•Ufi&IMJ OF KKiMA* mt>HOM
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[No. 4.]
STEAM RAILROADS IN WASHINGTON.
SUB-COMMITTEE ON STEAM RAILROADS
TO THE CITIZENS' REPRESENTATIVE COMMITTEE
OF ONE HUNDRED,
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, 1887.
Your Committee on Steam Railroads, to which has
been referred the subject of proposed changes of
steam railroad routes entering and passing through
the city of Washington, the location of railroad
freight depots and yards, the selection of a site for
a Union Railroad Passenger Depot, and other mat-
• ters cognate to the same, beg leave respectfully to
report as follows:
GRANTS MADE TO THE BALTIMORE AND OHIO RAIL¬
ROAD COMPANY.
By act of the Legislature of Maryland, Feb¬
ruary 28, 1827, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company was incorporated and empowered to con¬
struct a railroad from Baltimore, Maryland, to the
REPORT
OF THE
First—As to Railroad Grants.
2
Ohio river, and " lateral railroads in any direction
whatsoever, in connection with said railroad.
By act of May 9, 1828, (4 Stats, at Large, p. 268,)
Congress, " to the extent" of its "jurisdiction of
the soil over which it may pass," assented to the
construction of a lateral branch of said railroad
within the District of Columbia, but prohibited it
from passing through "any of the reserved squares
or open spaces of the city without the consent of
Congress."
Subsequently, (February 22, 1831,) the Maryland
Legislature empowered and authorized the said rail¬
road company to construct a lateral branch "not
exceeding sixty-six feet wide on the surface," from
the main stem, to the line of the District of Columbia,
By act of March 2, 1831 (4 Stats., p. 476), Con¬
gress authorized said lateral branch to be extended
" into and within the District of Columbia," but
confined the grant to the one branch, " it being ex¬
pressly understood," says the act, "that the said
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company shall have
power only to construct from the said Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, one lateral road within the said Dis¬
trict to some point or terminus within the city and
county of Washington, to be determined in the
manner hereinafter mentioned."
After providing for condemnation of lands, etc.,
this act provides that whenever the said company
in constructing this railroad, "shall find it neces¬
sary to cross or intersect any established road,
street, or other way, it shall be the duty of the said
company so to construct the said railroad across such
established road, street, or other way, as not to im-
3
pede the passage or transportation of persons or
property along the same." It prescribes that the
company "in passing into the District aforesaid-?
and constructing the said road within the same, shall
enter the city of Washington at such place, and
shall pass along such public street or alley, to such
point or terminus within the said city, as the said
company shall find best calculated to promote the
objects of said road Provided, that the level of said
road within the said city, shall conform to the
present graduation of the streets, unless the said
corporation shall agree to a different level." And,
among other reservations therein, Congress reserved
the right to authorize the construction of " such ad¬
ditional railroad or roads in connection with the said
road, so as to extend the same road, or to construct
others connected therewith to such parts of the Dis¬
trict, as from time to time may he required by the
convenience of those parts of the District into which
the said company are now restrained from carrying
said road ; " and also reserved the right to enact
" such rules and regulations, prescribing the speed
of cars or carriages passing over said road, and other
matters relating thereto, necessary for the security
of the persons and property of the inhabitants of
the District, in such manner as to the present or any
future Congress shall seem expedient."
This act provided also that the road should not be
taken or terminated " west of the west side of Sev¬
enth street west," and " that the grivileges granted"
by this act, "to the aforesaid railroad company,
shhll be upon the condition that the said company
shall charge the same rate of toll upon the same ar-
4
tides going east and west between Baltimore and
W asliington.
By a supplemental act, March 3, 1835, (4 Stats.,
p. 757,) Congress authorized the construction of the
said road within the city of Washington, through
squares 909, 888, 858, 832, 908, 887, 856, 857, 831,
807, 776, 751 and 718, and assented to its construc¬
tion " through or over any of the said lots or parts
of lots which are owned by the United States." The
act provides that the main stem of the said road,
after passing through these squares, "shall not be
constructed west or south of a point at the intersec¬
tion of H street, north, with Delaware Avenue, un¬
til the route from that point to the final termination
of the main stem of said road shall be surveyed and
approved by the mayor, and board of aldermen, and
board of common council of the city of Washington;
and when the route shall be so surveyed and ap¬
proved, the said company," says the act, "shall
be, and they are hereby authorized to construct the
raid railroad on the said route, under such restric¬
tions and conditions as may be agreed upon by the
said railroad company and the mayor, board of al¬
dermen, and board of common council of the said
city of Washington." The company was also au¬
thorized, by this act, to construct branches from the
main stem within the city " to such place or places,
and in such a number of tracks, as the corporate au¬
thority of the city of Washington shall assent to or
permit"—the branches, however, not to "pass
through any of the public reservations." The company
was likewise permitted by it to acquire and improve
lots adjacent to any street or avenue along which
5
the said road and branches were constructed, and
" to extend and construct tracks of railway into any
lot or lots so held by them, in connection with the
tracks in any adjacent street or avenue: Provided,
That the free use of any street or avenue shall not
be impaired thereby." Another proviso prohibits
the use of any steam-engine in propelling cars on this
road within the city, except where agreed to by the
corporate authorities of Washington.
