Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-13

the stand the Pennsylvania railroad viii
maintain The railroad Is In the right thu
time and it is going TO fight for its
rights"
much surprise yesterday when they learn
ed that the Pennsylvania Railroad Com
pkany had abandoned the temporary plat
form il constructed beside its tracks at
9Th street and Maryland avenue and had
constructed a substitute platform at l4th
authority was necessary to make this
move. and in doing So the railroad COM
pany never consulted any official az the
District government. The new platform
is located on the right Of way Of :5e rail-
road and no permit was necessary for
its construction.
Commissioner Morrow said today. when
speaking of this change and OF hts col.
leagues determination to try and compel
the company to select the 9Th street site.
that IL IL should turn out that the COM
pany cannot erect the station at Water
street the platform VIII become fixture
and will have to serve as substation.
Maj. Morrow Explains.
In explaining the removal of the plat
form from eth street TO Water street the
Engineer Commissioner said:
For period Of two OF three years
tie reservation upon which these tempo
rary platforms had heen constructed had
been partially used by the railroad COM
pany under permit from the Office In
charge OF public buildings and grounds
as a temporary freight yard for the IN
loading OF supplies used in the construc-
ton Of the two United States government
buildings being erected in the Mall and
the District building being erected under
the supervision Of the Municipal build. ng
commission. Ar about tho time of the
completion of these buildings. and dur
(y,rr t,n L.
the southwest sec ion of the city, the
railroad company requested OF the officer
in charge of public buildings and grounds
authority TO temporarily occupy the south
half Of this reservation rs a substafiou.
pending the compilation of the substa ion
at the point which the COMMISSIONS 3
had twice approved at tho foot of 18th
street. and tn Commissioners had abo II
this time-almcs year ago-granted
the usual permit for the construction OF
company promising at that time tina: he
platforms would be removed "! hin q
years time. which promise, apparently.
they are now fulfilling.
Il remember also that at this time the
granting Df this temporary permit by the
Commissioners wax bitterly and strongly
opposed by the South Washington Citi-
zens' Association. they insisting that this
reservation should not be occupied. even
temporarily, but that the company should
II
nent station at the foot OF 14th street. at
the site twice approved by the Commits
sioners. The railroad company doubtless
can construct on its right of way and at
the point legally. and probably finally.
approved by the Commissioners over a
year ago any temporary platforms NEG
essary to temporarily accommodate the
public. 1t would, however. have been Tar
easier for them to have simply torn up
their platforms between 7th and UT,
49, 61ns, v.1A a a n
point until the question should be deii-
nitely settled by the courts, as II prob
ably shortly will be-
Acted Against His Advice.
They were notified in July by the board
Of Commissioners. against my advice
that the Commissioners desired this sta
ton to be erected east Of 9TH street. but
In the motion made by Commissioner
Mcfarland and approved by Commits
sioner West 1t was definitely stated. over
Commissioner Macfarland's signature
that the Commissioners believed the l4th
street site to be the better one and more
nearly complying with the requirements
Of the law.
Believing that Commissioners Macfar.
land and West mean, what they said In
this statement. I informed the chief en-.
gineer OF the railroad company that be-
feved that II the company could design
q satisfactory station within the limits of
their right OF way the Commissioners
would doubtless approve it,
They there upon made this request and.
for some reason beyond my comprehen-
sion. both Commissioners Mcfarland and
West entirely repudiated their thrice ex
p,v ssed agreement that the l4th streei
site was better than the site they had SCI
lected two or three months earlier. I do
not know how the matter will be settled
In the courts. / think q rrsolt WIZ b
reached without any great delay. and l
believe that the resul; will b. the ga ne
as would have been reached without any
desay whatever had the CornnnissIone q. 4