Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-01-13
Old Question Revived When Wash
ington- on-Newport News Short Line
Seeks Permission to Enter Capital.


or not the Potomac river is under the
Joint control of Maryland and VIZ
rinia or under the entire jurisdiction
of Maryland, arose yesterday at a
! SUPPLEMENTAL hearing by the army
engineers on the application Of the
Washington Newport News Short
Line for a permit to bridge the river.
Delegations from Norfolk, Newport
News. York county and Colonial
Beach attended the hearing and
urged that the permit be granted,
the conference before Colonel Flag
lcr being continuation Of the one
held in Baltimore two months ago.
In addition to the Virginia business
men, there were present President +.
S Cannon. of the Washington-New-
port News Short Line.
It developed at the hearing that
Col. Flagler has made a preliminary
report to General Black, chief of the
army engineers, on the applications
for permits to bridge the James,
York, Rappahannock and Potomac
rivers. While it was not directly
stated ut the hearing, it is under
stood that hitch has arisen in the
matter of the application for the Po-
tomac river bridge permit.
The army engineers are in doubt
as to whether Maryland alone exer-
cises jurisdiction over the Potomac
river or whether Maryland and
Virginia jointly control the waters.
if Maryland alone has the control Of
tie Potomac river, the army cnCi-
neers can grant the permit without
sanction by Congress. But if both
states have jurisdiction the authority
of Congress must be invoked TO
build the bridge.
Representative William a. Jones,
or Virginia, whose district borders
on the Potomac, contends that the
Potomac is wholly within the State
oi Maryland, and that the State line
commences at low-water mark on the
Virginia side. Mr. Jones cites
conference held by George Washing
ten and citizens of Maryland and
Virginia in 1883. at which it decided
that the Maryland Virginia State
line was at the low-water mark OF
tie Potomac river on the Virginia
side. Mr. Jones also quoted re-
cent Supreme Court decision uphold
ing the question that the Potomac
river is under the control of Mary
land.
The Virginia delegation urged the
Army Engineers to take this view
Of the boundary lire between the
two States. They told the engineers
that if the permit case had to be
taken TO Congress it would mean Il
delay OF one or two years before
the permit would be granted. This
delay naturally meant, they added,
that the work Of financing the con-
struction of the line would also be
deferred that long. The Nirginians
are anxious that the construction Of
the new railroad be pushed rs rap
idly rs possible. 1t will not only
open new territory, which has no
railroads at present, but it will give
Norfolk shore line railroad to
Washington and By connection with
the Baltimore and Ohio new and
quick line to Baltimore. Philadelphia
and New York.
1t is proposed to tap the Shepard's
Branch of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad at the District Maryland
lire opposite Alexandria, and over
those tracks enter Washington and
connect with the main line Of the
Baltimore and Ohio for its Baltimore
and New York connection
TWO DECK RRJDGE