The provisions of this act of Congress, and the ex¬
tension and construction of the road into and within
the city, were subsequently assented to by an ordi¬
nance of the corporation of the city of Washington,
."according to the plans or drawings thereof trans¬
mitted by a committee of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company, with their letter to the mayor of
this city, dated the 31st day of March, 1835," and
the company was authorized under said ordinance to
use steam-engines in drawing cars " to any point on
said lateral branch of said road, to the northward
and eastward of the intersection of the wTest side of
New Jersey Avenue with C street north, until other¬
wise directed by an act or ordinance of this corpo¬
ration, and to no point to the w^est or south of said
intersection"—the ordinance reserving the right to
the corporation of Washington, at all times, when
considered necessary, to limit and regulate, by law,
the speed of cars upon said railroad within the city.
On the 15th day of June, 1850, an agreement was
entered into between the company and the Washing¬
ton city authorities, compreliending the removal of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad depot from its then
location, on Pennsylvania Avenue, to square 632,
6
where it now stands; under which agreement the
company was authorized "to use steam-engines in
propelling cars on the present line of the Washing¬
ton branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
from its entrance into said city to such point on
said line, east of the eastern side of New Jersey
Avenue in the square aforesaid, as it may select for
the new location of its depot, for any period not ex¬
ceeding thirty years from the passage of" certain
Joint Resolutions of the Board of Aldermen and
Board of Common Council of the city of Washing-
ton, approved May 31, 1850, upon certain specified
conditions, which included obligations on the part
of the railroad company : to erect at the new loca¬
tion "suitable and permament buildings and im¬
provements for a depot, on such a scale as may be
necessary to afford ample accommodations for the
freight and travel on the said branch railroad ; " to
pay the corporation $8,000, to be expended in im¬
proving contiguous streets ; and to pay its then tax
arrearages.
By act of Congress, July 25, 1866 (14 Stats., p.
250), the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company was
authorized to extend the Metropolitan Branch into
the District of Columbia, to such a point or points "as
may be agreed upon between the said company and
the Corporation of Washington, in respect of a road
within the limits of Washington"—the provisions
of the several acts of Congress relating to the lateral
road authorized by the act of March 2, 1831, and the
acts supplemental thereto, being therein declared to
"apply to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company,
so far as they are severally applicable to the loca-
7
tion, construction, and use by the said company of
the road now authorized to be constructed " into the
District;—the road to be completed within three
years.
From the report of the District Commissioners to
the Senate District Committee (Mis. Doc. 15, 1st
Sess. 47th Cong.), it appears that ''the corporation (64
Council, p. 74) gave them the right to come in on
First street east (as now located), with the privilege
'of using steam-engines thereon,' without any limita¬
tion as to time. The same act, (ordinance?) in sec¬
tion 3, extended the agreement of June 1, 1850, in
regard to steam-engines on the Washington Branch
another thirty years, i. e., to June 1,1910."
GRANTS MADE TO THE BALTIMORE AND
POTOMAC RAILROAD COMPANY.
The Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company
was incorporated by an act of the Legislature of
Maryland, passed on the 6th day of May, 1853. By
its 12th section the company was invested with the
rights and powers necessary to the construction,
working, use and repair of a railroad from Baltimore
city to a point on thp Potomac river " not higher up
than Liverpool Point and not lower down than the
mouth of the St. Mary's river, with such branches at
any point on said railroad, not exceeding 20 miles
in length, as the president and directors may deter¬
mine and also "to make, or cause to be made,
lateral railroads in any direction whatever from the
said railroad, and for the construction, repair and
maintenance thereof, shall ha-ve all the rights and
♦
8
powers thereby given in order to the construction
and repair of said principal railroad;" * *
" the said railroad, when completed, not to be more
than 66 feet wide, except at or near its depots or sta¬
tions, where the width may be made greater, with as
many tracks as the president and directors may deem
necessary." The line designated was wholly within
the State of Maryland.
On the 5th of February, 1867, (14 Stats, at Large,
p. 387, Congress passed an act by which the com¬
pany was authorized to extend into the District of
Columbia "a lateral railroad such as said company
shall construct, or cause to be constructed, in con¬
nection with the railroad which they are about to
locate and construct from the city of Baltimore to the
Potomac river," and "toexercise the same powers,
rights and privileges, and subject to the same re¬
strictions in the construction and extension of said
lateral railroad into and within the said District,
as they may exercise or are subject to in and by
their said charter in the extension and construction
of any railroad within the state of Maryland; and
shall be entitled to the same rights, compensation,
benefits and immunities in the use of said road and
in regard thereto, as are provided in their charter."
By section 3 it was provided that the said com¬
pany, in passing into the District and constructing
their road within'the same, shall enter the city of
Washington at such a place and shall pass along
such street or alley to such place or terminus within
the city as may be allowed by Congress upon pre¬
sentation of a survey and map of the proposed loca¬
tion of said road: "Provided, That the level of said
9
road within the city shall conform to the present
gradation of the streets, unless Congress shall au¬
thorize a different level."
In the same section it was further provided that
" whenever the said company, in the construction of
the railroad into and within said District, as au¬
thorized by this act, shall find it necessary to cross
or intersect any established road, street or other
way, it shall be the duty of said company so to con¬
struct the said railroad across such established road,
street or other way, as not to impede the passage or
transportation of persons or property along the same;
* * but nothing herein contained shall be so
construed as to authorize the entry by said company
upon any lot or square, or upon any part of any lot
or square, owned by the United States within the
limits of the city of Washington, for the purpose of
locating or constructing said road, or of excavating
the same, or for the purpose of taking therefrom any
materials, or for any other purpose or uses whatso¬
ever."
