Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-10
RAILWAYS REQUEST DENIED
MAY NOT USE LOCOMOTIVES ON
MILITARY RESERVATION.
Great Falls Road Given Until Decem-
Der to Substitute Electric Motive
Power for Steam.

General Oliver, acting secretary OF war,
has taken action. in controversy between
Maj. M. G. Zalinski. Quartermaster, L. S. A.
and the Great Falls and Old Dominion Rail
road Company. respecting the use ~ the
latter company Of a part of the military
reservation of the United States at the
south end of the AQueduct bridge, Alexan-
dria county, Va, to connect its tracks
with the single track across the Aaueduct
bridge. A few days ago Maj. Zainski
wrote letter to Mr.. L. J. King, general
superintendent of the railroad company.
calling attention to the fact that small
steam locomotives have been used by the
company for motive power on the govern
ment reservation, while the revocable Ii
cense granted the company was for the
operation of an electric railway. Maj. Ia
inski said the use of steam locomotives
was dangerous. owing to the congestion of
travel on the government road over the
reservation and the probability o. fright
ened animals doing damage He also said
INA tL,ae .he reservation on the west side of
the government road must be kept clear of
crosStles, freight and other debris.
Superintendent Kings Request.
In reply. General Superintendent King
said that the use Of steam locomotives for
passenger service was an absolute neces-
sity with the Great Falls and Old Dominion
company. These locomotives had been
used for more than a year without any
objection. he said, and they are now used
for passenger service only when the cleo
trio line Is inadequate to handle the traffic.
&c said the locomotives used hard coal
ana there was no smoke or other objection
able features
For us to abandon this service at this
time without having any previous notice"
SAID the general superintendent, is a ais
tinct hardship, and will cause great none
tary loss and inconvenience and disappoint-
ment to thousands of people who wish to
go to the falls, and whom we are furnish
ing every facility we can. The work of
grading at this point would have been
done some time ago. but we have been
necessary to be done to complete the double
track and the work necessary tA be done at
the falls. respectively request that per-
mission be given to this company for the
continued operation Of the locomotives for
passenger service
Maj. Zalinski's Recommendation.
In forwarding the papers to the quarter
master general OF the army Maj. Zalinski
says: THE revocable license dated Novem-
Der 20. 1905. to the Great Falls and Old
Dominion Railroad Company grants author
ity to construct and maintain an electric
road. and 1t therefore appears that 1 am
not authorized to grant the request of the
said company for permission to operate
small steam locomotives on the military
reservation at the south end of the AQue
duct bridge. Furthermore, in view of the
danger from the use of steam cars on the
reservation. owing to the congestion of We
hicle traffic on the government road at the
south end Of the bridge and the probability
of frightened animals doing damage. 1t is
believed that the use of steam motive power
Is prohibited by section 7 of the act of
Congress approved January 2. 1903.
therefore recommend that authority be not
granted to said company to operate said
steam trains nthe military reservation
but do recommend that reasonable
time, say sixty or ninety days, be granted
to enable the company to replace the steam
cars with ones operated by electricity
Acting Secretary oliver has returned all
the papers to the quartermaster general
with instructions to inform the company
that the department will not interfere
with the use of the steam locomotives as
shown herein before December /. 1907, but
their use from and after that date upon
the military reservation will be prohibited"