Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-04
VITAL TO BIG WORKSHOP
SECRETARY MEYER INSISTS ON
RAILWAY TO NAVY YARD.
Special Appeal for Maintenance Of
the Connection-Relief Asked
of Congress.

According to Secretary Meyer. the main
tenance Of railroad connection with the
Washington navy yard is vital to the ex'
istence of that great workshop, and ne
will appeal to Congress for prompt relief
from an impending transportation en-
barge. He has made a special report tc
the President on the subject, in which he
shows the absolute necessity for prompt
remedial legislation.
From this report it appears that the
acts of Congress providing for the elm
ination of grade crossings in the District
Of Columbia, passed in 1901 and 1903 re-
quired the removal of the present track
connection with the Washington navy
yard at a date not later than April %
1908. Subsequently. by act of May -
1908, Congress directed the. philadelphia
Baltimore and Washington Railroad Com
rany to build at it's own expense.
branch track from its main line near the
PENNSYLVANIA Avenue bridge along the
river front to the southeast corner OF the
navy yard. This statute required the
company to begin work WITHIN SIN
months and to complete 1t within two
wears from the date of the act, and au-
thorized the company, pending such con
struction. to maintain its present track
connection, which enters the yard neal
the northwest corner at grade.
Declined to Build Branch.
The company declined to build the
branch line under the conditions imposed
by Congress. Before the act of May -,
1908 was passed, howevr. the govern
ment had obtained from the Supreme
Court of the District OF Columbia an or
der restraining the company from its
then contemplated action of removing
the existing tracks. and that injunction
allowed by the aforementioned act for
the building of the spur line, l. e., until
May q, 1910.
On that date, Secretary Meyer says,
the tracks will be torn up and the yard
will be without railroad facilities, I'M
less there be legislation in the interval
to remedy the situation. Without the
railroad connection, the Secretary eX-
plains, the shipment OF guns and mounts
or The receipt Of material will become i'm
He adds that the two alternatives pos
sible are o. the retention of the present
tracks by authority of Congress or ca
the building Of a branch line by the gov
eminent. The commandant OF the navy
yard has stated that 1t would be perfect
ly feasible to limit traffic on the existing
branch to two hours during the night or
early morning. He estimated that 1t
would cost the government about $3O3, 6S3
to build the branch line. That amount
includes the purchase OF squares $50 and
go and purchasing the right of way
through squares 1901 and 1887.
Suggests a Solution.
Secretary Meyer explains that the mat
ter was presented at the last regular
session of Congress. but that no action
was taken. He now suggests as possibly
the best solution that the existing con-
nection be retained and it's use restricted
to two hours during the night or early
morning. He explains that this will re-
quire legislation, and says it is impera-
tive that 1t be enacted before May q
next. To show the Importance Of the
railroad connection he says that about
z TOO cars pass annually over this branch
line. about seven cars a day, and that
the total tonnage. incoming and outgoing,
is approximately 10000 tons. annually,
the total gross income to the railroad
company therefrom being about $1OO, 600