Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1912-06-05
DRAMATIC 5CENE:
At COURT HEARING
Old Dominion Ry. and Washington
Virginia Ry. Before Corpora
ton Commission.
MYERS IS MADE ENGINEER
VIII Examine into Cost of Under.
ground Crossing near Lacey Sta
tion and Report to Commission.

Richmond, June5-In what was prob
ably the most dramatic scene ever en-
acted before the State Corporation
Commission, the Washington and Old
Dominion Railway Company, at a
hearing yesterday, suddenly called the
hand of its opponent, the Washington
Virginia Railway Company, and ap-
left the latter without leg
10 stand on. The Washington and Old
Dominion, which was the respondent
in proceedings for restraining order
to prevent the consumation of its rail
pad building plans, challenged the pc
fioner on the latter's own propositi-
FFhc. Observation-Disclosures sought
continuance of a temporary order,
uea few days since, to prevent the
lstruction of crossing at grade.
its endeavor to show why the cross
should not be put in, it introduced
engineer, who estimated that an un-
ground crossing could be construct
for about $4,000. Thereupon the
shington and Old Dominion, aban-
ing it's croSs-eXamination and ad-
ssing the Corporation Commission,
Eed to pay as much as $4,000 to
in a below surface track.
bth the opposition and the oppos-
attorneys were taken completely
surprise. The latter asked for
letion of the proposition and +. T.
mer, Of Baltimore, for the Wash
ton and Old Dominion, carefully
gated his terms to the stellograph-
thus making it part of the official
trd. A stipulation was that sim
track at grade may be put in for
until such time as the underground
ing can be completed.
IS desire for immediate use of the
is caused by the fact that the
sMngton and Old Dominion has re-
lily leased the Bluemont Division Of
Southern Railway, and has cleo
fed it throughout, making it the
,gest electric railroad in the state.
order to give better service into
ashington an extension of miles
being built between the old line and
south end Of the Aqueduct Bridge
rsthe Potomac and this connecting
will cross the tracks of the Wash
ton Virginia, also an electric road
a. point called Lacy. The Wash
ton and Old Dominion takes poss-
ion of the Bluemont Division on
lily /, and is under contract to Civ
e service into Washington. Failure
do so will cause the loss Of its mon
cy already expended.
Claiming that it sought to avoid
dangers of grade crossing, the Wash
Railway, which opc-
rates lines between the Capital City
and Alexandria, Mount Vernon, Ar
lington and Falls Church, secured a
few days ago a temporary restraining
order against the Washington and Old
Dominion. A hearing was held yes
terday on the proposition to make it
permanent. The Washington and Old
Dominion was represented by Judge
c. E. Nicol, of Alexandria; W. j. Lam
bert of Washington and F. T. Homer
of Baltimore. The attorneys for the
Washington-Virginia were James h,
Cation of Alexandria and John S. Bar
bour of Fairfax.
The Virginia put on the
stand William B. King, an attorney OF
Loudoun county, who testified that a
grade crossing at the point designated
considering the high speed that woulo
be necessary, would be dangerous.
The second witness was Charles A
S. St. Clair, engineer for the Washing,
ton-Virginia. He had figured on ar
underground crossing, and thought ii
would cost about $4,000. When ask
ed what twenty-foot crossing would
cost he roughly estimated it at $4,000
Mr.. Homer referred to stream whose
waters would have to be diverted, mah
ing an additional expense, and sait
the engineers of his company had es
timated the cost of an underground
way at $4,000. When Mr.. St. Clai
put the total at less than $4,000 Mr.
HOMER made the proposition to th
commission. He believed the othe
company simply wanted to delay ant
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