Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-09
HERNDoN AND VICINITY
RAILWAY Company Secures Right Of
Way-Improvements Noted.

special Correspondence of The st,r
HERNDON. Va. December o 1aox
~ reported that the Washington A.
iiHs'on ana Falls Church Railway 1,o,-
paN' mas recently secured right of wav
sh 'ne farm OF j. B. Henderson. To-
an alexandria county, Va ana that
eeiiiihs III a point somewhere betwser
ais ohurch and Ballston. the road Womb
:, 10 constructed in order to make a direct
iiiie between Falls Church and the Nv,
highway bridge across the Potomac r,,or
at washington city. This will bring III.
eiectric road about one-half n mi,a- na,r..
Giencariyn, one of the largest statio,s ~,
way. 0 'outhelh rail-
II Is also stated that this road "a g., ,ro..
Ieed or additional electric power. heinz 81
Ines iiaroiy able to move the heavily load
e. cal 20, ana mat 1t is possible a power
pan. VIII De erected at some place along
the line OF the road. possibly at Vienna In
.hat case the power will also be utilized 70
Iurnlsh electric lights to some of the larg-
.h,s 'o WIS an me vicinity of the road. IL
TINS road should be extended bevond ~.
present terminus. Fairfax Court House an
necessary 'eSohio
,,,i nhere is every prospec. that the Old Do
i,liiaoh railway will be in operation by the
nrst OF the new year. There are several
projects for the extension OF the Ola No
minion, one of which is a. branch line to
take in Dranesville and Harndon ana cow
tinue on TO Aide or Winchester Rjgbt .,
way for this purpose has been offered one
properly owner on the proposed route Of
L terihg TINS right and an additional contrl-
1t was expected that the Washington and
winchester Railway Company would build
nne 10 connect with the Old Dominion
put the indications now are that the re-
naming energies of the company will for
the present at least, be confined TO the d.
veiopment of water powers and the erec-
tlon or power plants with a view of dis
eliputlhg electric power throughout this
section or the country, and at the Same
time be ready to occupy the field with an
aclual ralroad In case another railroad
company should attempt to step in.
The work OF diverting Four-mile run
where that stream enters the Potomac river
at the junction of the Bluemont branch Of
the Southern railway with the main line
from the south, Is now nearing completion
Ihls work is by far the most interesting
piece of engineering work yet undertaken
by the railroad company engaged In the
construction of the extensive freight yards
which are TO extend from Alexandria city
to F'our-m!le run. At this point originally
the steam cars ran over Four-mile run and
under the old canal, and It was Just hero
that about ten years ago there was one
of the most expensive railroad accidents
in the history OF railroading, when two
freight trains collided and their valuable
contents were destroyed by fire.
In carrying out the work OF diverting the
stream the wagon road which passed over
it by means OF a stone bridge has been
completely obliterated and persons living
on the point OF land letting out into tho
river at this place obliged to travel a
long distance to gain the highway In order
to reach either Washington city or Alexan-
dria.
About twenty five acres of land out on
this point is all now running of the origi.
nal plantation which is said to have ex-
tended from Georgetown to beyond Alexan-
dria, and which was owned by the Alexan-
ders, their ownership dating back TO 1900,
This is now called Preston Farm" and
those living there are the direct descendants
Of the original owner and OF Governor
Swan Of Maryland The old mansion
house, to which, It is said, George WASH
ington was a frequent visitor, was burned
during the civil war, but there still re-
mains the family burial ground In which
are traces of graves which date back to the
revolutionary war.
The freight yards are taking on some
order, and an idea can be formed of the
vast extent OF the projected improvement.
Many tracks and sidings have been laid,
and these are being used to a limited ex.
tent. Roundhouses and machine shops are
being erected, and the final grading Is now
under way; and a beginning has been
made IN laying tracks from the south end
of the new railroad bridge. and work trains
are using the roadbed which has been con-
structed In order to make the line from the
bridge to Alexandria city straight one.