The Washington times., 1908-08-27
A Muddle Over a Station.

across the Potomac was provided IN
the law governing the new local rail
road terminals. BY the terms of that
law the Philadelphia, Baltimore, and
Washington railroad was TO choose e
site for this substation subject to the
approval of the Commissioners. Long
before today the site might have been
fixed, the station erected, and the pas
sengers in GIll enjoyment of the con
venienee contemplated. Instead the
whole matter Is a mess.
Two sites only have been considered.
The one chosen was that near the
junction Of Fourteenth and Water
streets. The one disapproved was that
facing Virginia avenue between Four
and half and Seventh streets
The cnoice of the Commissioners seems
to have fallen upon the loca ton first
specified from the very beginning. But
there was some question if the railroad
could build a station ,ner9 wholly on
its own ground which means that it
was then planning to occupy, also, some
Goyemment-owned ground and so the
Commissioners voted, two to one, for
the other location. Now the railroad
has announced an entire readiness 70
keep its building upon its own land,
the Engineer Commissioner has moved
to az prove the bridge-end site, Commits
siOner West has reversed himself and
taken a stand for the location once re
jected, and Commissioner MacfaTland
is away. In the meantime, the railroad
has gone to the expense of building a
foundation and the passengers have
been denied the advantage OF a station.
It is hard to find a single merit in the
Water street site 1t is hard to view
seriously single objection against the
Virginia avenne site. This is in spite Of
the consistent favor Of the Commis-
sioners for the former.
One car line, and one only, reaches to
the junction OF Fourteenth and Water
streets. That is probably the most
crowded and worst managed line which
reaches into Washington. Its lone pos
sible rival Is that when turns the cor
ner at the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, about two blocks away, and
would offer the only relief the passen-
gers could obtain for the miserable
service Of the Washington, Alexandria,
and Mt. Vernon line
On this point, the Commissioners
urge that the present facilities are not
certain to continue, and imply that
patrons of tins new station may hope
for better things. With the experience
of Brightwood, Takoma, Anacostia, and
Falls Church in mind, that is hoping
some, for a fact, The present street
car service TO that point gives no free
transfer privileges whatever. Finally,
passengers who have to wait at Four
teenth and Water streets for cars oper-
ated through Alexandria county, on a
fifteen minute schedule at best, would
better take the electric car in the first
place; they might then get seats.
As TO the other site-where there
are two street car systems within
easy reach and free transfers avail
able throughout the District-the
objection is made that a passen-
ger station would seriously ham
per freight facilities. Let the railroad
buy more ground, if that is the case
The station should stand where it will
serve the greatest number of citizens
most conveniently, not where it can be
erected at least cost to the railroad.
One point more-the Engineer Com
missioner urges that as the Commits
sioners have once formally approved"
the Fourteenth street site, and as
the railroad has spent some money
upon that site, q withdrawal of
approval now would be illegal.
The Times does not know whether
that objection IS valid or invalid.
II sounds specious But if it
should develop that wobbling and near
sight on the part Of the Commissioners,
and not sound judgment for the benefit
of those who are to use this station,
shall have fixed the location of the
building, the whole community should
know where the blame belongs.