Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-10
Fifty Years Ago
lin The Star

Fifty years ago the question OF con-
soliAating the local railway terminals
and the removal OF the ral!.
Union road tracks from the MAI
- was under discussion Ine
UepOt. star of February 4. 1873.
has an account Of q conference between
the district Commissioners ana repre-
sentatiyes of the two railroads. IN ne
first days report Of the conference ule
real difficulty In the matter was ca
pressed by the statement BY Gov. BOWIE,
renresenting the Baltimore q FoeonaC
railroad, to the effect that 50 Lar a.
his road was concerned, IL Mas WINS - :
to be let alone. This was nkeWiSs aas
attitude Of the Baltimore q on1o' "a
indicated by the continuation OF the
ranort in the issue Of February 5, 1879.
Cov bowie said that the Baltimore q
Potomac road had been resisting the
removal of its depot, but that the cues
tion of a union station bad never peen
considered. He spoke Of the great ex-
nense of the company In establishing
the station where 1t was, at the corner
Of sixth and B streets northwest, ana
the coal depot near the river ana ma
chine shous on Maryland avenue. Ev-
ervthinr. he said, had been amicaoy
adjusted between the interests OF the
road and the citizens OF the DlStrlcs
living ON the line of the road, ana ne
Was not aware of any complaint neing
made bv any one as TO the present SIT
NATION of things. Commissioners Dent
INTERRUPTED to remark that there was
scarcely q day but that property holders
on the line of the road went 10 tne
once Of the Commissioners 70 complain
of 1t. Gov. Bowie said that TINS was =
matter of course. There are always
those who find fault; this Is the expert
ence of railroads everywhere.
Speaking with reference TO- bill
pending In Congress authorizing tne
commissioners to select site 1or q
union station, Commissioner PnelpS eA-
planned that the bill merely gave au.
thority for preliminary action ana mat
there would. of course. have TO De an
AMUSEMENT of the damages and ex-
nenses. Thereupon GSv. Bowie SAID:
sssIIunose that we can't agree about the
costs. expenses, etc, and about the 10
cation"
Commissioner Phelps" continues the
stars report. said 10 would have to be
done In some way, and the courts or
arbitration would, of course, be the next
thing to consider MIR. Dent spoke about
the probability that If they agree upon
the river plan there would not be mucn
trouble about advantages between the
companies, as the area to be filled up
would be so extended that assignments
Of localities for the respective roads
would possess almost identical advan-
taces. Reservation ~, southeast OF the
Capitol. was also. in his Judgment,
very good site for such depot, II II was
large enough.
"Col. Randolph: How are we to get TO
these places?' He said the road he rep
resented (the b. & o. now had It's
depot on the other side OF the town,
with no way to get either to the river
or to reservation II. The subject OF
tunneling was suggested by several. and
Col. Randolph spoke Of the impossibihty
Of mourning this expense. Gov: Bowie
here made the statement that the Bal
timore 81 Potomac road had expended
more for tunneling In Baltimore and
this city than the cost Of the entire
track had been to the Baltimore g. Ohio
Railroad from Baltimore to this city.
Col. Randolph said that was q matter
of choice as to the expenditure. 1t was
a mode of expenditure Of capital the
B. 81 O. road did not approve. He re-
minded the Commissioners that his road
had made great OUTLAWS In this district
and had everything now arranged to its
satisfaction.
'tMaj. Twining: But the trouble Is
that the people here are not so well
satisfied as the company is Commits
sioner Phelps said that ultimatum
would probably be that II they could
not agree upon union depot the
q. g. o. would be called upon to re-
move Its depot TO point north Of Mas
would have to remove its depot to a
point south OF Maryland avenue.
1.-THE advantages Of reservation II
were further discussed for q union de-
pot and In case they could not agree
on that, then the feasibility Of that
reservation for depot for the B. q p.
TOAD IN which case the location Of