The times., 1899-08-03
who PUT IN THE LOOP??
The Mount Vernon Railway Officials
Make Discovery.
Find Heavy Current on Their
Wires While the Engines Were
Shut Down - Connections Cut in
With the Falls Church Line
Where the 'TLenkageo Came From.

Alexandria, Aug. Am incident"
which was discovered on Saturday night
last has caused a feeling Of suspicion, at
least, to dwell in the minds of the man
agement OF the Washington. Alexandria,
and Mount Vernon Electric Railway. This
company, in addition to its main line
from Washington to Alexandria and Mount
Vernon, operates a line from Washington
City TO Rosiyn. via Arlington Junction. At
the terminus of this branch line its tracks
are paralleled by those of the Washington,
Arlington and Falls Church Electric Rail-
way, which operates its cars between the
Church. The feed wires of the two lines
run in close proximity at Roslyn. At
an early hour on Sunday morning last,
when the last train had turned in at the
Four r-mile Run power house. the engines
were shut down and the current from this
source ceased. Night Yard Foreman Ed
ward Graves observed that the electric
lights continued to throw their ray, and
he was puzzled as to what caused it. He
Immediately called up the engineer at New
Alexandria, where the company also has
a power house, and enquired why the
engines at that point had been started up.
To his surprise he was advised that the
engines there had not been running that
night. Foreman Graves determined TO
solve the mystery. He tested the line and
found that he had sufficient current to
operate ear. and he at once proceeded
to the new Alexandria power house, about
a mile south of this city. He found that
he had been correctly advised, and that
the fluid" was not emanating from that
hQ headed
Arlington Junction, and upon reachifg
that point it was found that the switch
at that station. which permits the current
from the main line to operate the Roslyn
branch had not been cut out. as had been
the custom after the last ear had turned
in at night at the Four-mile Run power
house.
His suspicion at this discovery developed
into a conviction that something was
wrong on the branch line. The car was
run up the line to a point where the feed
wires of the Falls Church road run in
close proximity TO those of the Mount YER
non company. A close inspection was made
and it was soon discovered that the wires
of the two companies had been connected
by loop" and that this was the point
of leakage" The connection was broken
and Immediately the current on the Mount
Vernon line ceased to follow. In order to
again connected and the matter was re-
ported to the Mount Vernon road officials.
Subsequently Superintendent Colvin, with
a crew, visited the point OF connection"
and broke the loop. This act, it is under
stood, was unknown to the Falls Church
people, and when the latter company at
tempted to operate its cars on Sunday
morning the road was unable to move a
car on account of insufficient current. The
Washington, Arlington and Falls Church
Company receive their current from the
Potomac Electric Company of Washington,
and being provided with metre are only
charged with the amount of electricity
used. With the suspected assistance"
obtained from the Mount Vernon company.
it is alleged that the operating expenses of
the Falls Church line have been kept down
to a low figure.
The Mount Vernon Company claims it
did not put in the loop where the leak
age" occurred. The question naturally
arises. who did? Should il be found that
the Falls Church road was operating its
cars from the power OF the Mount Vernon
line and the latter road did not know OF 1t
until the accidental discovery on Sunday
last it would seem that the joke is on the
latter company.
The occurrence has not been given pub
licity. but it is understood that the man
agemeut of the Falls Church road will be
called on to explain by the Mount Vernon
road officials.
Some are inclined in look upon the mat
ter seriously while others are laughing
heartily over 1t.