Evening star., 1920-03-10
SPACE MONOPOLY
At UNION STATION
Mr.. Treadway Pleads Before
Subcommittee for Rights
of the Public.

Detailed information as to how the
Terminal Taxicab Company is given
a monopoly on approaches to Union
| station because the Washington
Terminal Company is credited with
ownership Of the land on which the
| approaches are constructed was laid
| before the subcommittee of the House
| District committee investigating traf-
| fic conditions in Washington today by
Representative A. T. Treadway of
Mas Sachusetts.
| Representative Treadway told the
committee of his ownsexperiences at
Union station and submitted photo
| graphs showing how the front of the
station is roped off from public use:
| haw the taXicabs of the terminal
| company are given exclusive parking
privilege on the west front and how
| these taxicabs are given exclusive
privileges to the use of the curb
under the arched area at the west.
I whore all vehicular traffic must enter.
May Ask for Change in TITLE.
| He introduced into the record cor
| respondence he had with the late Maj.
! Raymond w. Pullman. in which 1t was
stated that if the decision in test cases
| now expected from the Court of APP
| peals sustain the ownership Of this
space by the terminal company the
| District CommiSSI oners intend to ask
| Congress to relieve the situation by
| placing the title of this apparent
| highway in the United States with
jurisdiction over it given to the Dis
| triCt authorities.
Representative TreadWay sad tnat
! he has no other interest in the Dill
under consideration. proposing TO eS-
| tablish a traffic court. than that ne
has found the rights of the public IN
fringed where Congress has authority
| and jurisdiction.
Court Decisions Quoted.
Representative Treadway put into
| the record of the hearing extracts
| from the act approved February ~
, 1903, authorizing the erection OF the
Union station and correspondence
with the District authorities which
showed decision by Justice Sta11ord
was construed as establishing that the
terminal company owns lne lahu III
front and at either side OF Union sta
ton, where there is the only approach
for automobiles or other vehicles. lie
also quoted a decision from Judge NC
Mahon which ruled that the company
has not the right of ownership. and
that the District authorities have juris-
diction over this space that ought to
be public thoroughfare.
1t was the contention of Representa-
tive Treadway that if it was established
that Congress inadvertently gave title
to this land in the grant for building
the Union station. and that in conse-
quence monopoly which is working
an injustice to the public has resulted
it is the province and duty of Congress
to revoke title to this land. He thought |
that the fact that Congress gave the |
land for the erection of Union station, |
and the fact that this particular space |
was not utilized for the Union station !
building, but for encouraging a monopoly |
which is an infringement on the |
public rights, gives sufficient grounds |
for Withdrawing the title.
Argues for Public Space.
He argued that what is or should be |
public space is monopoliZed by the |
Terminal Taxicab Company. He ar |
gued also that certain police signs set |
up on the front of the station further |
assist in the establishment of taxicab |
monopoly and show an agreement be- |
tween the terminal officials and the !
police.
Representative Treadway suggested !
that the committee also should get au-
thoritative information as to whether |,
the street railways pay a rent for the |
tracks that they have in front of |
Union station. He had been informed
that they do pay rent to the terminal
company.
The hearing will be resumed at 10
o'clock tomorrow morning.