Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-13
Chairman Johnson Attacks
Part He Says B. & o. Play
ed in Delaying Payment. I!
TWO RESOLUTIONS SEEK >
TO ACCOMPLISH PURPOSE
Provide for Early Payment ot
Amounts Awarded to Other
Property Owners.

Representative Ben johnson CHAIRMAN
OF the House District committee. tAis
afternoon began an attack on the Bsltis
more and Ohio railroad and it's relation
to the delay in the case of the plaza
awards in opening a debate in the House
on the substitute resolution to establish
a method Of making immediate paymenr
to the long-suffering property owners n
that section. When the debate BEGAN
there was every prospect OF long struss
gle on the floor. and no certainty that
the District committee substitute VOID
pass.
Representative Logue OF Pennsy,van.a.
armed with documents to hack UP -
resolution on the same subject and q
affect the same results. took a seat Is
the House soon after Mr.. johnson beea3
talking. and may ask that the House
pass his resolution instead OF the john
son resolution.
Tied Up With Railroad.
Representative johnson WAS bst.ee
against the Baltimore and Ohio. which,
he said. caused the President TO hold -
the awards.
The President said Mr. johnson,
was unwilling to put his hand into
the public treasury and pay the Ball
timore and Ohio 5000 900 more than ,e
had agreed to take In the beginning.
There was a concerted movement some-
where that redounded TO the benefit Of
the Baltimore and Ohio. The people
Of that zone found themselves all
bound together with the railroad so
that the railroad could get an extra
it appeared to be an effort to allow tho
railroad to hide behind a lot OF poor
people"
During the debate Mr.. johnson pro-
ton, counsel for the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad. in which Mr.. Hamilton said
that the railroad was willing TO take
for the land original cost, plus 6 per
cent
Armed for the Fight.
Chairman johnson. in opening his side
Of the debate. carried an armful Of
books and papers to the table IN the
center Of the House floor. prepared for
long afternoon Of discussion. Repre-
sentative Logue of Pennsylvania. who
has written and reported the pubic
building committee resolution. in
Representative johnson told the
House that the United States had given
the Baltimore and Ohio and the TermtS
nal Company $3.ooo.ooo IN property as q
gift when the Union station proJec&
was on.
Referring to the act which acquired no
plaza property now under discussion. b
said the legislation was q rider on
sundry civil act and provided that oniJ4
100000 a year should be spent for itH
but that after three OF these appropriax
tions had been made. the commissions
composed Of Vice President ShermanA
Speaker Cannon and Elliott Woods, tool
over the rest Of the property at O larga4
gulp than had been anticipated.
Decision by Attorney General
Representative Mann asked him II hA
did not know the Attorney General
had said the appropriation had beene
made In conformity with the law.
Il am not familiar with the faet.~
said Representative johnson.
Representative Mann read a section
of the law. and Representative Post OF
That is comparatively unimportane
however" said Representative John.
son. who then started in to discuss the
Baltimore and Ohio situation.
He reiterated on the floor. some Of the
statements as contained in his report.
and read from the Record the debate OF
June. 1910. where Representative Taw-
ney. the chairman OF the appropriations
committee, had said the Baltimore and
Ohio would take original cost plus per
cent
Quotes Mr.. Tawney.
This is already agreed to-" Represent
alive Tawney said. according TO Mr..
johnson.
Mr.. Johnson explained to the House
that the President had disapproved the
awards because he felt unwilling to
put his hand in the public Treasury
and pay the Baltimore and Ohio $500
900 too much" Mr.. johnson then reit-
Grated that Representative Tawney had
said the Baltimore and Ohio would
have taken $1.200.000 instead OF the
sl.s0o.O0O offered by the condemnation
jury.