Evening star., 1907-10-19
Public Payments for Terminals.

1t has been announced as a matter of
| news that if the plan adopted by the
American Association of Passenger and
| Ticket Agents at it's conven ntion in this
city shall be approved by the railroad
companies having terminal facilities in
Washington, the people who use Wash
ingtons new union station will pay the
cost of that structure. There are several
features of this proposition that need ex-
animation.
When the action of the passenger and
ticket agents convention was announced,
The Star said:
1T is virtually decided that every rail-
road using the new terminal will increase
the price of its tickets to, through and
from Washington. The sum added to the
fare will be either 90 cents or % cents, ex-
Cept for very short distances where the
fare would be a dollar or less when the
railways will be satisfied with a modest
| little 10 per cent extra. From mileage
| tickets ten or twelve additional mile cou-
pons will be torn. while proportionate
| increase will be made in the cost of COM
mutation tickets"
| The cost of the union station and of the
other terminal improvements has already
been paid in part with the peoples money.
In building the terminal the company
expended approximately S15,00O.0O0. The
District government paid 81 800 900 to the
Philadelphia. Baltimore and Washington
railroad: 81 500 900 to the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad, and expended approximate
ly $1,000, 900 for condemnation Of land and
property for streets, etc. incident to the
construction of the station. OF this
Sc 100000 the United States government
paid 30 per cent
Is it the purpose of the railroads to
collect dividends on the public funds in
vested in the construction Of the termi-
nails? If the admission fee Is to be
charged is not the District government to
get share of the gate receipts in recog-
milton of the 5000 900 1t has put into the
venture? Does not the Treasury of the
United States deserve some return on its
three millions?
The terminal improvements in Wash
ington were not made on the initiative
of the railroads. The public demand fo-
better facilities was growing more and
more insistent. For years Washington
had vigorously contended that the rail-
roads should abandon their Illegal occu-
patton Of public land, eliminate their
murderous grade crossing and build cred
itab.e stations on purchased sites entirely
at their own expense. 1t was demon
strated that In equity no part of the cost
of these terminal improvements should be
exacted from the public Finally how
ever, the public was taxed approximately
100000 in aid of this work. When 1t
had been settled that railroad occupancy
Of the Mall was to cease; that grade
crossings were to be abandoned, and that
union station was to be erected, the
railroads entered into the plan with fine
spirit.
They declared that they were inspired
by high patriotic zeal In helping to give
the nations capital one Of the great rail-
road stations of the world For this
manifestation of public enterprise the
railroads have received the highest praise
and credit They have accepted the credit
for their magnificent action, and now
propose to turn round and say PAY us in
cash for what We have done'' .r.. .
For constructing adequate terminals, a.
work which the railroads should long ago
have done solely at their, own expense,
they have been paid, first, six millions of
public money; then. millions worth OF
public laudation of their voluntary, pub
lic-spirited liberal expenditures in this
connection; and now they request triple
payment in the shape Of financial reim-
bursement. They would eat their cake
and have it, too, and now demand a sec
ond slice of cake.