Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-13
WHEN RAILROADS HELD VASENGTOWS PARKS AND STREETS

in Washington as clearly as ever in the
history of that insidious instrument. The
Star was filled with news Of railroad
aggression and stories of the wrongs of
and then being arrested for blocking
cross streets. Locomotive engineers were
now and then being taken into court for
exceeding the speed limit within the city.
Every grade crossing accident. and un-
happily they were numerous, was being
featured in the news pages of The Star
and made. the text Of editorials.
Senator ingalls, introduced a bill Janu-
airy "a. 1887. to define the routes of steam
railroads in the city. The provisions of
over the conditions then existing, but 1t
was not satisfactory. January % The
Star printed this editorial:
The bill introduced in the Senate yesterday to
define the routes OF steam railroads in the Dis
trict provides for union depot upon Armory
the bill do not compensate for this gift Of a
public reservation il the interests of Washington
extending from the Capitol to the river south Of
the White House should not be broken up Tor
ing places OF the city, should not be clogged and
obstructed for that or any other purpose II
Washington were a little prairie town, living by
virtue of it's railroad connections or hoping TO
live by securing railroad connection, bonus or
this kind would not be extraordinary, but il the
the heart of the city. let them condemn and pay
for property like other roads in other cities
Philadelphia for instance. 1t is hardly possible
that in order to obtain the boon Of a union
depot and relief from some of the evils Of the
present railroad practices the beauty and bar
mOny of the city parking must be permanently
,disfgured and the health spots OF the city given
over to the corporations.
theory that Congress is never content unless II
is giving away the public grounds to some rail-
road other corporation or in dumping some
architectural monsrosity upon them like the new
pension office At the present rate Of progress, II
ten years mere Will moi De roo thst
not occupied by railroad depot with all Its
dirty surroundings. or an atitudinous crisis
barn ike the pension office, or a squatty toad
shaped. zebra-striped atrocity like the National
Museum. attitudinizng brass horse stand
ing three legs, or two legs, or possibly on one
The railroads can hardly be blamed for propos
ing to appropriate Armory Square without paying
for it. From their point of view there is a mod
esty and difHtience about the request which seems
to suggest that they have taken TO heart the a
the District and slightly nervous and bash
full. Why, bless your honest SOULS Messrs. Cor.
indignant words are only vents of energy which
might otherwise result in action Next time ask
you think you can get: There is nice level
space directly east of the Capitol building which
is public and S for s0st
From that site the work Of side tracking both
houses Of Congress- can proceed with greater "a
cility. And The Star ventures to suggest. with
the dfidence of nOn-professional, that the ro-
tunda of the Capitol would make a capital round
house.
The idea that the railroads might use
the east plaza of the Capitol for a depot
and the rotunda for a roundhouse was
one that lived in local memory. Even to-
day when anybody begins to talk of rail-
road influence the phrase Make a round
house of the rotunda'' comes trippingly
from the tongue.
This outline sketch of the railroad occu-
nation of WASHINGTON has brought US
through the first period Of the early IOs,
and into the thick of the fighting In the
sos. and the narrative Of she remainder
of this great newspaper campaign must
be reserved for a second chapter.
CONTINUED next Sunday)