Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-02-10
ALEXANDRIA:
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1874.

pondent Honestus, has lately furnished
your readers with three communications,
on the subject OF the quality and quantity
OF Hour Tor The last one or two years, and
also strong hints at bis disapprobation oil
the present -four Inspector. IL The true
name and intention Of your correspondent
was not too well known, there would be
some reason to hope that the Signature un.
der which be writes would justify bin in
the name he has assumed; and should BIZ.
honest zeal for the pubic good make any
impression within its own sphere, there
would be but little doubt The evil be com.
plains Of would decline. Your wiley cor.
responent, if | understand him correctly.
has given his views, as 10 the causes, why
the quality of aour has declined more in
Alexandra than it has in Baltimore during
the same years; and that in 1889 and IS.
the former place has still declined; while
that Of the latter ha, increased-tbe ex.
tent Of The decrease Of the one, and the il.
crease of the other. he has put down in f.
cures, which will guess may be correc.:
but as differ from your honest friend in
some Of the most important points he ba.
undertaken to explain, | will, by your per-
mission. give TO your correspondent what
information can.
First. 1t can be fully made appear. that
the counties of Fairfax, Prince William
Loudoun, and Fauquier, have not yield.
ed to the farmer, for the las, FIVE years, on
an average, more than two. thirds Of crop:
that the ricb valley comprising the coun.
ties of Berkely, Jefferson, Frederick, She
nandoah, and Morgan, will add. ha, al.
so declined much from their former pro.
duoiiveness. and more especially that
part of Frederick and Shenandoah which
mostly trade to this pIsce.-As to The
counties Of Jefferson, Berkeley and Morgan,
they have uniformly sought as their prin.
cipal market the city Of Baltimore. It is
true, that during the boating season there
is considerable -four descends The Potomac
from the three counties last named, which
is principally purchased by our neighbors
al Georgetown-there is also, during The
same season, large quantities Of -four boat.
ed from the counties Of Frederick and
She nandoah, considerable part OF which
also is purchased at Georgetown. This
-four, 10 former years, was mostly wagon
ed to Alexandria; and further, that part of
Loudoun most adjacent to the Potomac ri.
yer have taken, in late years, consider
able part Of their wheat TO The mills ip the
neighborhood Of Georgetown, during the
dry season OF the year, where they have
obtained higher prices than they could at
Alexandra, or the mills in its vicinity
! As for that part Of Shenandoah which ad.
Joins Rockingham, the same cause exists in
the one as does in the o'her-tbe town Of
Fredericksburg and city OF Richmond 10
their natural and nearest market. Ii 10
true, that these counties, in former years,
traded more at Alexandria than they do
noW-but now they have declined. Tor Sc
versI causes, but few only ! will siste:--
first, the distance is not so great second
ly, their own markell towns. OF late, have
become more ex.ensive-tbirdly, hey
have not TO pay heavy turnpikeage-and
lastly, though not least, they take more
money home by trading where they do,
than they could provided they traded here.
The item Of turnpikeage forms The mos.
prominent part OF their complaint, wbe.
tber justly or unjuslly shall not pretend
to say: but so 1t Is, 1t is so. that many
who formerly traded here, now do not;
and when the cause is enquired Tor, we re-
, ceive tor answer those have now express.
ed. Adding all these circumstances loge-
ther, TO wit: the great decline OF the raw
material raised in the FIRST tour Counties
the division which Baltimore produces, in
consequence Of Der general mercantile i'm.
portance over the town of Alexandra, pro-
duced by the intercourse OF her merchants
with all the counties that trade here, and
the decided preference given by part OF
Shenandoah, y The whole Of Rockingham
| counties. to their nea rest and hest m a rkets
ARE all circumstances. when combined,
that will justify the belief that the guam.
tity Of -four has not declined, as much as
might be inferred, at the inspection port Of
Alexandria; and that the reason, | have