Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-25
NO UNION STATION
LEGISLATION NOT TO BE HAD AT
THIS SESSION.
Chairman Babcock's Statement on the
Subject-More Time for Con-
sideration Needed.

There will be no union station legisla tion
at the present session of Congress-
This statement was made to Star man
today by Representative. Babeeck, chair
man of the House committee on the Dis
tr:ct of Columbia before Which committee
the Senate bill for this project is now pend
ing.
THE reason for postponing the action on
the measure is simply lack of time con-
tinued Mr.. Babcock. IF the bill was now
on the House calendar, it would be eX-
tremely doubtful if it could be gotten be-
fore the House for consideration. But the
bill has not even received the consideration
of the committee -
''Wnl the railroads go ahead under the
old legislation in the construction of the
two stations authorized" was asked.
The officials of the roads have indicated
that in their opinion this matter is of too
great Importance to be hurried, was Mr..
Babcock s reply, land it is understood that
nothing will be done by them pending the
consideration of the proposed union station
plan
Will Not Receive Further Considera-
Mr.. Babcock stated further that the mat
ter would not even receive further con-
sideration by his committee at the present
actly where it was at the last meeting of
the committee.
Captain Newcomer, she acting engineer
commissioner. has complied with the re-
quest Of the committee and drafted a new
bill, making its provisions conform to the
proposed street site; which the committee
unanimously agreed 10 recommend. To-
gethcr with this bill Captain Newcomer
filed a report, which was printed in The
Star yesterday, setting forth the advan-
tages of the Massachusetts avenue site,
as well as the c street site, with the argu
ment from an engineering point of view in
favor of the House committees PROPOSE
ton.
Chairman Babcock has received many
communications from persons interested in
the legislation requesting to be heard by
the committee on various propositions.
With the proposed delay these persons may
be given an opportunity to be heard, and
in any case the matter can receive deliber
ate and mature consideration by going
over and as the railroads are of this opn-
ion it will relieve the strain of hurried and
possible mistaken action in connection with
a project which the members of the House
committee on the District of Columbia
deem of great Importance to Washington
f. l.. Siddons of Ralston &s Siddons at
torneys, has written to Chairman Babcock
OF the House committee on the District of
Columbia requesting to be heard in con-
nectlon with the plan for terminal sta
ton to be constructed and owned by the
District of Columbia.
Merely Postponement, Not Defeat.
The statement of Representative Babcock
that there would be no legislation on the
union station bill during this session of
Congress did not come as a surprise to
members of the Senate committee on the
District of Columbia. as they had antiei-
pated for some time the possibility of such
an outcome.
The large amount of discussion that oc-
CURED during the consideration of the bill
after it was introduced in the Senate
caused great delay. so that it was very late
il passing that body. II was feared at the
time that this delay might be so great that
the bill could not get through before ad-
jcurnment.
1t is not believed. however. that by al
lowing the bill to go over to the short ses-
sion its passage will jeopardized, although
1t would have been extremely agreeable to
the Senate committee had the bill passed
the House and gone into the hands of con-
ferecs before adjournment.
There would have been ample time for
the conferees to agree and if they could not
have done so during this session they could
have made their report early next Decem-
Der. AS it is, it Is expected that the bill
will be promptly taken up next December
and pushed to a vote in the House