Evening star., 1924-03-02

Opposition to the use of the Mall
by the Baltimore and Potomac rail-
way, which main
The RoiIroad tanned its station
on the Mall. aau, aa -, ~ ,ns rsssrya-
tion at 9Th street for many years,
started almost Immediately after its
establishment there. The Star or
February 23. 1874, says:
Now that the attention of Con-
gress is somewhat directed to rail-
road matters in Washington, we trust
il will give some reflection to the
evil of allowing set Of tracks to
run across one of the most impor-
tant government reservations in the
city, and that, too, in one of its most
frequented and central parts. and
consider. whether some plan cannot
be devised to abate that evil before
it is too securely fixed by large ex-
penditures of money and long occu-
pancy. If Washington is ever to be-
as we all hope and believe it Will be,
u Capital city worthy of the nation.
the removal of the Baltimore and
Potomac depot from its present loca-
ton on the north side of the Armory
grounds can be only a question OF
time, and Of comparatively short time
at that. This issue is bound to force
itself upon the government sooner or
later, and when it is once sQuarely
presented and fairly met there can
only be one result. This. we think,
must be the conclusion OF any fair
minded person who will give the
matter the attention which It's Inn
la,,, o,,1
other the self-respect of government,
backed up by a unanimous public
sentiment, national as well as local.
will demand the removal OF the
tracks from the public park and the
location of the depot at least below
the south line of the reservation. and
when that time comes the change
must be made, no matter at what
cost. It is therefore the part of wise
statesmanship and true economy FOR
Congress to determine at this time
how it's action in granting the iran
chise can best be annulled and the
public park kept intact Tor the uses
for which it was originally intended
x
= !:
Though the corporate existence Of
Georgetown was merged with that OF
Washington In the
Georpetown and organization OF the
Washington. seventies seventies the ,e wests .as
ern portion Of the District maintained
its distinctive name. In The Star OF
February "a. 1874, is this comment
on the matter:
Annexation OF Georgetown 10
Washington is no longer an open
question; Georgetown is annexed to
Washington with it's present bound
aries, but the fact is not pat
ent, because the name of George
town is retained; and to remain
and Independent local ,self-govern-.
ment is gone, while the name of
Georgetown is merely a she'll, all out
ward show without inward substance.
and simply represents a defunct cor
poration, is a suicidal policy. The
cubus upon her prosperity. Things
are altered and the correspondence
in names should exhibit 1t. The COM
munity of interests between wash
ington and Georgetown being now
esta blished by positive law, this
nominal distinction Is clearly an IN
jury to both cities; it imports some
underlined and antagonfzing difference
in the status of each when none
really exists. The identity Of the
two is not perfected, and this Is not
an imaginary evil. It actually dis.
turbs and confuses the popular and
legislative mind; the dual name sug-
gests g. dual municipality and tends
to practical disadvantages. Explana'
/ tions Of this absurd distinction with
| out a difference become necessary te
] strangers and members Of Congress"