Other acts of Congress passed on the 18th of March,
1869, and the 25th of March, 1870, (16th Stats., pp.
1 and 75,) authorized the company to enter this city
by either one of two routes. The terminal point in
each was described as a point at the intersection of
South C and West Ninth streets, which was thus
assigned by Congress as the western limit of the
railroad within the city of Washington.
The company located and adopted a route com¬
mencing on the western shore of the Eastern Branch
between L and M streets, S. E., and thence passing
2g
10
through K street and Virginia Avenue to the termi¬
nal point on Ninth street, S. W.
Up to this time the company had not been author¬
ized to construct its road to the Potomac River within,
the District ; but by an act passed on the 21st of June,
1870, (16th Stats., p. 161,) the company was authoriz¬
ed to extend its lateral branch "by way of Maryland
Avenue, conforming to its grade, to the viaduct over
the Potomac Diver known as the Long Bridge, and
to extend its tracks over said bridge," which it was
empowered to take possession of free of cost. The
company was, by this act, required to maintain the
bridge as a public highway, and to keep the same
always in good repair.
By an act passed on the 3d of March, 1871, (16th
Stats., p. 585), the company was further authorized
to change the grade of Maryland Avenue, from
Twelfth'street, S. W., to the Long Bridge, under the
supervision of the municipal authorities.
On March 23, 1871, the Board of Aldermen and
Board of Common Council of the city of Washing¬
ton passed an ordinance authorizing the establish¬
ment of a passenger depot at Sixth and B streets.
This action was confirmed by act of Congress ap¬
proved May 21, 1872 (17th Stats., p. 140), clearly
defining the limits within which the passenger depot
should be built. The company was restricted to two
tracks along Sixth street, and Congress expressly
reserved the right to repeal or modify the provisions
of the act. None of these acts, except the last,
specified the number of tracks that might be laid
upon the streets of Washington ; nor can your com¬
mittee learn that any construction of the company's
11
rights in this respect has been had in the courts of
the District; but the company claimed the right to
lay as many tracks as can be accommodated within
the width of 66 feet along any street that the various
acts of Congress allowed them to pass over, under
that clause of its original charter, which provides
that the said read, when completed, shall not "be
more than 66 feet wide, except at or near its depots
or stations, where the width may be made greater,
with as many tracks as the president and board of
directors may deem necessary."
Acting upon this, the company has four tracks,
and in some places five, from New Jersey Avenue to
Thirteen and-a-half street, S. W., along Maryland
and Virginia Avenues.
If this position were maintainable, the company
might entirely close up K street, S. E., against travel
by vehicles along the carriage way ; for the carriage
way on that street is not 66 feet in width.
It is evident that the statutes contemplated the use
of Maryland and Virginia Avenues as transit routes
merely. At most,1 two tracks would be amply suffi¬
cient to accomplish the legitimate purposes of the
various grants to run over the streets of Washington.
The only plausible excuse for more than two tracks, is
the alleged necessity of using the public thorough¬
fares in accommodating the immense freight busi¬
ness of the company. Railroad corporations ordi¬
narily accomplish this on grounds belonging to
themselves,—the Baltimore and Potomac Company,
by appropriating the public streets. There is not a
single expression in any of the acts of incorporation
from which this power may be inferred, even by the
12
most liberal construction of such act. Such uses of
these thoroughfares are entirely inconsistent with the
theory of their dedication as open public streets or
ways, over and along which the public have a right
to pass, at any and at all times, either by vehicle or
on foot, at their free will and pleasure.
GRANTS TO THE ALEXANDRIA AND WASH¬
INGTON RAILROAD COMPANY.
i ■ \ >
This company was incorporated under an act of
the Legislature of Virginia passed February 27,
1854. By the third section of the act of incorpora¬
tion it was provided, "That the said company shall
not permit the said road to pass into the exclusive
possession of any corporation without the limits of
the Commonwealth of Virginia."
By the act of Congress of March 3, 1863 (12th
Stats., p. 805), this company was authorized to lay a
single track up Maryland Avenue to the Capitol
grounds ; thence across Pennsylvania Avenue along
First street and Indiana Avenue, and thence to the
Baltimore and Ohio depot, on New Jersey avenue
and C street, N. W. It was to be subject to such
restrictions in regard to the use and construction of
said road as the municipal authorities might from
time to time establish. No mention is made in any
operative act of Congress about the right of this
company to establish its depots in this city.
An ordinance of the corporation of Washington
passed on the 24th of May, 1866, requires this com¬
pany to erect a permament and commodious station-
house and freight and passenger depot on Maryland
13
Avenue, between Seventh and Tenth streets, S. W.,
and at no other points in the city of Washington.
Your committee is advised that there was no au¬
thority of Congress authorizing the municipal au¬
thorities of Washington to adopt such an ordinance
as this.
A few years prior to the War, a railroad was laid
from the north end of the Long Bridge to the Balti¬
more and Ohio depot. During the War, it was used
principally by the Government authorities, who re¬
stored it to the company after the War was over.
