Evening star., 1913-04-20

interests of that company to which II
does not freely consent. 1t has got It's
foot on the neck of the park and mas
come to stay if 1t can. l have no per-
sonal grievance against this or any other
railroad company, but l feel that the peo-
pie of every state have some interest IN
the matter now pending and Will hoio
Congress to a rigid accountability for any
action that does not point to the perma-
nent well being of the city of Washing
ton and especially to the preservation OF
the old Mall as it was handed down TO
us by the Father Of his Country to be
maintained as national park such as
decorate all other national capitals, ana
a decoration of which very few or the
principal American cities are now dest1-
tute."
In 1888 The Star published over the
signature Of Theodore w Noyes (who mad
been since January L. 1887, as associate
editor. in charge of The Stars ant1-grade
crossings campaign). a series OF articles
under the caption Some of Washington S
Grievances" and in one chapter on The
Railroad Dictatorship may be read what
in part follows:
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
Their Illegal occupation of the streets and reser-
vations and the damage and Disagreement which
they unnecessarily infict are known to every
reader of The Star. however recent the date OF
his subscription. These evils have been exposed
in vain for years to the Congress of the United
States. The Senate District committee has re-
Gently decided to ignore them altogether 1t is
not at all concerned to h Raore ea mre nd
Ohio distigures. obstructs and endangers one
whole section Of the city. and the Baltimore
difference the long list OF persons killed or
wounded at the single piece OF II illegal @ track
only I with m amusement that. in the long strip of
land over which the Baltimore and Potomac
with absolute power the people Of South Wash
ington find for most OF the time an impassabie
to travel and traffic snd If
1t knows perfectly WELL too. that in no city or
the world. except In that one whose interests
in part cOnfided to Its vigilant protection:
would the present condition of affairs be endured
for day. Yet the regulation OF the railroads
is matter to he postponed indefinitely
Another interesting feature of The
Star-citizens' railroad war was that the
grand jury Saturday, July 13, 1899. found
bill of indictment against the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Company for
maintaining a nuisance. The indictment
charged the company, on the oaths Of
William Tindall, John Stewart, Joseph
w. Mattingly Alexander H. Mccormick,
r. O. Milton, Alfred II. Chamberlain.
Robert Burns, George Kelly, j. L. sloane,
B. T. Henry and Charles w. Proctor,
with maintaining tracks and switches in
the streets and avenues without author
ity of law. 1t was a voluminous docL-
ment, and throws flood Of light on the
conditions at that time.
The grand jury also returned an indict-
ment against the Commissioners OF the
District of Columbia, John W. Douglass,
Charles w. Raymond and Lemon G.
Hine, charging them with misconduct in
TCo1% Do,
tomac railroad to maintain the nuisances
set forth in the preceding Indictment
Thursday, January 9, 1890, there was a
conference between certain committees