Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-21
GRADE CROSSINGS.
Mr.. Thos. w. Smiths Letter to Chair
man Babcock.

Mr.. Thomas w. Smith. president OF the
East Washington Citizens Association. has
sent the following letter to Chairman Bad
cock of the House District committee:
We ask your careful consideration OF the
Embarrassing protest filed with the House
committee on District of Columbia ihe
proposition to infiict upon the good people
of Southeast Washington six grade cross
ings. and particularly the Dead Man
curve, between I'd and Sd streets southeast
the others being I'd. -. 4th and 3tn streets
and l. and M streets). is one that cannot
be characterized other than an outrage.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company ae
sres to save $l50,O00 to $2O0.OOo, the cost OF
the bridge at New Jersey avenue Wnefe IL
will cross it's grade crossing at that
point There are number of houses SOUTH
of New Jersey avenue between Atm am
South Capitol streets. the occupants OF
which would use New Jersey avenue as
their natural outlet to the Capitol ana the
city. They have been deprived of the ise
of New Jersey avenue for the past ten vi
more years because of the fourteen or note
railroad tracks owned by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company crossing this avenue,
making either a pedestrian wagon or
carriage crossing at that point pfonoauVe
because of the great danger 10 me an.
limb. These people are now using 30 street
and 4th street east and South Capitoi street
to get out of this cul-de-sac.
The United States, the District of Column
trct are under legal obligation and con-
tract to eliminate grade crossings WITHIN
the city limits at an expenditure D! iiiots
than twenty million dollars. In view Oh
this fact it seems to me most extraordinary
that the District Commissioners would
trade with the Pennsylvania Railroad COM
pany. the result of that trade to be the Tx
ing forever of six grade crossings ana one
Dead Mans curve upon the good people OF
Southeast Washington The trade reIer
t, is the money saved by the Pennsylvania
Railroad Company. Because of this trade II
Is relieved of the cost of the New Jersey
avenue bridge: the District of Columbia Cd
tains about 100000 feet of Garfield PARK anu
a part of the bed of New Jersey avenue Ior
siding and storage yard to take the place
of about five acres it is now using or
streets and avenues in Southeast Washlns
ton in defiance of law. The Commissioners
never obtained from Congress the authority
to use any street or parking IN Southeas'
Washington for storage purposes >,
Put your shoulder to the wheel OBTAIN an
the information you can from otherS anu
vigorously protest against this. lnlquitous
trade The Commissioners claim tnat INC
navy, yard people are the ones VINO are
urging this measure because they CANNOT
as they say. have railroad entrance faclll-
ties to the navy yard unless such Dill 10
passed. This is untrue. for glance py any
practical man at the map or at the acluei
site will prove to his satisfaction that an
entrance to the navy yard can De opsa,n. r
either from the west or east side, ana par
tiCularly from the east side or the navy
yard from the tracks of the PennSyiVahia
Railroad Company at or near Pehns!lNaniaa
avenue bridge along Water street TO anu
under the proposed AnacOStia bridge, the
roadbed of which will be high enough at
the point where tine bridge crosses water
street to enable engines and cars TO go
urder it and reach the navy yard with put
little cost and in a most direct way.