The Alexandria and Washington company then re¬
organized, and ran trains in connection with the
Baltimore and Ohio system until some time in 1872
or 1873, when the link between the Baltimore and
Ohio depot, and Sixth street, S. W., was torn up.
While the War was in progress, the United States
authorities built a freight depot on square No. 386,
and erected a platform on Maryland Avenue between
Ninth and Tenth streets, which was used for load¬
ing and unloading troops and munitions of war.
The Government also occupied a small frame build¬
ing at the west end of the public space, on the east
end of square 358, for office purposes in connection
with the railroad. After the War, the United States
turned over possession of the railroad, and of all
buildings appertaining thereto, to one Joseph Stew¬
art, secretary of the Alexandria and Washington
Company. By that company it was, for a time,
leased to the Orange Railroad, which operated the
road for six months, or a little more. No mention
was made in this lease of square 386, although it was,
and is still, used by the railroad company.
14
The lease not proving satisfactory, was annulled,
and the road and its franchises were restored to the
Alexandria and Washington Company.
About the time the Baltimore and Potomac Com¬
pany began to run its trains down Maryland Ave¬
nue, July 2, 1872, the stockholders of the Alexandria
and Washington Company transferred their stock to
one Shoemaker, and it was by him transferred to the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company.
No act of Congress has been found, authorizing the
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company to lay or
maintain tracks on Maryland Avenue between Sixth
and Ninth streets, S. W. If such authority exists,
it must be by virtue of a transfer from the Alex¬
andria and Washington Company of its franchises.
These tracks are now under the exclusive control of
the Baltimore and Potomac Company, presumably
by purchase from the Alexandria and Washington
Company, or its successor. Whether or not the
transfer was so made as not to violate the prohibi¬
tion in the original charter of the Alexandria and
Washington Company against allowing its franchises
to pass into the exclusive possession of any corpora¬
tion without the Commonwealth of Virginia, your
committee has been unable to discover.
Second—Authority to Use the Streets for Freight-
Yard and Storage Purposes.
Both the Baltimore and Ohio and the Baltimore
and Potomac Railroad Companies use the streets,
more or less, for the parking thereon of empty and
loaded cars when not actually in use; but against such
uses, so made by the Baltimore and Ohio Company,
15
no complaints have been preferred to the courts. The
Baltimore and Potomac Company, however, have
found it convenient and economical to establish their
principal freight deliveries on Maryland and Vir¬
ginia Avenues. Most of the business of the company
which should properly be conducted in freight-
yards, such as unloading freight, storing and shift¬
ing cars, and making up trains, is done on these
avenues. This is a sore trial to persons living along the
line of them. As many as forty, probably more, of the
property-owners thus affected, have brought suit for
damages resulting to them from such misuses of
these streets. Every case of the kind which has
been tried on its merits has resulted in a judgment
for the plaintiff.
In the trial of one of these cases, some years ago,
Mr. Sharpe, then superintendent of the Baltimore
and Potomac Company, admitted that 60 feet had
been taken out of the middle of these avenues and
devoted exclusively to railroad purposes. The pub¬
lic streets so appropriated are Virginia Avenue, from
First to Seventh streets, S. W. ; the public space at
the intersection of Maryland and Virginia Avenues,
between Seventh and Ninth streets, S. W. ; and
Maryland Avenue, from Ninth to Thirteenth-and-a-
half street, S. W. In other words, in the south¬
western section alone, over 366,664 square feet of the
public streets and grounds are occupied exclusively
by this railroad company, for its own purposes.
Some of this public property is used not only for the
storage of cars, but also for the storage of old rails,
ties, paving-stones, and other heavy freight. Not
16
less than 27 streets are thus obstructed at grade-
crossings in the southern section of the city alone.
Incumbrance of streets also exists to a considera¬
ble extent in the northeast section of the city, and,
in that section, the Baltimore and Ohio road and its
Metropolitan Branch cross at least twenty-five streets
at or near grade ; twenty of which, at least, could be
avoided by the judicious location of the lines of that
road.
The uses actually made of the numerous tracks
laid in the public streets, not for purposes of travel,
but for convenience of storage and for other business
that should be transacted on land owned by the rail¬
road corporations, is, at t^e present time, not only
a grievous annoyance to property owners and to per¬
sons residing near the points thus encroached upon,
but the stoppage of fire engines during a fire, by
this blockading of the streets, may, at some time,
prove very disastrous to property interests. Besides,
the constant shifting of cars across intersecting
streets makes it dangerous for persons to cross New
Jersey, Delaware, Maryland and Yirginia Avenues,
and other streets'at such intersections, either by
vehicle or on foot. Many serious accidents have oc¬
curred at these points, resulting frequently in death.
Furthermore, the constant blockading of these
avenues renders the transportation of freight, coming
to this city by water, from the wharves to the busi¬
ness centres, a tedious and difficult undertaking.
Your Committee is clearly of the opinion that no
one of the several enabling acts authorizes the use of
a street or avenue as a freight yard, or for the storage
of cars and other property. A grant to construct and
17
operate a railroad from one city to another, and upon
or through a given street, does not confer such a
right. The language employed in making the grants,
admits the existence of the "street,'5 and thus car¬
ries on its face its own restriction; and the act by its
terms limits the use that may be made of the grant.
