Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-14
TERMINAL IS CRUX
of RAIL REMOVAL
Temporary Site Offered on
Constitution Avenue, but
No Agreement Reached.

With temporary terminal facilities
here declared to be the principal ques-
ton awaiting solution, a 2i2-hour con-
ference of those interests involved in
the removal of the Mount Vernon,
Alexandria and Washington Railway
tracks from the Pennsylvania avenue
triangle. broke up this afternoon With
the Statement that no decision would
be reached for a week or 10 days.
THE railway has been offered tenn
porary terminal site at Constitution
avenue and Fourteenth street which
would allow the removal OF all its
tracks in the triangle. 1t was said
after the conference by r. l.. May,
president of the railroad, that he want
ed the views of Alexandria citizens on
such an arrangement before agreeing
to it.
There are other elements entering
into the arrangements. too, 1t was said,
but the conferees would not discuss
thsse.
The Public Utilities Commission,
which was represented at this morn
tnR.s hearing BY w. A. Roberts, assist
ant corporation counsel, has announced
its Willingness to grant this location as
a temporary measure and 1t was said
that the commission would give the
Alexandrians a hearing. Alexandria in
terests, which are seeking to halt the
abandonment of the road, want the line
to run up into the center of the bust
ness district.
No Agreement on Time.
The question OF payment for the
road when the tracks are removed was
discussed at this mornings meeting. 1t
was Indicated however, the cor1terees
did not approach any agreement as to
possible time.
In the event the company accepts a
temporary terminal site. 1t would al
low the Government program to be
pushed ahead.
Participating in this mornings con-
ference were May, with his counsel
John S. Barbour and Gardner L.
Boothe: E. r. Whitman. from the legal
division Of the Treasury; r. j. Nav
Kinney, solicitor of the Treasury: j. r.
Benney, attorney for the Treasury:
j. A. Wetmore. acting supervising ar
chitect Of the Treasury, and Mr..
Roberts.
The conference was continuation Of
one begun yesterday afternoon.
A two-hour conference was held in
the ONCE of Assistant Secretary of the
Treasury Heath and at its conclusion
Mr. Whitman expressed the opinion
that the parties to the negotiations
were closer together
Want Terminal in Town.
Under an arrangement proposed some
months ago. the company was to get
100000 for evacuating all its rail lines
in the District, up to the South end OF
the Highway Bridge. Boothe said it
was possible such figure would still
be acceptable, but there we're certain
NIL n he al p1N
into consideration now. He said the
company wanted to operate its street
cars as long as possible.
Faces Track Replacement.
If as a result Of the negotiations the
company decides to continue operation
of its line, 1t faces an expenditure eSti-
mated by the Public Utilities Commits
sion a. $4,000 for renewal Of its tracks
south of Water street. The commission
has had the condition of these tracks
under advisement for many months,
but has never issued the order for re-
placement because Of the tendency Of
the negotiations which might result in
removal of the tracks and therefore
make the order unnecessary
It Is believed that If the negotiations
fail, however. the order will issue. The
Highway Department is planning to re-
pave this roadway next year. carrying
it up to the level Of the Southern Rail-
road tracks at one point. in order to
pass over the road to East Potomac
Park and avoid the traffic jam which
now marks this intersection at Cherry
Blossom time and during regattAs and
other events which cause traff1c to ac-
cumulate in that section. 1t would be
impossible to pave the road without
laying new tracks as the present track
age Is In such bad shape that q new
pavement laid beside 1t would quickly
break UP.