Evening star., 1902-04-25
POSSIBLE OUTCOME
Committee Hearing on the
Union Station Bill.
USE OF NEW TERMINAL
CONCESSION TO CHESAPEAKE
BEACH RAILWAY.
Final Agreement May Provide for ALI
Existing Lines, but Not for
Future Corporations.

The Senate committee on the District of
Columbia spent two hours this morning in
discussing the Patterson amendment to the
Senate bill to provide for a union railway
station in this city. There were present at
this meeting: Senators Mcmillan, chairman;
Gallinger, Hansbrough Pritchard, Stewart,
Dillingham;, Foster of Washington, Martin,
Mallory, Heitfeld, Clark and Foster of
Louisiana, there being only one absentee.
The meeting was most interesting one,
and was for the purpose of allowing repre-
sentatives Of the Pennsylvania and the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Companies to
state to the committee what objections they
had to the Patterson amendment which
provides that in the future railroads that
wish to use the terminal facilities to be
provided under this bill, both the ap-
proaches and the station itself, may do so
by entering upon an agreement with the
terminal company as to their proper rela-
tive share of the COST and If such an agree
ment could not be reached, by carrying the
matter into the Supreme Court of the Dis
trict of Columbia. This has been the bone
of contention over the railroad bin which
has already caused two days to be given up
in the Senate to it's discussion.
Would Admit Chesapeake Beach Line
There We're present Vice President Green
of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and
President Loree of the Baltimore and Ohio
road, and each of them gave his reason for
objecting to this legislation. In a general
way they expressed their willingness to per-
nit the Chesapeake Beach Railway Com
pany to come into the terminal scheme on
the ground that it was existing road,
and they had provided for the seven
existing railroads they did not object to in
Guiding an eighth road, although they con-
sldered that its character not such as
to warrant this concession because it was
but forty miles in length. Another state
ment was made by both witnesses to the
effect that it was a mistaken idea that the
pennsylvania Railroad Company owned the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.
Vice President Green's Statement.
Vice President Green said that the Penn
sylvania Company had four of the twelve
directors on the Baltimore and Ohio and
While they were allowed to manage the af
fairs of the company, yet they could be
outvoted at any time Beyond the conces-
sion to the Chesapeake Beach Railroad
Company both Mr.. Green and Mr.. Loree
stood firmly by their objection to the Pat
terson amendment, saying that they could
not provide for such indefinite contingencies
as would arise from railroads in all time to
come being admitted to their station and
claiming that it might give rise to the
formation of speculative companies that
could start their prospectuses with the
this magnificent union station.
They also took the ground which was
taken by Senator Hoar in the Senate, that
Congress at all times would have a right
to legisate in such a way to permit
other companies to use these terminal IA
ciities If the necessity for doing so was
great enough.
Vice President Green stated that they
were willing to allow the Chesapeake Beach
Railway Company to come into the union
station If within six months from the date
OF the passage of the act authorizing them
to build the station that company should
make application to them for a partial use
of the building, in order that they might
arrange for their accommodation. He said
that in building the railroad station the
company was providing for it's necessities
in sight. Should the Patterson amendment
operate then they would have the problem
of providing for unknown necessities which
might arise in the future. He said that It
might easily happen that the railroad COM
panies now being provided with terminal
facilities might be seriously embarra ssed in
conducting their business by other roads
demanding the use of portion Of the sta
ton. They had no objection to providing
for all existing railroad companies, but be-
yond that he did not want to go.
President Loree's Position.
President Loree Of the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad Company said that, so far as
his company was concerned. they would
prefer to go ahead under existing legisla-
tion and put up 100000 station on the
site they have acquired on street, east Of
their present depot and to make 1t purely
commercial affair. They would rather do
this than to enter upon an arrangement for
the building Of a great monumental station
at very much greater cost as was pro-
posed on Massachusetts avenue. Mr.. Loree
insisted that great mistake had been
made in stating that the Pennsylvania Rail-
road Company owned the Baltimore and
Ohio road. He said the Pennsylvania did
not own that company and had on it's di-
rectorate but four of the twelve directors.
The Baltimore and Ohio company had it
within their power at any time to nullif~
the influence of these four directors In casa
they did not approve of their management
AS it is now these four directors are being
upheld in their ideas concerning the mar
agement of the road to such an extent that
they do practically manage it. AS long as
their management Is approved by the other
eight directors they will be upheld but he
said that when these other eight directors
cease to approve it they will be voted down
If they desired 1t they could put out these
four directors.
At the conclusion of the hearing both
members of the committee to submit their
idea of an amendment to take the place
of the Patterson amendment. in order that
the committee might consider it. They
were also asked to make a statement in
writing concerning their general attitude
toward the Patterson amendment and to
submit 1t at their earliest convenience.
Taken Out Of the Senate.
The committee in adjourning did so with
an understanding that at some time early
next week another meeting Of the commit
tee will be called, when this same matter
may be further discussed, in view Of the
information already received and that may
be received In the meantime. This action
practically takes the matter out of the
Senate for the present, as the bill will not
be called up again until the committee has
determined upon the course it will adopt
Senator Patterson has already said in the
Senate that he would withdraw his oppo-
sition to the bill provided some agreement
were reached by which the Chesapeake
Beach Railroad Company might be allowed
to use this union station. He said that his
course was taken on account of the fact
that the owners of the Chesapeake Beach
Railroad Company are citizens of Colorado
and his constituents. For this reason it is
thought quite possible that the final agree
ment on an amendment may be such as to
allow existing roads to come into the pro-
posed union station, but not to provide
court proceedings by which roads that may
be formed in the future can be included.