The Washington times., 1908-08-26
MORROW DISAGREES
WITH ASSOCIATES
Says Action of Commission
ers in Substation Matter
Is illegal.

A decided difference OF opinion has
arisen between the Commissioners re-
garding the location OF the suDstation
IN Southwest Washington. Expressing
the belief that the action OF tie Com
missioners in attempting TO 3 'thdraw
their approval OF. the Fourteenth street
site is Illegal, Commissioner Morrow said
today that, Ia his. opinion, the Pihladel-
phia, Baltimore and Washia stoh rail-
road can, by mandamus proceeding.
prove that the Commissioner have
erred legally In acting against the ad
vice of the Engineer Commissioner.
i shall request a formal opinion OF
the Corporation Counsel" said Major
Morrow today. This l should have
done in the frst place, had 1 not as
surned that both Commissioners Mac
'farland and West meant what they said
when they approved the Fourteenth
street site
Hard to Understand.
"I find It difficult to understand Com
missioner Vests action in this case.
on June IS Commissioner Macfarland
made a motion denying the request OF
the p. B. q w r. H Co. that the Com
missiOneTs sign the certificate upon pre-
sentati0n OF which the company c0uio
obtain the sum which the United States
Congress had contracted TO pay it for
certain acts long since completed IN
this me ton he included the demand
that the company erect a substatiOn in
a freight yard site. contemplated in tho
act, OF Congress referred to, between
Four-and-a-half and Seventh streets
southwest. the Commissioners with
drawing their formal legal approval Of
the substation site at Fourteenth
street. az well as a later Illegal ap-
proval of the building.
sIn the very body OF this motion,
Commissioner Macfarland states, I be
lieve the Fourteenth street site is the
better one and conforms more nearly
10 the requirements Commissioner
West approved this motion on June %
the Engineer Commissioner dissenting
later. In accordance with this action.
the company was advised by letter
July 3. After a conference with the
Engineer Commissioner, upon whom
rests the duty Of attending TO the de-
tails of such matters. the company De
lieving that the Commissioners had no
objection 10 the Fourteenth street site,
executing its occupation of public space.
return with the statement that they
are prepared to build a proper and con
yenient station entirely on their own
right-of-way at the site first approved.
Acted in Good Faith.
''BeIieving that this would meet with
the fun approval OF the Board of Com
missioners, I made the motion that the
company be informed that if they could
design a proper station at the Four
! teenth street site. entirely on then
right Of way, the Commissioners would
| approval, with no other remark than I
surprise, with Commissioner Vests dis
approval, with no other remark than ]
DO not favor the location of the sub
station in the neighbOrhood Of -Four
| teenth and Water streets, believing said
/ location 20 be inconvenient and entirely
/ unsuited to the demands OF tFafic.
| favor the location of the substation be
tween FouT-and-a-half and Seventh
/ streets southwest. in close proximity 70
| two convenient street car lines which
/ give transfers 20 all sections of the
| city
Yirginians' Attitude
/ Residents Of Alexandria and other Vir-
/ ginia commuters have been strenuous
/ in their demands that the station be
| located between FOur-and-a-half and
/ Seventh streets, Commissioner West
Yesterday informed Senator Martin and
| Representative Carlin that he favored
/ this site. Commissioner Macfariand
who at present is out of the city, has
! also expressed himself as in favor o1