Evening star., 1937-11-21
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
Report on Union
Depot Plans.
On the evening of November IS, 1887.


sP0A' on o0A ports of its subcom-
Depot Plans. mittees on ST. m
railroads and the
public schools. the former having for
many months been laboring on plan to
Gus lines of railroad tracks and at the
same time provide the greatest conven-
ience for the community, the travelling
public and the railroads. The report,
accompanied by map showing in detail
the layout contained in its recommen-
dations and covering every phase Of the
question, occupies full page in The Star
Of the next day. Mr.. c. B. Church,
the report. which was read by Mr.. Daw-
son. The Star Of November Is, 1887,
makes the following editorial comment:
THE reports of the subcommittee On
railroads and schools, read at the meet
ing Of the Citizens Committee last night,
are instructive and valuable papers. The
warning against a hasty presentation Of
conclusions and demands, unaccompan-
led by supporting facts and reasoning,
has been needed by these subcommittee,
and their reports, deriving special inter-
est from the immediate importance of
their subjects and giving every evidence
Of painstaking and intelligent labor. are
creditable to themselves and to the Citi-
zens Committee
"The suggestions of the Railroad Sub
committee as to routes in the city and
site Of union depot are to run the gaunt-
let Of special meeting and the discus
sion will doubtless be animated. At
this stage of the movement there will
naturally be contention and wide differ
ences of opinion upon these points. Every
street in East Washington will seek to
escape the distinction of having the B. &
o. road run upon or under 1t. North
west Washington. including Georgetown,
will strive to bring the union depot to a
location as convenient of access to it as
public interests will permit. And objec-
ton may be anticipated from that quar-
ter to the proposed site on Reservation
II, three squares south Of the Capitol 1t
is to be hoped, however, that the repre-
sentatives Of all the different interests
to be protected will enter upon the dis
cussion in spirit of conciliation and
compromise. The public generally will
welcome gladly any plan, whether sug-
gested by section of the city, or by the
Commissioners. or by Congress. which
will relieve Northeast washington, and
as nearly as possible relieve South WASH
ington of surface railroads, rescue the
Mall and provide union depot at a rea-
sonably convenient point, the nearer to
the residence center Of the city, without
sacrificing the other ends in view, the
better. The attainment OF these results
In some way is of more consequence than
the adoption in detail of any one plan
proposed, and nothing will be accom-
plished unless this fact is recognized,
and unless Citizens Committee, Commis-
sioners and local press unite to convince
Congress that in this general desire, the
community is substantially unanimous,
any differences of opinion as to particu-
lar routes and depot sites being of minor
consequence and subordinated to the
harmonious demand for relief in some
shape from existing evils. The report of
the Railroad Subcommittee is q valuable
contribution to the discussion which will
result, The Star hopes, through conces-
sions on all sides, In removing many an
noyances and causes of damage by our
railroads to citizens, and to business in
terests and, by obliterating the railroad
disngurament from the Mall, will add
new beauty to the CITY,"