Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-05
MOVES TO retain
, SOUTHERN OFFICES
Chamber of Commerce Acts
to Keep Headquarters of
Railway Here.

The board of directors of the wash
fngton Chamber of Commerce last
night launched a definite campaign 10
prevent the acquisition OF the Soutn-
ern Railway Building, at Thlrteenth
street and Pennsylvania avenue ioI
use by the District government IN ts
projected building expansion, whlCn
ACQUISITION, it has been reported, Woulu
result in removal from this city OF the
general headquarters of the railroad.
Rv unanimous vnte the board dl-
rected that a special c.z.Hmittee u h--ie
members investigate the matter con,
fer with officials of the railroad ana oA
the city government and report 10 llle
full meeting of the Chamber OF COM
nerce to be held January Is.
In presenting the matter 10 tile
board, Martin A. LeeSe, preSluehC y,
the chamber, declared he was lnloIlileu
the removal of the Southern Raliwd!
offices from Washington would mean
the loss of an annual payroll totallng
nearly S., 200. 900, now spent here' as
well as causing the 1900 local EN-
ploves of the road either to give up
their jobs with the organization OF loee
their local residences.
Other Cities Making Bids.
While officials of the railway say
they now have no plans Tor hhoVilS
the general offices to another city, MI :
Ieese told the chamber directors 1t -
well known that already commercial
and official bodies of a NUMBER Oh
other cities on the Southern route are
bidding for the location of the head
quarters should the present DullulilS
he taken over by the Government.
Mr.. Leese. as head of the Chamber
of Commerce, together with Il. =.
Graham. representing the Washington
Board of Trade, and Ross +. Andrews
of the Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, recently held confer
ence with Fairfax Harrison. president
of the Southern Railway. He told
them according TO Mr.. Leese, thaI II
the Federal Government seeks 10 TAKE
over the property r ROAD WIN nldhe
no objection. 1t was inthmated, now
ever. that strong opposition is felt to-
ward anv proposal that the DISTRICT
government acquire the building as an
adjunct to the present District Build
ing while there is other lano more
easily available for the same purpose.
The action was brought before the
chamber board following readlnS OF d
petition to Congress which was drafted
in the name of the 1900 southern
clerks by the Washington Lodge, NO.
943, Brotherhood or the HNdii"ay
Clerks, asking that the House ana
Senate defeat any bill providing eX-
propriation of the railway property.
Employees in Protest.
The petition states. in part, that the
removal of the offices of the railway
from the District will affect the DUST
ness interests of the District to the
extent of an annual payroll amounting
to $4,40o,OO0, which viii be with,
drawn" and that the transfer VIII
seriously affect the 1900 employees ana
their families, aggregating approx
ns~tely 5000 people, many of whom
either own or are buying their homes
which they must sacrifice or give up.
The board of directors of the cham
Der last night also took action to limit
the amount of money which is appro-
priated by the board as gifts to charl-
table causes. Swayed by the eloquence