The Washington herald., 1907-07-19
HOPE SALE EFFECTED
Patrons of W., A. & &c. Road
Anxious for Change.
LONG FOR BETTER SERVICE
Reported Purchase by Great Fails
and Old Dominion Company Brings
JOY to Commuters in Falls Church
and Fairfax COunty-XegOtiatiO
Said TO Be stiII Under Way.

Much interest was taken yesterday in
the reported sale of the Washington,
Arlington and Falls Church electric rail-
road 10 the Great Falls and Old Domin-
ion Company. Persons living along the
line. the commuters Of Falls Church and
Fairfax County, were greatly pleased,
thinking that the sale, II it should be
made. would be a means OF relief from
the evils OF which they have suffered
for years.
Financiers and others were much inter-
ested. as the report was In the nature
of a confirmation of similar rumors that
gained circulation about two months ago.
At that time a well-knOwn broker on F
street was authorized, it Is said, to offer
to the large shareholders Of the Old
Dominion line the control Of the stock
held by the Hinchmans, Of Philadelphia,
II Is understood that the officials of the
Dominion line were not at that time in
position to accept the offer. though they
gave It some consideration.
At an earlier date it is known that
persons holding the minority shares Of
the stock in the Falls Church line Of
fered TO dispose Of that stock at what
was considered a low figure.
Offer Not Accepted.
It is said the officials Of the Old Domin-
ion line did not look with favor upon
that proposition, as it would not give
them control of the road. which Is the
thing wanted, il the property is to be
taken over at ali.
One of the officials Of the Great Falls
and Old Dominion line said yesterday
that though the matter had been under
consideration more or less for two years,
nothing actually definite had been done
toward closing a deal for the property
in question. This official said he supposed
his company might acquire the road, If
1t chose TO do so, but that the question
had never been before the directors in
a tangible form. This official said he
considered the story that had gone into
circulation as a revival Of rumors that
were spread about last May, when there
was some talk of an offer being made
10 sell a controlling interest in the line.
This official did not believe there was
anything definite in the way of an actual
bargain.
Late yesterday afternoon q second ru-
NOR started in Georgetown 10 the effect
that the Capital Traction Company had
not the Great Falls and Old Dominion
Company was the buyer. but this was
denied by the officials Of the Capital
Traction Company.
Negotiations in Progress.
Persons quite near 70 the Official board
of the Old Dominion Line were inclined
yesterday TO credit the reports that nego-
tiations were in progress for the transfer
Of the property. They argued that the
company and management Of the Falls
Church line. as now organized. would ex-
perience some difficulty in meeting the
requirements made by the corporation
commission Of Virginia, without q reor-
ganization. with the issue of new stock
or bonds. This in itself was looked upon
as a strong incentive to sell, If a fair
price could be obtained for the control.
virginians, II is said. have long i'm
plored the Old Dominion Line officials to
extend their tracks into the territory
served by the Falls Church road. To do
this, II was said, would require long feed
ing lines from the main system down to
Falls Church, Vienna, and other points.
Il is said the officials OF the new road
have not been adverse 20 this proposition.
But il is believed that II would be found
cheaper in the end TO acquire the road
already constructed and fit It up TO the
standard Of the Great Falls and Old Do
minion line than 10 construct the spur
lines mentioned and seek 70 make them
profitable as feeders to the main system.
In conclusion persons discussing the
question along these lines declared that
the acquisition OF the property by the
Mclean -Elkins interests looked good from
financial standpoint. and the impression
was that something of the kind stated in
The Washington Herald was probably
on the tapis.
Seventeen Claim Damages.
Through Attorney r. c. L. Moncure, Of
Falls Church. suits for damages aggre-
eating Sls6,OO0 have been filed In Alexan-
dria County against the Washington, Ar
llngton and Fails Church Railway Com
pany, growing out of the accident near
Clarendon, July 3. These suits are in be-
half Of S. r. Dishmann and sixteen 9TH
ers for alleged injuries received in the
wreck caused by the collision Of a pas
senger and work train on the Falls
Church branch Of the line.