Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1907-07-19
THE CONDUIT ROAD.

with the view OF securing his personal view
on the subject before any change is made il
the present policy Of the War Department
with respect to the regulation Of travel OF
that road. Gen. Oliver, who Is acting sec
rotary Of war, and Gen. Mackenzie, chief O
engineers, who has general supervision owe
the Washington aqueduct and Its accesso
ries, do not care to take any radical actor
In this matter until after they have heart
from Secretary Taft, who has shown per
sonal as we'll as an official interest In the con
troVersy between Mayor Garrett, 'of Gler
Echo, and the engineer officers in charge o.
the aqueduct, which arose over the alleged
arbitrary interference with members Of the
diplomatic corps for alleged overspeedinG
through the town of Glen Echo.
Gen. Mackenzie said that he had not ye
fully digested the opionion OF the Attorney
General, and consequently was not fully
aware Of what, II anything, he was called
upon to do with respect to the enforcement
of the laws and regulations governing the
Conduit road. His course OF action In tht
matter, he said, would be governed entirely
by the views of the Secretary of War. II
might be deemed advisable to amend or ex.
tend the rules and regulations already In
force for the care and preservation Of The
aqueduct property, including the Conduit
road, but that Is question for future deter
mination. The question of the speed Of
automobiles and other vehicles 10 already
covered in the existing regulations, and
Gen. Mackenzie said he was not prepared to
say whether the department would change
those regulations 30 as to authorize higher
rate of speed over the road. The chief of
engineers said also that the question as how
the government would police the road and
preserve the peace has not yet been deter
mined.
Some Of the law officers of the War De.
partment say that under the opinion of the
Attorney General the general government
has exclusive Jurisdiction over the Conduit
road its entire length, from the Great Falls
to Georgetown, and that the District Com.
mlssioners have no more control over that
portion OF the road within the District lin.
its than have the Maryland authorities over
that portion within the limits of Maryland
No one at the War Department seems to
believe that it will be necessary to employ
troops TO preserve the peace or to enforce
the laws on the Conduit road. The general
impression is that that work will be devolv-
ed on force OF deputy marshals, to be ap-
pointed and paid by the Department Of JUS
tice.
Maj. Spencer Cosby, Corps OF Engineers,
who is the official representative OF the chief
of engineers 10 the operation, care and
maintenance of the Washington aqueduct,
may be called on to prepare rules and regu :
latlons for the government OF the Conduit
road, in accordance with the Attorney Gen.
erals opinion, for the consideration and &C.
ton of the chief of engineers and the Sec
rotary of War. He Is credited with the
opinion that the Conduit road In the future
may be patrolled by the deputy sheriffs, with
power, vested in them by the United States
government, to make arrests for violations
OF such regulations as may be promulga-
ted.
Heretofore" said the major, "it has been
the custom TO allow state supervision OF
government roads, and am extremely sor.
ny that occasion has arisen necessitating
contrary action by the government.
"As long as the authorities of a town
conduct matters in moderate way there
is no complai on the part OF the govern
ment. But az soon as officials overstep the
bounds of their authority, as the Glen Echo
authorities are represented to have done,
then 1t is time for the federal governm ent to
step in and relieve them of authority.
"The Conduit road is, of course, govern
ment property and subject to such regula-
lions as the federal authorities may deem
advisable. 1t has been said that the gov.
eminent does not maintain watchmen on
the road. This Is erroneous. There are
th.aa ,yatobpoan with a a;,,iIar pu1,har of
spbordina,es who nstrol The road night and
day. Now that the Attorney General has
rnled that The government shall maintain
order and discipline on the thoroughfare il
NAV he necessary To appoint deputv sher.
ifs !"
G.L. Baker. attorney for John A, Lulz.
who has entered appeal from fine of Mayor
Garrett. will not onlv use the opinlon of Al.
tornev General Bonaparte. that the road Ia
Federal propertv. but will also attack the
validity of the Glen Echo charter. claim.
ing that under the MARYLAND law A petition
for a municpal cornoratlon must have sio.