Evening star., 1940-05-05
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star
with q bare quorum and In the ab-
sence Of several Of the warmest defenders

with q bare quorum and In the ab-
sence Of several of the warmest defenders
Of the interests Of the
Surrender Capital against corporate
to Roilwoy encroachment," reads an
editorial in The Star Of
May 3. 1890, "the House District Com
mittee has approved the Atkinson bill.
This measure legalizes the illegal side
tracks Of the Baltimore & Potomac road
and confirms its illegal occupation of
the streets and public spaces crossed and
used by those tracks. The letter of the
district attorney which preceded the in
dictments against the road for this un-
authorized use Of public property gives
long list Of the reservations and
streets appropriated. The commissioner
Of public grounds has made frequent and
forcible complaint in ofdcial reports Of
the seizure Of four reservations. The At
torney General of the United States in
vigorous letter pushed the proceedings
against the road to point of indictment.
These indictments now sleep. 1t is pro-
posed that the United States shall con-
done the o1enses for which the road is
indicted and reward it for appropriating
property which did not belong to it by
presenting to it the property in question.
The bill also proposes to single out this
road from the common carriers of the
District for another valuable privilege
hx, lo1ono$i m
its benefit alone the power of Congress
to authorize deviations from its char
tered line. And, finally, the bill gives
the road power to condemn property for
Its uses without the geographical lmita-
ton upon this power for which the peo-
pie have contended.
"This pardon for past offenses, this
new donation of public land, and this
fresh gift Of exclusive privileges are for
the benefit Of road which has already
received free right Of way over the public
streets and the loan Of free station site
on public reservation, and which has
shown its appreciation of this generosity
by seizing public property now granted
to it, by illegally using the public streets
as freight and storage depots, by killing
people on surface tracks with trains run
ming at an illegal rate Of speed or 1T
crossings left unguarded in violation of
law, and by steadily resisting and de-
feating every effort in behalf Of the pub
lie to secure an improvement Of the
character of its occupation.
"The people have asked and now ask
relief from the no-thoroughfare belt Of
surface tracks which isolate
Relief the important section Of the
Asked city that includes the river
front, and restoration of the
reservations to the public uses for which
they were intended and from which they
have been diverted. They are aware
from past experience that unless they
secure these things in connection with
and as consideration for the concessions
to the road they will never get them at
all. The dif1culties of a removal of
grade crossings for a short distance on
through passenger route, an improve
ment which is being rapidly accom-
plished in our large cities, seem to appall
some District legislators when proposed
for the Capital. They wheeze and pun
at the very suggestion Of this vast labor
and fear that the thing Is impracticable.
But a project for the benefit Of the road
which merely sacrifices the interests Of
the District and gives away for nothing
concessions which should be the price Of
public relief cannot be hurried through
Congress too fast" ,-
The Star made the following editorial
comment in its issue Of May 5, 1890:
"Why should there be special delesa-
tion Of Congress power of exclusive leg
islation in the District merely In refer
ence to sidetracks, and merely for the
benefit Of one railway, as proposed by
the Atkinson bill? It would simplify
matters If Congress should formally sur
render its constitutional control Of Dis
trict affairs to the local railroads in re-
spect to all questions. Practically, things
would not differ much from their present
condition, and the railroads would be
saved the annoyance OF requiring Con.
gress to cause the laws to conform to
the acts which they committed, and the
donations Of the Government to har-
monise with seizures Of public property
which thsy have already made"