By thu grant, the use is limited to the business of
travel and transportation, on the same principle that
one, having the right of way over a public or private
road, may not for that reason make it his workshop
or place of amusement, or devote it to purposes
other than travel, to the detriment or detention of
others having occasion to use it. Upon this prin¬
ciple, an unconditional right to lay tracks, given to
a railroad, confers no right; to use the "street" as a
freight-yard or place for storage. It gives no au¬
thority or license to abuse that right by a misuse of
the "street," to the destruction of the ordinary and
j t/
usual uses of such street as a channel for intercom¬
munication and general business purposes.
In these views your Committee is sustained by the
decisions of the Supreme Court of the District.
The first, case brought to the attention of the
court, in later years, was that of Mr. Knight, who
lived on the south side of Maryland Avenue, between
Eleventh and Twelfth streets, S. W. After a care¬
ful hearing, the court in General Term passed an
order perpetually enjoining the Baltimore and Po¬
tomac Railroad Company from using Maryland
Avenue, between Eleventh and Twelfth streets, for
"loading and unloading freight cars, or for other
purposes as a depot yard or freight yard."
The company thereupon moved one square further
3g
is
west, and continued to use the avenue, between
Twelfth and Thirteenth streets, as a freight yard.
AVilliam Neitzy, living at Ko. 1210 Maryland Ave¬
nue, then brought an action at law for damages re¬
sulting to him and his family by reason of the
noises and other disagreeable features attending the
unloading and shifting of cars. The Court in Gen¬
eral Term held that he was entitled to recover, and,
011 a trial of his case before a jury, a verdict in his
favor for $1,000 was rendered. IS me similar cases
have been tried, with like result, differing only in
the amount awarded by the several juries.
Thus your committee feels justified in reporting
that the use of the streets of the city by the railroad
companies for freight yard purposes is entirely un¬
authorized, by laic.
It is somewhat curious to note that the aggravated
and constantly increasing detriment to private prop¬
erty, and annoyance to citizens and to travel, now so
generally and so justly complained of, had a begin¬
ning in minor and almost insignificant encroach¬
ments ; but gradually, by the failure of the railroad
companies to procure suitable freight yards, places
for storing cars, for making up trains, and for other
conveniences, together with the growth of our busi¬
ness relations, the resulting evils have become so on¬
erous that the demand for their abatement seems to
be general and imperative,
Your Committee, deeming it unnecessary in this
connection to discuss questions of wrongful intent,
has confined its inquiries to the subject of the most
promising method of removing and avoiding the
evils that have gradually become so annoying and
19
oppressive. To this end, your Committee, both col¬
lectively and severally, has sought information from,
and carefully conferred, as far as possible, with, citi¬
zens acquainted with the subject, and with gentle¬
men who have a general acquaintance with railroad
transportation ; and has consulted with officials of
the several railroads entering the citv. It is most
<D «/
gratifying to be able to report a very general disposi¬
tion to co-operate in devising some systematic method
of approach by all these roads to one general pas¬
senger depot, upon such lines, and in such manner,
as shall remedy these evils.
Third—Consideration of Proposed Remedies.
In its painstaking efforts to reach a fair, proper,
and wise solution of the " railroad problem'" in this
city, your Committee has endeavored to give due
weight to all of the many interests likely to be af¬
fected by its decision. It has sought to secure safety
to life and limb at street crossings ; the least possible
obstruction to intercourse and travel, for business or
otherwise, along the streets and avenues; relief to
real estate owners from deterioration of property
values, and to tenants from grievances growing out
of obstructions and movements of railroad freight
trains ; facility of access of the travelling public
to, and adequacy of accommodations in, passenger
depots; convenience of location, and sufficiency of
accommodation, of freight depots — i*n which the
local business interests are directly, and the local
public indirectly, interested ; while at the same time
bearing in .mind the future growth of the city, with
20
the impending improvement and expansion of its
southeastern business water-front, and the interests
and rights—such as they are—of the railroad com¬
panies themselves; and all this, with due regard to
the reasonable interests and wishes of those geo¬
graphical sections of the city most directly to be af¬
fected by that solution.
With such a diversity of interests—many of them
conflicting most strenously,—it was not to be ex¬
pected that your committee could solve the railroad
problem in this city in such manner as to produce
absolute harmony; but, impressed with the convic¬
tion that each of those opposing interests should be
willing to concede something toward the general wel¬
fare, your Committee has proceeded upon such lines,
and reached such conclusions, as, in its judgment,
will do the least harm to the lesser number of such
interests, and the greatest good to the greater num¬
ber.
Your committee has deliberated upon a number
of suggestions relative to the proper site for the pro¬
posed Union Railroad Passenger Depot long contem¬
plated by Congress.
The present passenger depot of the Baltimore and
Potomac Railroad, and the Southern Connection,
situated on the Mall, at the corner of 6th and B
streets, 1ST. W., your Committee has reason to be¬
lieve, will be totally inadequate, in the near future,
to meet the wants of the travelling public. The ap¬
proach to it, for trains, is a narrow one; and the re¬
sult is, that, with the number of trains even now
used, it is necessary to be constantly moving them
to and fro to enable other trains to get in and out of
21
the depot. It is but reasonable to anticipate that
this difficulty will increase with the increase of
travel. Moreover, as a consequence of the location
of this depot at the point mentioned, the largest and
most beautiful park, leading from the Capitol to
the Washington Monument and the White House,
is exit in two by the steam railroad tracks approach¬
ing it, thus ruining, for the time being, the beauty
of this great National park. Your committee, there¬
fore, recommend that the Baltimore and Potomac
depot—which was located at 6th andB streets, N. W.,
during the pleasure of Congress only—shall be moved
to some other generally more advantageous location
for a Union Railroad Passenger Depot, where each
and every one of the raiBoads entering the city may
have equal passenger facilities, with less offence to
the eye of the general public, both visiting and resi¬
dent. In the opinion of your committee, the land
upon which this depot is built should never have
been even temporarily taken from this public reser¬
vation, nor license given for its occupancy as a pas¬
senger depot by a railroad company. Your commit¬
tee, however, believing this depot building to be well
located for the purposes of District offices, would
suggest the purchase of the same for the occupancy
and use of the District government.
