Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-11-03

washington was keenly interested
fifty years ago in the matter Of the
grading of II
B. & o. Road and street and the
O. disposition Of the
SsAeSs 01aues. Baltimore a n d
Ohio railroad tracks in that region. The
Star Of October rs. 1868, stated that
that evening the board of aldermen
was to decide the question OF the
grades and possibly the location Of
the depot. The Star noted that Con-
gress had granted the power to fix or
change the grades o. the streets Of
the city and required the railroad 70
conform to those grades. aad contin-
ued:
In this case, however, it is the true
interest Of the railroad company, as
wen as of the city, that the depot
should be removed to I street. We
nave no disposition to make war upon
me railroad company. but it must.
grades established by the city ordi-
nances. On this point we can never
agree that the Capital city of this
Union. which ought to be among the
largest and most beautiful in the
Union, shall surrender this vital power
to any company.
"It is said that there are few inn
provements now in the region east
of the grounds and streets to be af-
fected by this grade. although within
But the reason why there are so few
improvements there now is this, that
the grounds are too low as they now
exist; but proper grade must be per-
manently established and no one will
build houses or make improvements
there until such grade is fixed. Let
this be done at once and we shall soon
have an immense addition in that re-
gion to the wealth and population of
the city. to be followed by a decreased
rate of taxation, and the city will not
only fill up rapidly to Boundary
street, in that direction, but will pass
over it to the north. In coming to
the present depot the railroad. in a
to pass over no less than four curves.
all Of which will be avoided by a
change to the proposed depot. We
are in favor of affording all reason
able and proper facilities to the rail-
road company. but we cannot allow
it to fix the grade of our streets, and
we hope this question will be prompt
ly and definitely settled by the action
appropriated by Congress will be used
at once in aid of these great improve
ments.
THE wretched and forIorn appear
ance of this portion of our city, with
in a few hundred yards of the Capt.
toll. is subject of most unfavorable
comment by all strangers, and must
remain so until the grade, as now di-
rected by ordinance. is permanently
established and carried out upon the
ground; 1t is Wen known that Capi-
toll Hill and the Capitol itself have
been at times unfavorably affected by
malarious influences. which must con-
tinue until the proper grades are es-
tablished, accompanied by the corre-
spending drainage and sewerage.
cinage will then become one of the
most healthy and beautiful portions
Of the CITY,"
The action hoped for by The Star
was had, and in the issue of the next
day, October 81. 1868,
A1dermen,e The Star, in commenting
on the matter. said:
dctlOn. 1.-The board of alder
men last night passed a joint reso-
luton authorizing the mayor to exc
cute all laws with reference to the
grading of streets and providing that
ARRANGEMENT be made for the removal
of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
depot to some point which Will pre-
vent the road from interfering with
the grading of the streets. That is TO
say, the railroad company must con-
form their grades to those of the city
IL they continue to run their trains
to their present depot on New Jersey
avenue If they conclude that 1t Is
impracticable or inconvenient to run
their cars to that point over the es-
tablished grades of the city. then IT.
will be necessary for them to fall back