Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-09
THREE-HOUR T|E-UP
OF AUTOS OCCURS
AT HIGHWAY SPAN
Motorists Using New Route
to Alexandria Are Held
Big Factor in Jam.
TRIO REPORTED TAKING
MT. VERNON ROAD TOLL
Park Policeman, Entreated to Aid
Stalled Drivers, Finds Cars
Lined Up by Hundreds.

The vexing question of just who has
police jurisdiction over the territory
surrounding the Virginia side of the
Highway Bridge and the unauthorized
public use of the incomplete Mount
Vernon Memorial Highway combined
with food of automobiles yesterday
afternoon to create an unprecedented
traffic jam. While the number of mo-
florists stalled in the jam has been
placed as high as $4,000, United States
Park Police said today they had no ex-
act tab on the number of cars involved
in the tie-up.
Assisting Arlington County. Va, au-
thorities and District police were Lieut..
H. Helms, Sergt. William Shelton and
Officers P. r. Toland and j. E. Shawhan
of the United States Park Police. Mo-
florists visiting the Washington Air Port,
those wishing to be among the first to
use the new Mount Vernon Memorial
Highway, which is paved southwark
from the vicinity of Gravelly Point, and
those out for Sunday afternoon rides
united to contribute to the tie-up.
Police Jurisdiction Lacking.
The Mount Vernon Memorial High
way is being constructed under the
Jurisdiction of the Bureau of Public
it Is expected that when 1t Is finished
Lieut.. Col. U. S. Grant Sd, director
of Public Buildings and Public Parks,
will assume Jurisdiction. At present no
governmental body has police jurisdic-
ton over the highway.
AS a result, motorists freely use the
completed highway, taking an unpaVed
route from the end of the concrete near
the Railroad Bridge, to get onto the
Highway Bridge. Construction is still
going forward on the highway south
ward from Columbia Island and beneath
the Highway Bridge to point near the
highway to and from Alexandria were
an important factor in the traffic jam.
Men Reported Taking Toll.
Oficer Shawhan about 8:15 last night
was advised that some one was charg-
ing fee of IS cents to let automobiles
through the barricade at the under
pass at the Highway Bridge, leading to
the paved section of the Mount Vernon
Highway. Upon investigation, the OH
Ger said, he found this was the case,
as three men had built a campfire and
were accused of collecting coins from
the motorists. The trio informed the
officer they were on their way South,
but denied taking any money. The po-
liceman started these men on their way
and tore up their camp. Unable to
place responsibility for the alleged col
lecting of Is cents per car, he let the
matter drop.
The traffic jam began to assume Sc
riouS proportions shortly after 3 o'clock
yesterday afternoon and became in
creasingly acute, lasting for about three
hours. Traffic was backed up on the
Mount Vernon Highway, as well as on
I1o 10 IN
terminus at the Highway Bridge.
Finds $50 Autos in jam.
Officer Toland said that about 4:30
yesterday afternoon, while he was hand
ling traffic at the south end of the
Highway Bridge he received complaints
from motorists about the Mount YER
non Highway being blocked of at the
Railroad Bridge. He was advised that
engineers had run tractor and an au-
tomobile across the road, adding to the
traffic confusion.
The officer told the compliments that
the United States Park Police have no
jurisdiction over the Mount Vernon
Memorial Highway, but, responding to
insiStent appeals, he went to give what
aid he could. There he found about
200 automobiles which had come down
from Alexandria, as well as some SO
automobiles from the Washington side
halted by the barricade.
With the assistance of the engineers,
who have the road under construction,
the motorists on the Washington side
Of the barricade were turned around and
sent back so that the 200 cars could
be let through.
Recurrence Is Expected.
While there are signs, put in place
by the Bureau of Public Roads and
the road contractor, advising the pub
lie that there is no thoroughfare, mo-
florists persisted in driving through a
narrow space permitting the passage
of one car at time
Capt. r. c. Montgomery, U. S. A..
superintendent of the United States
park police, said today that he foreSees
a recurrence of yesterdays traffic jam
on succeeding Sundays until the queS-
ton of jurisdiction is definitely decided
and proper policing arrangements are
made. The captain asserted that the
tan police have jurisdiction on the
Highway Bridge proper and for 1000
feet on the Virginia side.
Park Police Help Out.
Capt. Montgomery said he started
sending the park police over to assist
in unravelling traffic jams more than a
airport authorities. Special events at
the airport caused an influx of motor
lists, creating confusion. When the
large transport planes we're put into
commission here, this added attraction
caused large number of motorists to
visit the airport and watch the planes
take off. The Highway Bridge is a
| bottle neck of this trafic, and because
| everybody else seemed to refuse to take
jurisdiction, the United States park
police were sent over to assist, Capt.
Montgomery asserted.
The superintendent made it clear that
the park police are not pulling Vir-
ginias chestnuts out of the fire" The
captain realizes, he said, that the people
| inconvenienced are mostly District peo-
pie and the park police merely act to
straighten out traffic jam and do not
attempt to enforce Virginia regulations,
The main dispute over Jurisdiction is
on Military road, the captain said, re-
, calling that Congress has considered a
transfer of this thoroughfare from the
Fort Myer, Va, authorities to the
United States Park Police, but this leg