The Baltimore and Ohio depot, as at present situ¬
ated, on New Jersey Avenue and C street, N. W.,
seems to your committee to be unlit for a passenger
station. The great number of street-crossings at
grade, and the almost entire use of a large part of
Delaware Avenue, by the railroad tracks leading
into it,—independent of any other reasons,—would
seem to make its removal almost absolutely neces¬
sary. Your Committee therefore recommend such
removal to the point which will be indicated in this
report as the most generally advantageous one for
the proposed Union Railroad passenger dej)ot.
Now it may be well to state, at this place, that in
the solicitude which your Committee has felt to har¬
monize, as far as proper, all interests, it has both
formally and informally endeavored to ascertain the
wishes of all the Railroad Companies interested.
Their several positions appear to be these : The
Baltimore and Potomac Company, while willing to
concede, perhaps, that our city steam-railroad prob¬
lem should be capable of solution, are so well satis¬
fied,—as well they may be,—that they prefer to be
"let alone." The Southern connection—the Pied¬
mont Air Line Company—while content with the
present status, are naturally not averse to such a
solution as would bring them into connection with
the Baltimore and Ohio system, as well as that which
they now have with the Pennsylvania system through
the Baltimore and Potomac line. The Baltimore
and Ohio Company evidently desire that connection,
and, through its officials, have said to your commit¬
tee : "Select any site for a union depot that you
choose ; give us equal facilities with other railroad
companies ; and we will find our way to reach it."
Your committee, after full deliberation upon all the
circumstances and interests heretofore recited, has
concluded to recommend, and does recommend, as a
permanent site for said Union Railroad Passenger-
depot, the irregular square, three blocks south of
th,e Capitol grounds, bounded by South Capitol
street, Virginia and New Jersey Avenues, and E
street, S. E., being a part of wliat is known as
"Reservation 17."
In order to reach a Union Railroad Passenger-
depot at this point, the general lines of track now
used by the Baltimore and Potomac, and Piedmont
Air Line, would need but slight change. The change
in those of the Baltimore and Ohio would be much
greater ; but, in the opinion of your committee, that
change, great and expensive as it must be, will be
more than made up to that company by being placed
on an equality with its great rival, instead of at its
present disadvantage.
Your committee has very carefully considered a
number of propositions bearing upon such change ;
among them, these :
(a.) The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company,
through its officials, has expressed to your commit¬
tee its desire to make such change by bringing its
Washington and Metropolitan branches together at
a point north of the boundary of the city, in such
manner that the two lines will enter the city, as one
route, on 2d street, between M and N streets, N. E.,
and from that point follow, southwardly, the line
of 2d street east, mostly in tunnel, to the intersec¬
tion of 2d street and North Carolina Avenue, S. E.;
thence, westwardly, to the proposed Union Railroad
Passenger-Depot on Reservation 17. By this plan
only two streets in the northeast section of the city
need be crossed at grade, viz : P and G streets N. E.
—the tracks passing into tunnel at E street N. E.,
and emerging from it at North Carolina Avenue,
S. E. The prolile plan, herewith, shows the street-
24
grade on 2d street, east, from Boundary to K street
south, together with the railroad grade involved in
this proposition.
(■b.) The Baltimore and Ohio Company seemingly
suggested to your committee, as an alternative propo¬
sition, a line through 3d street east, which that
company might adopt, having almost precisely the
same relation to street grades as their other proposi¬
tion (a).
(c.) The plan of the late Engineer-Commissioner
Twining (Senate Mis. Doc. 15,1st Sess. 47th Cong.),
to unite the two branches of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad at a point outside the city limits left to the
selection of the company; thence into the city, at
Boundary street, on the line of Twelfth street east,
on grade, to G street; after crossing which, the rails
would enter tunnel at the north building ]ine of
Maryland Avenue, and continue in tunnel southward
along Twelfth street, under Lincoln Park, and from
thence down the line of North Carolina Avenue to
the west building line of Second street east ; whence,
emerging from tunnel, they might curve westwardly
into Reservation 17.
(d.) The preferredplan of Lieut. Greene, U. S. A.,
Assistant Engineer to the late Engineer Commis¬
sioner Lydecker (Ann. Rep. Com'rs D. C. for 1882,
p. 145), of which, alluding, in his report on the sub¬
ject, to the necessity of moving the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad over to the southern section of the
city, he says : "There are only two methods by
which this can be accomplished ; either by passing
around Capitol Hill, or tunnelling under it. On the
iirst route, the two branches would be united outside
25
the city limits, near the Fair "Grounds, and would
then run to the Eastern Branch, crossing Boundary
at Fifteenth street, and, passing around the base of
the bluff east of the jail, meeting the Baltimore and
Potomac line near the Congressional Cemetery. It
is claimed that the present tunnel of the Baltimore
and Potomac road is not large enough for the busi¬
ness of the two roads. If that is the case, the Bal¬
timore and Ohio should be granted the right to build
a parallel tunnel adjacent to that of the other road.
