Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-24
TO Be PAID $1,5OO,0O0
Commissioners Sign Certifi-
cate for B. and o. R. R.
DISTRICT GIVES ONE-HALF
Money Due for Completion of Ger.
tain Terminal Features.
MAKE CERTAIN DELEGATIONS
Company Deeds Land and Makes De-
posit to Guarantee Improve
ment in Subway Conditions.

The Commissioners today signed the GER
tificate that the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road Company is entitled to receive from
the Treasury of the United States $l.oOO.-
600. one-half payable from funds or the
United States and the other half from
the revenues of the District of Columbia
bia.
This money is to he paid the railroad
company because of the completion of GER
tain work in connection with the consfruc-
ton of the Washington terminal, in accord
ace with the act of Congress providing the
terminal. The certificate was requested
by the railroad company several weeks
ago. but Commissioners West and Mac
farland refused to grant it on the ground
that they considered the company had not
fully completed its contract and oplsa-
tions under the law. Since then the COM
pany has made the certain dedications
called for by the Commissioners, so the
latter saw no reason to longer hold up
the certificate.
Delivery of Certificate.
The certificate was delivered to George
F. Hamilton. attorney for the Baltimore
and Ohio Company in this city, at his
office exactly at noon today.
The delivery of the money will complete
the contractural payment assumed by
Congress five and one-half years ago, the
agreement being that the p. B. and w
Railroad Company should receive $l.'Oo.
COO payable entirely from the funds or the
United States, and the Baltimore and
Ohio company an equal amount one-nai,
payable by the United States and the
other half by the District, on completion
of certain portions of the great termina
work.
Paper Held UP.
! Several weeks ago Attorney Hamilton
applied for the issuance of the certlhcate
| but on advice of the corporation counse
pending completion of certain acts. th'
Commissioners denied the request. 1t beinf
claimed that the railroad company shoule
first deed to the District all its right. titlt
and estate in the old right of way occu
pied by the railroad company from point
near Langdon enthusiastically to
street. and also should dedicate to thu
District a forty-f foot street to the west o.
the yiaduct from 1st street south of th'
plaza.
"In addition to these two items. there i
| a known controversy between the Com
missioners and the railroad company a
| to the facings in the III and K streets sub
ways, the Commissioners being unw1llln,
| to state that the present wall racing ii
| subways is satisfactory. but similarly no
being convinced of the fact that they can
not be made satisfactory in diHeren
way than that proposed by the Engineer
Commissioner during the construction o.
| the viaduct three years ago.
Contention of Attorney.
Mr.. Hamilton has contended that none
of these facts had bearing on the Is
| suance of the certificate. which the law
requires shall be issued as soon as the
yiaduct shall have been completed
However. the company having taker
| the stand that it did not desire to go into
court to obtain a mandamus against the
| Commissioners as was recently done %!
| the Philadelphia. Baltimore and WASH
ington Company, it accomplished the ded
| ication of the forty-foot street westward
of the station, and decided to the United
States all rights. titles and estates in the
old right of way referred to, and tt
guarantee the facings of the subways
should the Commissioners at a future
date decide upon its necessity the com
pany has deposited in the miscellaneous
| trust fund. under control OF the Coin
missioners the sum of S3o.HO. SO tha'
| the Innings may be completed by tht
| commissioners from railroad funds a.
anv future date when it shall be decided
| that they are necessary
Mai. Morrow Explains.
| In speaking of the terminal work. partic-
ulariy the lining of the subways. Maj. Jay
]. Morrow. Engineer Commissioner. said
today that it is possible that work which
is now being done by the railroad com
panv will act as a cure for the damp
walls and resultant wet sidewalks in the
subways.
Should this be the case he said
| '1here will be no necessity for the build
| ing of the brick wall i'm the interior to
cut off this seepage. But If the result
| of this work should demonstrate the
continuance of the very unsatisfactory
conditions Of last winter and spring. even
| TO a partial extent of the conditions al
| that time. the Commissioners will cal
| upon the company to build the walls
upon the completion of which work to
| the satisfaction of the Commissioners the
deposit of $30.OOO made today will be re-
turned, or on their failure with "A rea-
sonable time to make the construction
demanded the Commissioners will enter
| upon the work themselves through the
engineer department. the cost TO be
charged against the deposit made by the
|