The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-27
Held In $1,000 Bond.
CHICAGO SETS EXAMPLE.
Hr. Dodge Thinks Washington
Might Well Follow IL.

Editor The Washington Herald.
In view Of the refusal of the railroad
companies 10 do anything 70 abolish the
smoke nuisance created by their Iocomo-
tives. on the ground Of their generosity
to the District" I cali attention To the
manner in which grade crossings and the
erection Of stations are managed in Chi
cago. as set forth in the accompanying
letter.
Mr. W. q. Dod5s, 200 Ninth street northwest wash
iugton- u g.
Dear Sir Your letter Of the 21th inst. addressed
to tie Hon Edward 7. Dunno. has been referred
TO this department. In answer permit me t1 state tIat
the SD 10000 station TO be- erected los the CHI
csEo and Northwestern Railway Company, and which
is constructed f0r their own sccomm1dation and the
ietteguent Of their road. the railway company as
sumes all the expense ~ the same and we're very glad
to get the city council 90 grant permission FOR the
elevation Of their passenger tracks INTO tie building
when completed. As 60 the second inquiry a. 20
the amount expended by The railway companies
20 date IN ab0lishiug Grade crossings. and a. O.
whether the city bears any of the expense and Il
So what rroporti0n7 The railway companies have
expended % date over Al j1.o3. all OF which has
been paid by tine railway companies that nave
elevated their roadbed and tracks.
Hoping that 7 have given yau thc desired int1r-
nation. ] am. yours, very re7i'ec-tul'v-
Signed JOIN oNEII.L-
Here al the National Capital. the COM
panies claim that they viii spend in all
SIS. 100000. while there a single company
is 90 expend s20000C01. besides the cost of
eIevating its tracks. and an act has just
been passed by the city councils requiring
another company to elevate its tracks at
a cost Of 100000. As shown, the railroad
companies have spent I'm Chicago $u.U09o
for the elevation Of their tracks TO abolish
the grade crossings. and there the entire
cost OF stations and Of abOlishing the
grade crossings is borne by the railroads.
while here. for similar work. S3.CC00 900 has
to be paid the Pennsylvania and the Bal
timore and Ohio out Of the revenues Of
the District besides a large amount in
incidental expenses. or. i'm other words,
about one-fourth of the whole cost,
Why this difference between Chicago
and the National Capital? Il is simply
because there the people. through their
city councils. have entire control Of the
matter. while here the people have no
voice whatever in il, No other eXplana-
ton can be given The work here is Just
as much for the benefit of the railroads
as il is there. and there is no more rea-
son why the companies should do il here
at their own expense than there is in
Chicag0-not q particle.
In view of these facts il looks well for
the companies here To pirate of their
generosity to the DistricCf 1t would
be far more truthful TO call it robbery Of
the District.
I think. in view Of the remarks made by
Gen. Grosvenor and some others. when
the bill abolishing free passes was en-
acted. that If that had preceded the bill
for abolishing grade crossings and the
erection Of the new station. the District
would not have Jared so badly. ] am
sure it would not if the citizens had had
control here. as they have in Chicago.
tt is to be hoped that in the matter Of
abating the smoke nuisance. for its
own sake as well as that OF the citizens.
our town cOuuciI-the Congress OF the
United States-wiU not deal so literally
with the railroads. but viii compel them
to do It. as II is clearly shown they can,
as it Is being done elsewhere. both at
home and abroad. and as the PennsyI-
vania Company itself says it is going TO at
New York. where agaiu the citizens.
through their town councils. have control
and the power and will TO compel
W. c. DODGE