Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-10
UNION STATION BILL
Reported to the House Late
Yesterday.
COMMITTEES REPORT
CHANGES MADE BELIEVED TO BE
FOR THE BETTER.
A New Section Added Amending Act
Of February Ia, 1901, AZ to
the B. and o. Railway.

authorized by the House committee on the
District Of Columbia, was made to the
House late yesterday afternoon by Chair
man Babcock. The report urges the pas
sage of the bill, and explains the several
amendments which the committee have
made In the Senate bill SO
The bill will have the right Of way In the
House next Monday. and 1t is not unlikely
that 1t will be passed at that time.
The Committee Report.
The committee has given very careful
consideration to the bill as passed by the
| Senate, it states. having held hearings, and
| permitted the citizens. the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia and parties
representing the railroad companies to ap-
pear and discuss fully all phases OF the
| proposed amendments. So.
! The amendments recommended by this
| committee, 1t is believed, VIII perfect the
measure so the objections that have been
| raised to certain provisions Will not now
apply. +.s- ~
The first important amendment provides
| that no streets or avenues shall be closed
or abandoned under the provisions OF this
| act or Of the acts of February II, 1901, Until
| all of the abutting property On 'the streets
| or avenues. or portions of them to be
closed, shall have been acquired by con-
domination or purchase. by the terminal
company or the railroad company.
The next amendment provides that such
portions of the terminal structure or via
| duct as may be constructed and used for
| storage or like commercial purposes, shall
| be assessed the same as other property In
| the District of Columbia.
| The next amendment recommended by the
| committee reduces the amounts to be grant
| ed to the railroad companies 00,0O0 each.
| making total saving to the District OF Co
| lumbia and the government Of $1.00OO0O.
The committee has given a large amount
| of time to the consideration Of the feasabih-
| ty of locating the union station at street
| between New Jersey avenue ana LIST street
| northeast. The location Of the station at
| this point would greatly reduce the expense
| to the District Of Columbia and the govern
ment by making unnecessary the cost Tor
| damages to adjoining property. the opening
| and paving of new streets, the purchase OF
| private property for the plaza ana the NM
| ing in to make the proper grades provided
| In the Senate bill. One great disadvantage,
| however, would be the necessity of covering
| Massachusetts, avenue by viaduct- about
| 500 feet long, which meets with serious OPP
[ position. based. on the, ground that 1t would
disfgure and otherwise mar this great ave-
nue.. 49,
The Massachusetts avenue site. on the
other hand. in the opinion Of the architects
Of the station, would be much more salts
factory with reference to the Capitol and
lend itself better to the necessary develop
ment of the surroundings. MASSACHUSETTS,
avenue an important thoroughfare, would
be saved as a DOufoFdIu diLu Lie LIABILITIES
for handling large crowds would be greater
than at c street by reason of the larger
number of streets, making access easier to
the station. ~@i.~ t'.55 ~ ..;s.s 81 !.
I The railroad companies deem the Massa-
chusetts avenue site the best and most adj
vantageous from a railroad point OF view
and strongly object to the suggested c
street location for the. station.
In view of all of these facts, the COM
mittee believe that by reporting the Massa-
chusetts avenue site, which involves an ex-
penditure' to- the District and government of
an amount estimated at 81 600 for dam
new streets and establishing proper grades.
that the reduction provided for In the
amendments, so that each road shall re-
| ceive 81 0OO. 900 in place of 81 100000. max
! ing saving Of 81, 900 900, would equaiize
! the advantage to the railroad companies in
! the selection of the Massachusetts, avenue
| site, and the advantages which would have
| accrued to the District and government had
| the street site been determined upon.
The amendment striking out section II
! removes from the bill the permission grant
ed to the two railroad companies and the
terminal company to either accept or reject
| the provisions of this act for the building
| of a union station
| The amendment striking out section IL
removes from the bill the authority given
to the Commissioners of the District Of Co
lumbia to permit the extension of street
railway lines to and from the proposed
union station. Congress has always handled
legislation of this character for the District
of Columbia, and your committee believes
that the chartering of new street railways
or the changing of the routes of existing
lines should be considered by Congress as
in the past.
Section IL has been amended by the COM
mittee with the view of making this pro
vision clear, to give permission to other
railroads to enter the District of Columbia
| and the terminals and union station
upon terms which are to be prescribed by
| the Supreme Court of the District Of CO.
| lumba IL the parties in interest cannot
| agree.
The new section - reported by the COM
mittee provides for the location of sub
station by the Baltimore and Potomac
Railway Company at convenient location
1 near the north end of Long bridge, to ac-
ccmmodate suburban traffic. 1t was rep
resented to this committee that department
clerks and others living at Alexandria and
suburban points would be greatly accom-
modated by the establishment Of sub
station near the Long bridge, which would
make It unnecessary for them to remain
on the train and pass through the tunnel to
| the union station on Massachusetts avenue.
Changes Made.
Sections IL and IL. as amended by the
| committee. and new section. Ii. read as
| follows:
Sec. IL. That any railroad company now
| or hereafter lawfully existing and author
| lied to extend a line Of railroad into the
| District of Columbia. or having secured
| the right to operate over the lines Of any
| other then existing railroad, to a point of
| connection with the tracks of said termi-
\ nal company, shall have the right to the
| joint use of said station and terminals upon
| the payment of reasonable compensation
| for the use of the same; and IL the parties
| be unable to agree upon such terms then
] the same shall be prescribed by the Su-
! preme Court Of the District Of Columbia
| upon petition Of either party In interest,
| under such rules Of procedure as the said
| court shall prescribe.
''Sec - That the Baltimore and Potomac
| Railroad Company shall establish and
| maintain a substation at q convenient To-
| cation east of the north end Of the Long
bridge and at point to be approved by
the Commissioners of the District Of Co
| lumbia.
Sec. 13. That paragraphs three and four
| of section eight of the act of Congress ap-
| proved February IL. 1901, entitled An act
| to provide for eliminating certain grade
| crossings Of railroads in the District OF
| Columbia. to require and authorize the con-
| struction Of new terminals and tracks for
| the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
| In the city of Washington and for other
| purposes be. and they are hereby, amend
! ed so that they shall read as follows:
| I'm consideration of the surrender by the