Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-21
HERNDON AND VICINITY.
Date of Railway Opening Postponed
Death of James Edwards.


HERNDON, Va. October p. 1906
Operation of the Great Falls and Old
Dominion Railroad for passenger traffic.
which it was promised should begin No
vember l, has again been deferred, and it Is
said that not before December / will the
line be ready for business
Many of the residents along the new line
are hoping that traffic will be opened be-
fore winter sets In, and it seems that the
expectation of the management to accom-
plish this may be realized. unusual en-
ergy has beer exhibited and progress made
during the past few weeks.
The greatest delay was the result of the
company's attempt to gain access to the
Falls by passing through the property of
the Great Falls Power COMPANY, a tract
of between six and seven hundred acres of
land for which that company paid some
thing like S5u0,0c0 only few years ago.
1t is said the corporation commission of
Virginia gave the Old Dominion right to
condemn portion of this property for rail-
road purposes, but the supreme court of
appeals of the state reversed this action on
the ground that the railroad company
sought to condemn the land of the Great
Falls Power Company for a terminal point
on account of the rare scenic features 1t
afforded and because of the attractions it
would have to pleasure seekers from Wash
ington city. In other respects the location
possesses none of the advantages ordinarily
accruing to railroad, and it was contend
ed that but for the beauty of the scene it
would have been avoided by the railroad
company.
The Old Dominion was thus denied the
power to condemn this land, and it then
obtained from the board of supervisors of
Fairfax county permission to use the
Georgetown and Ieesburg pike for a little
less than two miles. and in this way go
around the Great Falls Power Company
land to the Falls.
Rails have been laid and poles placed as
far as this point on the road: but the wires
have not been strung the entire distance.
Construction and supply trains have been
In operation over a portion of the road for
some time, and apparently every effort is
being made to have the whole line In oper-
alton before the snow begins to fall
Contract has been entered into with the
Westinghouse. Church, Kerr Company of
New York whereby, ii Is SAID, the cars will
be equipped with 200 horsepower motors,
and will be able to make more than forty
miles an hour.
While the bed of this road has been con-
stIucted in a most substantial manner, and
the bridges over all the streams on the
line well built one of these bridges
being a steel structure COO feet In length
and 100 feet high. the bridges and the road
bed are nevertheless not regarded as of
such construction as would ha necessary
for the very heavy cars and locomotives In
use ON one of the steam raiiruads entering
Washington. The final use OF the Great
Falls and Old Dominion railroad by the
Wabash or any other great steam road is
very much doubted by gentlemen who
has been over the entire line and made 1t
study as an engineer. At any rate. 1t Is
claimed. 1t will lbe the very best electric
road entering the city of Washington.
The death of Mr.. James Edwards, re-
tired New York broker. who purchased
farm near Herndon about q year ago. oc-
CURED yesterday. Mr.. Edwards had been
In poor health for a number of years, and
since leaving New York city has travelled
extensively on that account. He has taken