Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-03

overhead wires and especially its fight
against the overhead trolley for urban
use Congress baff1ed the overhead trolley
syndicate's desperate effort to get the
capital into its clutches and on the
strength Of The Stars representations
concerning the underground trolley in
Budapest it. in effect compelled the use
of that system in Washington, with the
result that IL Is. now in successful oper-
alton throughout practically the entire
urban area -->e
A. Comparison of past and present con-
ditfons affecting Washington's railways
and tramways will bring even to the
Washingtonlan keener. realization OF
what has been accomplished in beneficial
development by the government.
In 1888 / said in The Star Of the sit
uation in Washington:
AN urgent. grievance of the present
which grows more unbearable year after
year with the attempts at growth Of the
sections OF the city specially injured is
that which arises from the conduct of
the railroads enteringi Washington.
Their illegal occupation of streets and
reservations and the damage and dis
figurement which they unnecessarily
inflict are known to every reader of The
Star These evils have been exposed in
vain for years to the Congress of the
United States. The Senate District COM
them altogether. 1t is not at all con-
cerned to discover that with certain
tracks in part illegal the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad disfgures. obstructs and
endangers one whole section of the city
and the Baltimore and Potomac road
another. 1t reads with indifference the
long list of persons killed or wounded
al the, single, piece of illegal track
known as the Baltimore and Ohio y:
1t hears only with amusement that IN
the long strip of land over which the
Baltimore and Potomac road is permit
ted by grace of Congress to rule with
absolute power the people or south
Washington find for most of the time
an impossible obstruction to travel and
traffic and, if entrance may be secured.
a dangerous mantrap. 1t knows per-
fectly well. too, that in no city or the
world except In that one whose interests
are in part confided to Its vigilant pro-
lection would the present condition or
regulation of the railroads Is matter
to be postponed indefinitely.
wise and statesmanlike plan of regulat-
ing the steam railroads OF the city Will
be devised and enforced which snall
clear away surface tracks. check the
illegal. acts Of these squatters upon
government property. free the public
reservations and relieve two Sections OF
the city from a burden which throttles
like the old man OF the sea upon the
shoulders of Sindbad.
I'm connection with the broad plan oil
remedying railroad evils which will place
q Union station at the nearest point to
the business center Of the city that can
be reached by tunneling or with small in
Jury to public and private interests. g
comprehensive system OF local rapid
transit by electric or cable railways will
be provided which shall give all parts OF
the District quick and easy access to
such station or stations. tt is evident
that in the improved street railways OF
the future horses must give way to more
| rapid and less objectionable motors, that
arooved rails must take the place Of the
present denominations. and that the fran
chises to these corporations no longer
gifts must become a source of public
revenue outside of that which is derived
from them through just taxation of their
tangible property"
Ten years later QS9s) l said as presi-
dent Of the Board of Trade:
THE present terminal conditions of our
local roads are injurious and disgraceful
to the capital of the American republic
structures in Europe are inadequate in
size. awkwardly arranged and ugly. Both
roads sustain q series of death-trar
grade crossings. at which losses of life
and injuries to men periodically occur
and which cause financial loss to the city
through the obstruction to trafac and
travel which occurs at them
when the local roads have built here
| European stations, covering large areas
Of ground-lofty. imposing and Orna-
mental structures. perhaps with fine mod.
| ern hotels in the upper stories. as in Lon
J don: when they have abolished their loca
| grade crossings and run rapid, noiseless
\ trains over a Berlin viaduct or a girdel
| tunnel in their course through the city,
southern connections. on handsome and
ss,,.et Ufial hriAgAS lAof dams. nor only