The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1902-04-15
CITIZENS APPROVE
new DEPOT PLANS
Full and Free Debate by
Northeast Association.
THE SENATE BILL APPROVED
Exhaustive Report Presented by Com
mittee Appointed to Examine Into the
Merits of the Proposed Legislation for
Building the Station.

The Northeast Washington Citizens As
ISOLATION last night spent nearly the
entire evening in the discussion of the
proposed location of the union station on
Massachusetts Avenue near North Capt.
tol Street After full and free debate
upon the question. the sense of the as
ISOLATION was expressed by vote in favor
of the plan.
The matter was brought before the as
sociation in a written report on Senate
bill No. 1895, by the committee on legis-
lation, of which Evan H. Tucker is chair
man. This report was a brief review of
the BILL in which the good and bad points
in the proposed legislation were pointed
out, and ended in several suggestions in
the way of amendments to the bill. The
report in its essential features was as
follows:
Report on the Bill.
THE most Objectionable proposition
contained in the bill is that authorizing
the absolute closing of H Street for els
lance CT 800 feet on either side of Della
ware Avenue. Your committee took up
this proposition and found themselves
unanimously supported, in opposition
thereto, by the residents of Northeast
Washington and by many persons who
hold mortgages on Northeast property.
Each of the District Commissioners gave
us cordial and attentive interviews, and
with their assistance We succeeded in
having the bill, which was presented to
the Senate on March 81, provide that H
Street be kept open, the railroad tracks
to cross the street at an elevation with
as little interference as possible with the
traffic.
1.-The suggestion in the report of your
committee on steam railroads that no
provision was made for the payment for
property taken for the plaza, and for
damages caused by changes of grades,
was also taken up. and a clause was in
serted in the pending bill covering these
subjects more or less satisfactorily.
Your committee, therefore, submit
that the pending bill is as acceptable as
can be expected with due regard TO the
commercial interests of the city and the
convenience of the travelling public, II
not quite satisfactory to persons whose
property will be taken or damaged. While
we hold that the removal of steam rail-
way tracks and their appurtenances
would be great relief to our section
of the city, yet we must concur in the
general opinion that such structures can
not be placed anywhere in the city with
out affecting the property and other in
terests of many persons.
while We gave our earnest and active
support to the bill that became a law on
February IL, 1901, which located the
Baltimore and Ohio station on Street.
between North Capitol and First Streets
northeast, and which we yet regard as
the most feasible plan from an engineer
ing standpoint we are thoroughly con-
WINGED that the relief given to Massa-
chusetts Avenue and d and z Streets by
the pending bill is full compensation for
the change.
Change in Grades.
1.-The proposition to change the grades
of the streets to accommodate them to
the tunnel and proposed union station
seems to us now to be the paramount
question affecting the situation. Such
changes of grades and the acquisition of
the large area necessary for the proposed
plaza and the streets and avenues leading
thereto. together with the large amount
of money necessary to pay for damages to
the property affected is question which
confronts every taxpayer in the District,
tion of our people should be given. From
the information we have been able to OBJ
tain the cost of all this is estimated at
81 go goo the payment of which Will be
spread over a number of years, and will
be borne by the United States and the
District governments in equal proportion.
In addition to this, the $500, 900 to be
paid to the Baltimore and Ohio Company
provided for in the act of February II,
in hall pf ,,bi
is to be paid out of the revenues of the
District Immediately upon the completion
of the work required by said act. Thus it
will be seen that about 81 500, 900 of Dis
trict revenues will be contributed to the
proposed improvements. Your committee
has found very strong sentiment pre-
vailing among many of our taxpayers
against such contributions on their part
for the betterment of the steam railway
conditions. To meet this opposition we
do not lose sight of the fact that by the
proposed bill and under existing law the
railroads are required to eXpend on their
station buildings and appurtenances about
s14. 000, 600, of which amount about sl2,-
600, 900 will become taxable in the same
manner and to the same extent as other
property in the District, and all tracks
and sdingS shall be taxed as real estate.
Therefore, by the usual method of assess
ment. the District revenues will be in
creased about $780, 900 a year for many
years to come. AS to which side will suf-
fer more under such conditions we leave
to the fair judgment Of our fellow -citi-
zens OF the District.
Surrender of the Mall.
Besides the above sums the bill pro-
vdes that the United States shall pay
81 500, 900 to the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company as consideration for
its surrender of its right to use that por-
ton of the Mall now occupied by it,
While your committee believes that
the location of the station as proposed in
the bill may lie detrimental to the prop
erty in its immediate vicinity, especially
where the grades of the streets will be
affected, it is our opinion that the location
of the proposed grand monumental struc-
ture in Northeast Washington, and the
of all the passenger traffic of the
city to this point, will materially promote
the interest of the northeast as a husi-
ness section, and will thus be to the ad-
Of the entire eastern portion of
the city; and inasmuch as the main pur-
pose of the bill is a link in the great cha in
of improvements to follow in the near flu
ture by which the Mall will be restored to
its original and legitimate use, we gem
erously believe that many of our good
people whose property viii be taken and
whose homes will be temporarily disturb
ed. are magranimous enough TO bear such
sacrifices for the general welfare.