Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-02-15
Tn. Resources and the Internal Inn
movements OF Va.

twenty--eyen millions OF uO'laie' h' VIC
learn from the re port Of the Finance Commit
teo cf the IL use, she owns, besides thiity
millions Of stocks and funds, six huudred
millions of taxable proE erty. Inc city OF
Baltimore with a taxable property worm less
than one hundred millions, owes htteea mil
lions. The debt which she has contracted
has afforded her the meats OF strength ana
growth, until she has become the powerful,
narb 4ps successful competitor OF this STATE
FIR the great prize Of the Western trade
Size has the spirit ard euterprize to move
cheerfuIIy ard gaily on beneath the weigh
# a dett four toM larger 10 proportion to
her resources than that under which tnis
State is t. groan and sink down III utter de-
splir! The contrast is Notifying to our
State pride.
The Virginia railroads are nearly I'll ~
c INFLICTED, and DIVIDENDS, OF course, canno.
be declared By companies with unhnished
works. But the State draws pecunlary re-
turns from her investment, before she gets
dividends. The large additions made to her
taxable values produce a considerable add
ZION TO the revenue d rived from taxes
From a table annexed to the report OF the
Committee Of Finance, it appears that 10 1t
COUNTIES adjacent to the Virginia and Ten
nessee road, nearly Il millions have been
added 70 The assessed value OF real estate. A
propoI tomato increase III other taxed values
would give an aggregate OF Increase IN the
taxable property OF these counties, OF about
p millions Of dollars, yielding to the lre"s-
ury at the present rate Of taxation. an annual
addition 10 tn revenue of 100000 We
might also furtiiy our position by similar H.
lustratigus drawn from recorded evidences OF
the enhanced value of property along the
lines Of other improvements.
What Virginian would be willing to retrace
the State policy and destroy all our public
improvements IN order 10 get back to the old
rate of taxation? Ii The State government
could nnihilate the existing public improve
ment hy an act of Assembly, 1t would require
i bold man to propose it even on CONDITION
Of going back to the old tax. There is not q
section Of the State where the loss ot one OF
these improvements would not be mUurned
over as a public calamity. Those Of our
railroads which constitute parts OF great
t~nrouga-lines o. travel, must DO profitable as
all other similar works every where else are
profitable.
The bill for an appropriation to the Orange
and Alexandria road is the first to be acted
on, and the vote upon 1t Will, we apprehend,
be decisive as to all the others. We hope,
therefore, that it will pass without needless
delay. There is not a link In the great
t~hrpugh-Iinc Of Southwestern travel, from
New Orleans t. Boston, which Is not q valua-
bic property. The COMPLETION of the Orange
and Alexandria road to Lynchburg, coG-
pietes the cInncct on from Tennessee across
the State of Virginia TO Washington. Is at
vnce makes this the quickest and most
eligible Of all the routes 10 the Southwestern
travel. When that is secured, the stock of
the Virginia and Tennessee and the Orange
and Alexandria Companies will beas valuable
as any railroad stock III The United States.
Virginia holds over three millions Of that
stick. An expenditure of a halt million
com pletes this great line, and brings to the
| State Treasury an annual revenue Of from a
quarter to a half million Of dollars. a re-
iusal & ex, end this desired aid TO the Orange
AID Alexandria Railroad to complete this
connection, will result, before another session
Of the General Assembly, in Il foreclosure OF
existing mortgages, and All entire loss Ot the
States interest IN this valuable property 49,
We look, therefore, t. the action IN relation
b this Company, with deep anxiety; both on
It's own account and on a%ccrouDt Of all the
meritOriuus schemes with which it's fortunes
are identified in the Legislature -Richmosd
Examiner.
ln an article on this subject, the Lecsburg
Washingt0nian says -
ave have, in this region Of the Common
wealth, to look to our road- as the great and
indIsl ensible means by which we are to be
united to the coal fields and the city of Alex.
audria, which we believe ia the future, will
he one Of the most fourishing cities in the
Southern States, which will certainly be IL
these roads are completed. Her citizens
have literally given to these works, and
the Alexandria, LOudOUn and Hampshire
r al has nearly ali her graduation and ma
sunry done to the centre Of this rich and
populous county. and the Mannssa road near
ly completed to llarrIsOnburg, and 1t would
be gross ingratitude, and an act OF ecOno-
my, suicidal to every interest in this section
vi the State, TO deny that city and the PEG
ple the rich harvest they are destined 10 reap
fum the completion of these improvements
We want 70 see the in pruvementso Of this Com
munweglfh pull together. n,t in a log rolling
system, but in a fair and honorable mode,
which will ensure their completion. We
s'and in need OF al our State improvements
which are designed to bring the trade of the
VET, and the mineral regions 10 connection
with our sca-port- We see no reason why
the all recommended in the committees re-
poIt, should not he given, and we believe
very interest Of the State demands that it
-nouii be, and especially, as t will not in
crease the taxes"
CTinOiine a LiIr-Preserver.
The Paris correspondent of the New York
Tines, in a detailed acc unt Of toe recent at
tamp, to assassiua,e the French Emperor, r.
.a,es that IA woman IN the crowd at the
theatre wa, saved from instant destruction by
her 'cnum.us &; anzc II crInrlIne. The