The width of Virginia Avenue is ample for this pur¬
pose."
(.e.) The alternative plan of Lieut. Greene, (Ibid.,)
of uniting the two branches of the Baltimore and
Ohio near the Fair Grounds, and entering the city
at grade along Twelfth street, 1ST. E., "following
thence either the route selected by Major Twining
under Twelfth street and North Carolina Avenue, or
another route under Maryland Avenue, Second street
and North Carolina Avenue," the tunnel, in either
case, ending "at the intersection of North Carolina
and New Jersey Avenues," where reservation 17 is
situated.
(f.) A plan uniting the two branches of the Bal¬
timore and Ohio at some point north of the bound¬
ary; thence entering the city, and crossing it, mainly
by tunnel, along and under Eleventh street east and
North Carolina Avenue, to Reservation 17.
(g.) A plan similarly uniting the two branches,
and thence crossing the city, mainly by tunnel, along
and under Fifth street east and North Carolina
Avenue, to the said Reservation 17.
(h.) A plan uniting the two branches of the Bal-
4«
timore and Oliio with the Baltimore and Potomac
at some point in the neighborhood of Bladensbnrg
or Hyattsville, and thence across the Eastern Branch
on the present lines of the Baltimore and Potomac
Company.
After deliberating upon the above plans and all
others that have been submitted, your committee is
decidedly of the opinion that one of the two routes,
hereinafter set forth, should be adopted.
Of these two routes, the one is for the most part a
surface route, and, with slight modification, is the
plan above mentioned as the preferred plan of Lieut.
Greene (d).
The other (g) is similar to the plan first above
mentioned (a), except that it proposes the line of
Fifth street in place of the line of Second street.
Recommendations as to Routes, etc.
Your committee having given anxious and care¬
ful consideration to the several important matters
submitted, and having in the foregoing summary
endeavored to present a succinct statement of the
points involved, most respectfully and earnestly re¬
commends that all reasonable efforts be made to se¬
cure legislation to the following effect :
That the one general passenger depot be perma- -
nently established, to be used by all railroads lead¬
ing into the city, at the site heretofore mentioned.
That the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Com¬
pany and the ( Southern ) Piedmont Air Line Rail¬
road Company be each guaranteed such use of streets
for the transportation of passenger trains as may be
27
necessary to give tliem convenient use of the general
passenger depot.
That the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com¬
pany, be authorized and required to conform its
tracks within the city, to one or the other of the fol¬
lowing plans, that is to say:
That said Company bring its Washington branch
and its Metropolitan branch together at a point
north of the boundary of the city (the point to be
selected by the company), and from that point, that
it proceed with its two lines united as one route; either
(1) on a route crossing under the Bladensburg and
Benning's roads east of Fifteenth street, and passing
around the base of the bluff east of the jail to the
Baltimore and Potomac tracks east of the Congres¬
sional Cemetery, and thence running with or parallel
to the tracks of the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad,
through the Navy Yard tunnel or by a parallel tun¬
nel, and along K street, south, to Second street, east,
and that thence the parallel lines of both of said
companies curve northwardly and westwardly across
Canal street and intervening ground, into the general
passenger depot; or (2) that the said Baltimore and
Ohio Company, proceed from the said point of junc¬
tion north of the city, with its two lines united as
*/ 7
one route, to the intersection of Fifth and Boundary
streets, northeast, and from thence follow the line of
Fifth street, crossing G- street at grade, passing un¬
der F street, and in tunnel from a point between E
and F streets northeast.) to the intersection of Fifth
street and North Carolina Avenue, southeast, and
thence, mainly in tunnel, southwestwardly to the
general passenger depot.
28
Touching another branch of the subject, viz., the
least objectionable route for the Southern Connecting
lines, between the proposed Union Railroad Passen¬
ger Depot at Reservation 17 and the Long Bridge,
vour committee recommends that all the railroads in-
terested shall, by suitable curves from said Union
Passenger Depot, connect at K street, S. E., near
~New Jersey Avenue, running thence in a double
track across that avenue, First street, S. E., and }
street, S. E., on grade (the street grade at such
points being slightly changed), and thence, by ele¬
vated road, along K street, S. E. and S. W., to
Water street, along Water street to Twelfth street,
S. W., and thence, by suitable curve, to a connection
with the Long Bridge, as per profile furnished here¬
with.
For the accommodation of the business interests
at Georgetown, and to facilitate the transportation
of its freight, your committee also recommends
that Congress authorize the railroads crossing the
Potomac river at the Long Bridge, to construct a
branch road from the Long Bridge, northwestwardly,
along the south bank of the newly-made ground
known as the Flats, said branch to extend to and
into Georgetown, and along Water street as far up
the river as the Aqueduct Bridge. This branch would
relieve the merchants and manufacturers at George¬
town from the delays and expenses incident to the
transportation by dray* of heavy freights to and
from depots now located at long distances from the
business portions of Georgetown, and at the same
time the branch' road constructed along the south
29
water front of the Flats would serve as a protection
to that improvement.
