
matter of financial adjustments. They did
not agree with the proposition to put bur-
den of 81 500 CJo upon the District and the
government in consideration of the B. and
O's change of grade and terminal improve
ment They considered that item IN the
original mea sure. now law, as an injus-
tice unwarranted by either the local facts
or the latest municipal precedents. During
the debate in the Senate on the pending
bill a disposition has been shown by some
speakers to question the wisdom and justice
of the money grants to the railroads, under
both bills. For tine sake of keeping the
record straight it would be desirable if the
precedents, in part recited yesterday, were
fully stated.
For instance. cogrizance should be taken
of the course pursued by the city of Chi
cago which without the aid of law beyond
the ordinary municipal regulation for the
protection of life i'll the public streets
forced the railroad companies entering that
city to construct Il great system of via
ducts and entirely at their own expense to
eliminate the grade crossings. The city of
Chicago today. after having thus caused
the corporations to spend many millions in
track elevation. Is confronted only with the
necessity to defend suits for incidental dam
ages to adjacent property. which will in
yolve payment of trifing proportion Of
the total cost Of the change of grade.
This precedent with many others equally
enlightening put before Congress In
1900 and 1901 when the grade crossing bills
were pending. but the houses chose to ig-
more IL and to frame the laws as they now
exist upon the basis of a payment OF the
public money and contributions of the pub
lie lands amounting. it was then estimated
to more than half Of the total expense of
the whole Improvement. In the case of the
Baltimore and Ohio 1t was believed that
the sl,JG0,pD to be given by the District
and the government would very nearly
cover the legitimate cost of the betterment
when the value of the right of way con-
tributed in addition was capitalized Now
1t is proposed 10 shorten the viaduCt and
thus to decrease the cost of the actual con-
struetlon. But no proportionate rebate to
the public is proposed. There would seem
to be reason for sufficient reoDening of
the cost question TO readjust this matter,
If not in the form of a reduction of the
money donation. at least by way of a for
NAL cession to the public of the lands now
held BY the Baltimore and Ohio south of
the proposed union station.