The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-29

fngton. i his is absoiuteiy Incorteo..
Not one dollar was appropriated tor
building the new union station III
/ " ashington. Many years before the
/ Union station ii4 passed, Congress
( had given the railroads the right to
run their tracks along and across GER
! tain streets in Washington to their
depot buildings, which tney We're au-
thortzed to erect at certain points in
the city. With the increase OF popu-
lation, and the increase in the num-
Der Of trains passing along the rail-
road tracks, this use of the streets,
and especially the grade crossings be-
came an impeachment TO business, and
menace to the safety of the people.
For many years there had been a de-
mand IN Washington for the removal
of the railroad tracks from the street
grades.
There had also been a demand for
better depot facilities. which had be-
come entirely inadequate. In many
of the cities of the country similar
conditions had developed with the in
i crease OF population and the increase
in the number of trains. and when
ever the municipalities found 1t nee
essary to require the railroad com
panies to remove their tracks from
grade, where they had been put at
larg expense, by public authority, IL
had been considered equitable and
just for the public to share with the
railroad companies the expense of
changing the tracks from grade and
requiring them To he constructed
either under or above the grade of
the streets. The custom In all of the
great cities of the country where
changes like this We're required was
tor the municipalities 10 pay one-half
Of the expense aud the railroad com
~ ~
ly what was done in Washington. Not
one dollar was appropriated TO aid in
the construction of depot building.
The commissioners of the District of
/ trlum hla caused the engineer officer
of the District To estimate what the
cost would he OF removing these
tracks from grade. and when that
amount was ascertained the govern
ment, in accordance with the provl-
sIons OF the union station bill paid
one half thereof and the railroad
companies the other half
Senator Mcmillan, the chairman Of
the Committee on the District of Co
lumbla, in reporting the union station
bill TO the Senate. after estimating
the entire cost OF the proposed i'm
proVements at $4,000 used this
language
of this amount the United States
uted a million and half dollars to
the Baltimore and Ohio as their snare
AZ the elimination of grade crossings
along that line, and the United States
pays million and a half dollars to-
ward the elimination Of grade cross
inss along the line OF the Baltimore
and Potomac
The cost OF changing these tracks
from grade was estimated at $6.e0e,-
600, and the government paid S3.oo0.-
Vot as its half Of the cost of the
change which Il required. All cities,
as stated above have shared that eA-
pense when the public required such
changes 10 be made. / considered
the ARRANGEMENT just and equitable.
and voted for ii for that reason.
but any statement To the effect that
voted money for the construction
of the depot building in Washington
IS absolutely without truth The
Change was exceedingly expensive, as,
among other things. II was necessary.
10 cut tunnel under the Capitol
grounds, which alone cost about So
00o.oo But, while Congress paid
nothing for depot building. and only
its proper share OF the expense OF
changing the tracks from grade. the
union station btil required the rail
road companies 10 erect new union
station
The railroad companies desired to
erect buItdlng Sufficient Tor bust
ness purposes ana with sole refer
ence TO handling their passengers and
iFeight but the act OF Congress re-
qulfso them ~ erect a depot hulid-
ing monumental III character and nt
stAle 81 architecture In keeping
WIth the puphc buildings OF the city,
on pans 10 be approved ny the com
9lssioners OF the instruct ct C@lum-
ola' Inc result mas been th4t We
nav perhaps the 'these depot blid'
ing IN 'he "plI one thal VII ne
, an ornament TO the clN anu com
loFt ana pressure 10 al 81 the ifeo-
PIE OF the Vouhtry VINO may nave
occasion 20 NlsH "ashihgl"h during
tae next hul0Fed Years me people
too nave the saietH "hlch com as
EF"fif L!T E@ft'pF al az Nf" 'aiff"aa
tracks from St'eet eFaoF' ana TOT an
OF ms the government pala ohiy one
nan OF me cost OF Inc removal CT
'ie uaNhS i'"it s'aue'
Universal Transfers IN Washington.
| Mr., Jones ia. is. also charging In his
speeches inat / voted against uniVer-
sal transfers or passengers as be-
tween the different street car lines
in the city of Washington. He has
not stated what the provisions of the
bill We're against which voted
. Neither has ne undertaken TO show
TO the people what was just in The
premises, suppose / did vote against