With regard to still another branch of the subject,
viz: the location of railroad freight depots and yards,
your Committee is informed that the Piedmont Air
Line already is amply provided with grounds pur¬
chased by it, at both ends of the Long Bridge, for
such purposes ; and that the Baltimore and Potomac
already owns certain sqtiares south of Canal street,
between New Jersey and Delaware Avenues, ad¬
jacent to Beservation 17, also well adapted to such
requirements. In order, then, to place all trie com¬
panies upon the nearest equality in this respect, your
Committee recommend that the southern line be au¬
thorized to establish its freight-depot south of Mary¬
land Avenue, near the Washington end of the Long
Bridge ; that the Baltimore and Potomac Company
have similar authority for a freight-depot south of
Canal street, between New Jersey and Delaware
Avenues ; and that the Baltimore and Ohio Company
be authorized to establish its freight-depot on the
northern side of Boundarv street, at or about the
4/ 7
head of New York Avenue, with authority also to
run a freight track from the Washington Branch to
connect with the Metropolitan Branch within the
District, but north of the Boundary of the city.
Assuming that the present centre of business is at
the intersection of 9th and F streets, N. W., the
three freight-depots, thus located, would be almost
equidistant from it, thus placing the various railroad
companies on an almost exact equality in respect of
freight-receipts and deliveries, as well as of passen¬
ger movements.
30
Should Congress adopt the plan recommended by
your committee, touching the surface-route of the
Baltimore and Ohio around to the east of Capitol Hill,
instead of tunneling through it, northeast Washing¬
ton could be entirely relieved of all railroad tracks.
Should Congress also sanction your committee's plan
of route between Reservation 17 and the Long Bridge,
southwest Washington will be similarly relieved of
all save elevated tracks. Southeast Washington will
then, practically, be the only section of the city at
all affected by railroad-crossings at street-grade. In
view of this last fact, your committee further recom¬
mend that Congress be asked to so legislate on this
subject as to confine the railroad tracks within a
space of 30 feet on all streets along which they pass
at grade, and provide all proper safeguards; and that
for leaving freight or other cars, etc., standing on
the street tracks, and for using a street or avenue for
other than transit purposes, heavy penalties be pre¬
scribed. ,
In order also to prevent future vexatious railroad-
complications, and to encourage other railroads to
enter the city, your committee further recommend
legislation by Congress granting to all other railroad
companies hereafter desiring the same, the right so
to enter, by any of the railroad lines recommended
in this report, upon fair and equitable terms, and
with like restrictions.
Summarized Recommendations.
In conclusion, your committee will briefly sum¬
marize its recommendations, which are these:
^ IJva <• !■ Xa..0.j.l(
/t/v^
1. Locating Union Railroad Passenger Depot *&t-
A
Reservation 17.
2. Removal of all present steam car tracks west
of JSTew Jersey Avenue to tlie Long Bridge, on Vir¬
ginia and Maryland Avenues and Sixth street.
3. Purchase of present^ Baltimore^ and;' Pdtomac
Depot buAding^for u^e of District government.
4. Removal of present Baltimore and Ohio Depot
and all its present steam car tracks from within the
northeast section of the city.
5. The Baltimore and Potomac line to enter from
the Eastern Branch, as at present, to 2nd street,
east, and thence to curve ^froig K street, southeast, Lvv c/{ r
into fteservTUltm 17/MvX^V" ' *
6. The Baltimore and Ohio branches to connect \ ;h
north of Boundary street, and skirting the eastern ^ A > ;
boundai^jpf tjie city, on the surface^ connect with'
the Baltimore ani^Potomaq line east, .of Congres- . ^
I V
t
A V'
c
vj
. I. i t - 1 *■ LA^yx^i.—--, - ^ ->j -w
sional Cemetery, and reach R^4ervta#on~d-7 on said A . ■ > 1
line; or, as an alternative, trH"each sard^eseiwatioA /
by-tunneling CapitoL-Hill under Fifth street,^ast,~^ *
ap^North_.Cjaxolinar Avenue. ^ q'
7. Southern connecting lines with Baltimore and 2
I PotomacVv&n|l Baltimc^e and Ohio to curve out of . y s
. Reservatioti 17 to K street^ south J and thence by ele- r
* tated road westwardly to Water street, and along
Water street to the Long Bridge.j
8. Authorizing connecting branch line from north¬
ern end of Long Bridge-along outer edge of the Flats
and Georgetown to Aqueduct Bridge.
9. Freight depots for southern connections, to be
south of Maryland Avenue, at the Long Bridge ; for
Baltimore and Potomac, south of Canal street, near
32
Reservation 17 ; and for the Baltimore and Ohio,
north side of Boundary street, at head of New York
«■/ 7
Avenue,—with privilege of a connecting freight-line
between its Washington and Metropolitan Branches
north of the Boundary.
10. Confining all steam-railroad tracks running at
grade through the city to a space 30 feet in width,
with proper safeguards, and heavy penalties for
standing street obstructions, etc.
11. Admitting other railroad companies hereafter
desiring to enter the city, under like restrictions, by
same routes, upon fair and equitable terms.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
C. B. CHURCH,
Chairman.
ISAAC L. JOHYSOY,
Secretary.
MAP OF THE PROPOSED CHANGES.
[By the kindness of the "EVENING STAK."]
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