Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-15
THE COST OF DAMAGES
Mr.. Clark's Criticism of
Union Station Bill.
DEBATE IN THE SENATE
MR.. CLAY ALSO OPPOSES THE
MEASURE. ..
Mr.. Gallinger Denies That the COM
mittee Has Been Hasty in
Its Deliberation.
DEBATE IN THE SENATE


member. He expressed opposition to the
plan for the location of the station
depressed site, such as is to be had at the
Intersection of Massachusetts and Delaware
avenues, on account of the great cost in
volved in grading. In his remarks he ex
pressed great interest in the plans of the
park commission and said he hoped to see
them carried out, and for that reason he
welcomed legislation that would result in
removal of tracks from the mall. But he
could not approve the location proposed on
Massachusetts avenue. He had visited that
site and had been impressed, after studying
it on the ground and the plans, that its
adoption would give rise to an enormous
amount of damages on account of sur
rounding property He thought that if
mel bers Of the committee would go to the
site itself and how the surrounding
property would be affected by the proposed
grading. they would change their minds
about the bill. Mr.. Clarks motion to adj
journ not voted on, action being de-
ferred until the bill and amendments were
considered today. Mr.. Clark said he had
al one time feared that the building of q
tunnel along the line of LIST street east
would endanger the foundation walls of the
Congressional Library building, but now
that this location was under the west side
walk of that street he had no such fear.
Mr.. Clay's Opposition
Mr.. Clay of Georgia spoke on the bill,
saying he could not support it, although
he had great confidence in the judgment
of the senators who supported it. He had
gone over the ground to be affected by the
bill and was unwilling to vote for bill
providing tunnel 1900 feet in length, IS
feet wide and 90 feet below the surface
of the street in front of the library
Alleged Ruin to Property
halieve Mr. CLAW 1'hafora thia
bill is voted on every senator ought to ex-
anime the streets these roads are expected
to occupy. l believe that careful investi-
cation will show that when these railroads
shall change their present sites and occupy
principally 1st street, to which I now refer
you will find upon investigation that at
least seventy-five dwellings will be abso-
lutely destroyed at the lower end of this
tunnel near where this union depot Ia to be
located, and l do not question that these
dwellings will cost the government and
the District of Columbia two or three mil
lions of dollars. l took the liberty of
counting these dwellings where this 3O-foot
fill is to be located, and 1 find there are
either seventy-four or seventy-fiye that
will be absolutely destroyed, and by reason
of these cuts and fills more than sixty
other dwellings will be injured from SO to
60 per cent.
Il believe that the damages that will ac-
crue to property owners by reason of this
change will be equal to three or four mil
lions Of dollars. I believe before we make
change of this kind data and information
should be furnished to the Senate showing
the number of buildings that will be in
Jured, the number that will be DESTROYED
and the possible cost to the government of
the United States and the District of CO.
lumbia
There has been no ATTEMPT to bora and
ascertain what kind of ground and soil ia
to be found where the library is loca ted
before an attempt is made to put a tunnel
a
to show what kind Of ground II is and
whether any danger will accrue to the IL
brary building, that cost seven or eight
millions of dollars
Land to Be Restored.
He thought the bill should be amended
SO 'hat the streets and public land given the
roads under it's provisions will revert to the
District when they are no longer used for
the purposes contemplated. AS the bill now
reads he thought the railroad could sell the
streets they are to occupy when II gats
through with them.
SAID to the senator from New Hamp-
shire the other day that my recollection
was that the act of 1901, which gave 81, 800
600 to the Baltimore and Ohio railroad enc
cially provided that that road when n
vacated its present tracks and vacated GER
tain streets and property that it owned at
present should convey by deed to the Dis
trict of Columbia and the government of
the United States this property in order to
in part pay for the 81 500 GOO we gave them y
said MI Clay My friend, the senator
from New Hampshire. said he thought /
was mistaken. l thought L was correct
and took 1.-THE liberty of hunting up the
act"
Mr.. Clay read portion of the act referred
The act provides" he continued. 'that
they shall deed this property back to the
government Of the United States and the
District Of Columbia to in part compensate
us for the 81, 200. 600 We give them it is es
timated. in the report made on that BILL
that that property is worth 81, 100000. Con-
sequently, II that be true, we only lost by
the act of 1901 $500. 900; but this bill that
continues to give them 81, 800 600 does not
require the Baltimore and Ohio railroad to
give to the government of the United States
or the District any property whatever
I'VE would be in much better condition to
stand by the act of 1901, for we would get
back to some extent the property to COM
pensate us for the 81 500. 900 which we give
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. This bill
requires nothing of this kind from the Bal
timore and Ohio railroad"
He had been told by a business man that
the streets the roads were to get under this
bill were worth SIS, 600 600 or $40 600 OOO He
thought the bill should go back to the Dis
trict committee for further consideration.
Mr. Galinger said it was absurd to say
the streets to be occupied under this hill
would be worth $1O0O0OO0.
Mr. Bailey inquired about the purposes
Of the bill and said he approved the idea of
a uiiioii Sldtioii, Dul Sdlu he ulQ not like
the use of tunnel and would prefer an
elevated structure for all the tracks.
There was some discussion to show that
the roads to use the union station were all
closely related in ownership and manage
ment.
Mr.. Gallinger Responds.
Speaking of damages to property caused
by the proposed union station Mr.. Gallinger
said the attorney &C those people had said
they were perfectly satisfied with the pro-
posed legislation. The Northeast Washing
ton Citizens Association favored the bill.
Mr.. Hansbrough called attention to the
vote of the Georgetown Citizens Associa-
ton against the bill He understood that
the meeting Of the East Washington Citi-
zens' Association at which the bill was an
proved was attended by but seven mem
bers.
Mr.. Gallinger retorted that the people OF
Georgetown were against this bill because
they want a station themselves. He also
said the charge that the committee had not
given much time to the bill was absurd.
1t had worked over it for months. He said
they could rely on the engineers not to in
jure the walls of the Congressional Library.
1 h go