Evening star., 1925-08-22
V|RG|N|ANS Join
FIGHT ON BELTL|NE
Arlington County Citizens Add
Protest-See Menace to
All City's Suburbs.
Hands across the Potomac. f"

Hands across the Potomac
This slogan apparently has been
adopted by the many civic orsa MIA
tions of Marylan nd and Virginia CON
tiguous to the District OF Columbia,
who, deeply interested In the fun de
relopment OF The greater and regional
Washington idea, resent efforts now
being made bv the Washington
Loughboroueh Belt Line Railway
60. to encircle the National Cap
ital through the heart OF actuaI
and potential residential development.
sections where already many millions
of dollars have heen invested by home
owners.
Many Virginia civic orga MIA tions
are prepa ring 10 pass resolutions con-
demnine the proposed route as
menace to future development NJ
Arlington County. Several meetings
will be held in the immediate future.
Though these resolutions will have
no official force In Maryland, the Vir-
ginia communities are planning 10
forward their resolutions 10 the Mary
land Public Service Commission to
show their sentiment in the general
fight against the proposed road, and
in the face of the Virginia Corpora
ton Commissions grant OF right
TO the belt line TO operate within the
connnes of that State.
The Leeway Citizens Association
cf Arlington County has just passed a
resolution bitterly cOndemninS the
project, stating among other things:
This proposed railroad and indus
trial development so far 4 II might
he Of any adva ntaRe to or benefit 10
Washington and the District Of Co
lumbis-which benefit is extremely
doubtful-would be Al the expense or
nd ~
pies OF Maryla nd. by fastening upon
them said railroad md Industrial en-
terprises, with all their Objectionable
accompa niment - enterprises which
persistently nd properly have been
refused entra nee into the District Of
Columbia and the absence of which
is responsible for the beauty and
charm OF our National Capital"
The resolution. in fun reads:
Whereas. there has been orga niZed
and incorporated company or com
panies for the construction a nd opera
ton or freight beTt-line railroad from
about the Potomac railroad Yards at
or near Alexs ndria Va. and extend
ing through a part OF the ca stern por-
t1on or Fairfax County and through
the western part of Arlington County
10 ana across the Potomac River a
short dista nee above the Chain Bridge
and thence through Montgomery and
Prince Georges counties. Md. skirtinE
the boundary lines Of the District OF
columbia, to the Washington RaIti-
more and Annapolis Electric Railroad.
known as the Washington Lough-
borough Railway. and
Will Bring In UndesirabIes.
Whereas it is the expressed pur-
pose of said company or companies
associated with ii 10 promote. develop
ana encourage the development of
manufacturing and other industrial
enterprises along the lines OF said
railway which enterprises will. "a
experience has shown bring into the
territory where such enterprises are
established a floating and largely
alien class of people as employees
thereof: and
Whereas The freight traffic which
would pass over said belt line rail-
road. as estimated by the promoters
of the project. would approximate
2O,00O cars per month: and
Whereas the smoke and dust and
noise occasioned by such trafic and
the inconvenience to public travel
and the interference with the de
velopment and free use OF the road
nd street systems of our county. to
Sether with the practically assured
floating and alien character OF the in
tIcdSS Ol ilOn dIIeDdaDt upon
the esta blishment and opera tion Of sa id
railroad and Industrial enterprises. is
certain to greatly decrease the de-
siTa bility of our county as residen-
tial section and depreciare and pre-
vent establishment Of property val
ues; and
Whereas such ! Development in
our county is wholly and absolutely al
variance with and opposed 10 the plan
IF
worked out by the District OF CoIum-
bia in conjunction with our State . nd
the State OF Maryland for the extern
sion of the park system of the District
into our county and into said counties
of MarE-la nd: and
Would Mar Boulevard Plan.
Whereas. said proposed IA abroad
and industrial enterprises are vitality
at variance with the policy fostered
up to the present time by the people
and civic oTganiza tions OF our county
OF making the county a beautiful
residential suburb or our National
Capital City, and also NJ variance
with the great project now under way
for a 200-foot Lee boulevard from the
great Memorial Bridge over the To
tomac. through our county and State
to the Valley Of the Shenandoah: and
Whereas. this proposed railroad
and industrial development. so far as
IL might be Of any advantage or hen
eft 10 Washington and the District
Of Colum bia-which beneht is eX-
tremely doubtful-wouId be at the
expense of our county and people
and of the said counties and peoples
Of Mary land, by fastening upon them
said railroad and industrial enter
prises. with all their aforementioned
objectionable accom- animents-en-
enterprises which have persistently.
and properlN, been refused entrance
into the District OF Columbia. and the
absence of which is responsible for
the beauty and charm OF our Ma
tional Capital:
Now, therefore. Re il resolved That
Leeway Citizens Association, Of Ar
ltngton County. Va. hereby protests
against the construction and opera
tion OF said railroad and industrial
enterprises, and recommends that all
the civic associs tions and the civic
federation of our county protest ard
otherwise use their influence against
the esta blishment- of such railroad
and enterprises
The resolution is signed by E. c.
Thomas, secretary.
SIX HELD IN ROUNDUP
oC H0ItMTCDcrIr 0Anc