Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-11
MACKEy EXPLAINS
!. OIL PLANT POSITION
Arlington County Candidate
for Congress Tells Why He
Is Opposed to Permit.
BY LESTER n. INSKEEP,
STAFF Correspondent Of The Star.


Crandal Mackey, one Of Arlington
County's two candidates for the Demo-
cratic nomination for the House Of Rep
resentatiYes from the eighth congress
sional district of Virginia, Is violently
opposed to the location Of the Sun Oil
Co. on the proposed site at Rosslyn.
between the Lee Highway and the Po-
| tomac River.
| Among the reasons he cites why the
plant should be barred is that the loca-
| ton is not appropriate; that it would
cause fire hazard; that the proposed
wharveS would obstruct the flow of wa
| ter in food times, and that 1t would
! interfere with contemplated construc-
ton of the George Washington Memo
rial Park by the Federal Government.
Mr.. Mackey's Statement.
Details Of his opposition are contained
In the following statement issued by
him:
1T am opposed to the Sun Oil Co.
| locating at the place proposed because
! there are locations in the County OF
Arlington and down the river that are
appropriate for such an industry and
that will not interfere with the rights
of homeownerS and the public. I have
a selfish objection to the proposed loca-
| ton because it will store five million
gallons of gasoline near my home and
near the road to my home. Thirty five
other families in my neighborhood will
be exposed to the hazard OF fire and
explosion. Such explosion would spread
blanket Of flame from the Key Bridge
to the Chain Bridge, destroying all the
vegetation and magnificent trees it has
taken a century to grow.
Imagine 100000 gallons OF gaso-
line on fire at one time. throwing its
clouds of fire over the Potomac River
to the whole river front Of Georgetown
and enveloping the buildings of George
town University and residences on the
Canal and Conduit roads. We who
have lived a lifetime beside the Po-
tomac in the neighborhood where 1t
is proposed to put the tanks of the
Sun Oil Co. would live in constant
anxiety, nervousness, depression and
terror of such explosions. Gasoline
mixed with air is an explosive more
powerful than dynamite and no human
power can combat it when on fire.
Fire engines are helpless and water only
spreads the flames.
MANY courts have enjoined the 10
cation of tanks of gasoline in SparSely
settled areas where the capacity OF
the tanks were less than hundred
thousand gallons. Courts have declared
that no human precautions could
prevent explosions, because the human
element of care and neglect enter IN
the EQUATION, as we'll as oversight, in
difference and forgetfulness. The dam
ger of lightning, short circuits from
electric wires, on boats and trucks, and
along the conduits have caused nreS
from gasoline, and overhead cables and
wires along highways where the pipes
conveying gasoline are located have
caused disastrous explosions. Where
such explosions have occurred on nils
sloping toward rivers or near raVlneS
or stream running to nearby rivers the
whole surface of rivers has been COW
cred with flames to the danger and loss
of shipping and loss of life OF pleasure
seekers on the river.
1.-THE proposed wharveS extending out
in the river would certainly obstruct the
flow of water in times of flood and cause
pack ice to accumulate in the Winter 70
break up in the Spring to the danger OF
the Georgetown water front and the
shipping waiting there. No benefit
could come to any one except the stock
holders of the Sun Oil Co., and that
doubtful benefit. Such company as
shown by experience, pays little taxes 10
Arlington County, as the income that
the oil company receives is from sales
without the State at the place OF dellv-
cry, not taxable as income in Virginia. To
use the Potomac west of the Key Bridge
for commercial purposes Is not wise or
useful. Commercial uses west Of Key
Bridge would destroy the beauty of the
river that Is now playground for ca
noeistS, great recovered park ex-
tending to the Chain Bridge without at
present a commercial enterprise on
either shore.
Others Would Have Right.
"If the Sun Oil Co. can enter upon
this playground with its wharves and
tank ships and storage tanks, others will
have the same right and soon the sur
face of the water will be covered with
oil and gasoline and its use as resort
for pleasure destroyed. The purpose OF
the CHAMPION bill is to make a beauti-
full parkway along the Potomac on both
sides from the Key Bridge to the Great
Falls. Certainly any commercial enter
prise, to say nothing of Objectionable
enterprises, would profane the whole
area for private profit.
IF the park layout Is constructed,
the value of land on both sides Of the
river in the park area will be enor-
mously benefited. II the Sun OIL lay
out Is permitted. the value Of land on
both sides of the river will be dam
aged, If not destroyed. For my part, I
want no private interests to get foot
hold on either shore of the Potomac
between the Key Bridge and Chain
Bridge or at Great Falls. I am for the
Government development Of a power
plant at Great Falls and the exclusion
of the power trust in that and every
other area. The people of the District
of Columbia and Virginia are paying 10
times as much for electricity as the
people OF Hamilton, Ontario, where
electricity is furnished for / cent per
kilowatt hour under government owner
ship, and a private company Is meeting
the government rate at profit cent
per hour after go kilowatts. At st.
Frances, Canada, on the American Dor
der, electricity is being furnished for
~ cents per kilowatt hour on the Ca
madam side and by the power trust for
IL cents per kilowatt hour on the Min
nesota side. God help the beauty Of the
Potomac and the people II any private
| industry of oil or electricity can keep
them chained to the earth"