Evening star., 1935-06-16

as the business Of the railroads grad
ualiy increased.
Naturally, this condition had much
to do with the moving away from this
section of many of the older families.
and Grace Church lost its share Of
those who went elsewhere to live. To-
day, what was once q large and pros
porous parish has been reduced to a
small but enthusiastic group of
parishioners, who are doing their best
to maintain the tradition Of the
church and to carry on.
The first tracks to be placed on
Maryland avenue, just to the north
of the church, were laid in 1855, to
permit the Baltimore g. Ohio Rail-
road to haul passengers and freight
from the Washington end of the Long
Bridge to its new depot at New Jersey
avenue and c street northwest, the
site now a part Of the Capitol Grounds,
and which was first opened to the
public about the time Grace Church
was first occupied.
In the Civil War. as a military
necessity. tracks were first laid across
the Long Bridge in 1852, to connect
with the tracks then in use along
Maryland avenue. The Star Of jan
uary is, 1852. printed the following
item regarding the progress then be-
ing made:
Notwithstanding the snow and
sleet, 500 men were at work yester-
day, preliminary to the construction
Of q railroad from washington to
Alexandra, over the Long Bridge.
There will be q single track with suff-
cient turnouts to accommodate the
camps in Virginia. 1t Is supposed that
the road will be in operation In about
three weeks"
And again, on February 8, q month
later, it says:
THE track over the Long Bridge
has been laid. and everything is in
readiness to open full connection by
rail through the city to our camps in
Virginia. A double track is being rap
idly laid from the Washington depot
to the Long Bridge, and when COM
pleted trains can run each way the
same time"
THE doors being thus thrown wide
open, it was comparatively easy
for railroad companies to obtain con-
cessions permitting the use of this
thoroughfare and of the Long Bridge
itself. A year later, on March 8, 1853,
law was passed giving the Alexan-
dria B. Washington Rail Road the
following right of way:
THE Alexandria q Washington
Rail Road Co. Is authorized to ex-
tend its rail road from the south side
of the Potomac, across said river to
and along Maryland avenue to the
Capitol Grounds, and across Pennsyl-
vania avenue along First street to
Indiana avenue, and thence to the
Baltimore & Ohio Depot, and all the
ordinary rights, privileges and liabili-
ties incident to similar corporations
are conferred upon said company for
that purpose. Provided, That the same
shall be subject to alterations, amend
ment or repeal; that the cars shall
not be drawn on the streets aforesaid
or upon the structure across the river
by steam power without the consent
of Congress and of the corporate au-
th0rities of the City of washington. !"
The act also provided that mo per-
son shall be excluded from the cars
on account Of color"
Other provisions mentioned in the
act were:
"The company is authorized to make
such additional structure or passage
way along either side Of the Potomac
Bridge as may render the same safe
for public use and 30 as not to hinder
the general use Of said bridge for
ordinary travel. which shall be ascer-
tanned by one or more experienced