Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-04-06

pTOpOoeu ANat'uai iouhoiJ, uoo oesh Pi0
pared by committee appointed for that pur-
pose, by citizens, aud sent to the members
of the U. S. Senate and House Of Represen.
tatises. We may add, that this committee
have been diligently engaged for some time
past, in urging the claims Of Alexandra, be-
fore Congress, for the Foundry
The undersigned, a committee appointed
for tho purpose, by the citizens OF Aie1an-
dria, beg leave to present statement OF the
claims OF their city upon your favorable con-
sideration, as site for the proposed Ma
TIoyAL FOUNDRY; which subject is now be-
fore you by reference from the Senate.
The leading requisites for a site for such
an establishment, we presume, arc the fol-
lowing:
/. That it be healthy;
9. That it be convenient to the Office at
Washington. which will have tho manage
ment of it's affairs;
8. That it shall possess good navigation to
the sea;
4. That it shall have convenient access to
ample supplies Of Coal and Iron;
5. That it shall have the best means OF
transportation into the interior.
|. The he.!thfulness Of Alexandra has
never BEEN questioned; and, in fact, tho city
is not surpassed in this respect by any other
in the United States. Iii difficult to adduce
proofs or arguments upon matter which
has never been the subject of dispute or
doubt; aud we must leave this point to the
ioouiries which will we hope, be instituted.
The city is provided with extensive works tor
supplying it with gas aud the purest water,
(which could be easily extended to the F0un-
drv,) and with all the usual comforts and
advantages OF well regulated town.
.. The distance from Alexandria to the
Central Market in Washington, By railway,
is about six miles and to the Arsenal and
Navy Yard, by steamboat, rather less. The
latter distance is performed by steamboats,
in less than thirty minutes. The intercourse
between the two cities is hourly, by either
mode.
3. The depth of water in the channel at
Alexandria, which is wide and conmodlous,
is thirty feet and over, which depth Is con-
tinued and increased to its mouth. The
same depth exists now as in 1916, when
soundiugs were carefully acknowledgements
Bile instance OF permaDency.
1. By means of the Manassas Gap Rail
road, now in iull operation to Woodstock. IN
Shenandoah county, Va, we receive large
supplies of iron, the product of the mines Of
that and Page county. This iron is now
shipped to Philadelphia, New York, &c, 10
pigs and blooms. 1t is Of quality pecu-
liarly adapted to the fabrication Of cannon
Large quantities are received, also, by the
Chesapeake and Onio Canal and Its extension
to Alexandria, from the mines of Antletam,
Mount Savage, and Homecoming. There are
other mines convenient to this Canal, as well
as vast quantities of the finest timber and
lime rock.
The excellence of our navigation gives US
access to importatlons of supplies from oil
other quarters. BY the Orange and Aexan-
dria and Virginia and Tennessee Railroads,
we will, 10 one year from this time, be able to
obtain the products of the rich mines of iron,
copper, and lead, in Southwestern Virginia
and East Tennessee. at Lynchburg, where
these two railways connect, We will receive
the BJutetourt iron, which is now used in
making cannon for the United States at Rich-
mond, and which is fully equal in quality to
the iron of Shenandoah and Page, already
mentioned. Other railways, partly compile
ted aud 10 progress, will, before long, give
us access to the mines Of North Carolina.
Our supplies Of coal are derived from the
Cum berland coal region, which comprises
mines Of seni-bitumGous coal OF immense
extent, in Allegheny county, Md, and lamp
shire and other counties in Northern VIZ
giuia. These mines have been extensively
worked tor many years, and large quantitl,s
Of coal are DOW received from them a, Alex
andria, by the Canals before mentioned.--
The quality OF this coal, and its adaptation
to the purposes of the Foundry, have been
fully Investigated and established by Profess
sor johnson, under direction of the Navy
Department. His experiments amply prove
that it has no equal for sm!thing and steanl-
ing purposes. The Manassas Gap Railroad,
which is now being extended W the Valley
Of Virginia, will soon reap the rich depcsite5
of Anthracite in Augusta county.
5. The Orange and Alexandria Railroad
will, in one year more, be completed TO a
junction with the Virginia aud Tennessee
Railroad, at Lynchburg, Va. From Lynch
burg, the latter extends to Bristol, Un the
Tennessee line, where II l,ins the East len
nessee aud Nirginia Railroad, which extends
to Chattanooga, via Knoxville. From Chat
tanooga railways are now in operation to
Memphis, Charleston, and Savannah /; and
others are being built which will continue
our railway communications, unbroken. to
the Ohio river, through Kentucky, and to
New Orleans, Mobile, and Pensacola, through
the States Of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida,
and Louisiana, respectively. From Nm
phis, New Oreaus, aud the Oaio river, these
means of Communication between Aexan-
dria and the interior are extended IN all di.
rcctions, and are continualiy being lBcreas-
ed. Some OF these roads run through cJuu-
tries Astounding in minerals.
The Alexandria, L1udoun and Hampshire
Railroad, now in steady progress of construc-
ton, will extend from Alexandra, 10 a
uurlhwesterly course, to Piedmont, on the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; by which, and
the Northwestern Virginia Road, we wall
soon have continuous connection by rail with
the Ohio River at Wheeling and Parkers'
burg, and thence by numerous railway routes
with the Lakes. This road penetrates tue
Cumberland coal region before mentioned.
| SITES can be had at Alexandria at mode
rate cost binding upon DaVIsabIe water, aud
in immediate coptiguity with both Canal and
Railway. From the Canal, ample water
power can be had.
The undersigned, in view of the foregoing
and of other considerations which might be
urged, respectfully submit that Alexandria
4 i r l.. g all