Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-05-12
LOCAL 8.

R,rrIvoRE AND ALEXANDRIA TRADE
Mr.. Charlie, Worthington, thus replies t
tho article signed Monumental" which
we recently copied from the Baltimore
American
.t il true that the steamers forming thu
lin. 10 Alexandria and the District OF &"
Iumbia. are both under the same management
The same NAV be said of those to Philadelphia
Richmond, Norfolk, Charleston, Savannah
p.tuxent, and all others, with the exception
Of those to fredericksburg and New York
and for the obviou, reason that the busi-
ness of either il not sufficient to support op
n,sit;op Lines. Where they have been started
tLey have been speedily abandoned. yet II
cannot with truth be asserted that either vi
these Lines are monopolies, all of them have t.
compete with the same class OF facilities which
reduces the freight from New York 10 Alex
andria below the rates charged by our Lines,
namely, sailing packets.
In addition to this cheap mode OF convey.
ance which is freely avaled OF, tor that KIND
of goods not requiring dispatch, the merchants
of Washington and Georgetown have daily
facilities by railroad, the short distance ny
which enables il TO enter into direct competi-
ton with us, for the entire trade, with the
exception of few articles, which afford but
little profit in transporting despatch
afforded thereby also secures to 1t much OF
the light and profitable freight to Alexandria.
The burden of the complaint of Monument
tai il, that our rates are too high and that the
tendency thereof, is to draw trade to New
York and Philadelphia. Your readers are
apprized, upon information derived from re-
liable sources, that frelghts from New York
TO Alexandria, are lower than from Baltimore,
but no comparison is made of the modes OF
conveyance or of the superior despatch and
safety of the one over the other 1t probably
did not occur to your correspondent that
if the trade desire to avail themselves OF the
same class Of transportation. 1t Is always nj
hand AT rates quit" as low. Notwlthstand-
inc the superior advantages enjoyed by the
packets t. New York. in alsays being able
to obtain return treights of flour or coal.
while those 70 Baltimore generally return
lght--the promiscuous freight from New
York IL Alexandria forms So small portion
Of their business. that IT may be deemed an
auxiliary and not dependence.
Our steamers have u contend with the
same disadvantage; our return treights are
very frequently not sufficient to pay for the
fuel consumed On the trip while most other
lines derive IA large portion of their support
from this source. a comparison will show
that our rates are among the lowest.
Your readers are also Informed that BaltI-
more has lost much trade this season in con-
sequence of the starting of a steamboat be-
tween Philadelphia and Alexandria This
Is probably true for where facilities are at
forlsd trade will nov. | do not know how
their rates will compare with ours, nor Is II
essential To my argument; they have not been
engaged in the business long enough 10 learn
whether it will pay, and have it from rella
bic sources that the owners ~ one OF the
steamers composing the line, contemplated
her Withdrawal, and was induced to contin-
ne by a guarantee from those interested III
sustaining the hne.
The permanancv Of line can only be IN
sured hv charging remuneratIng rates, we
have made some sacrifices t. find the medium
Having tried very low rates, at much loss to
ourselves, without any increase Of business,
we gradually advanced them to those which
We have maintained for several years past
The complaint of your correspondent Is the
first that we have heard that they are con
sideled too high.
Baltimore has facilities superior TO either
New York or Philadelphia for competing Ton
the trade Of Alexandra and the District.
both in point Of time and in ConveyanceS. -
She is not dependant upon the monopoly OF
any single mode Of conveyance Tor the sup
plies sold to those cities, her shippers can
avail themselves of either railroad, steam or
sailing packets, AZ rates corresponding with
thu nature If the facilities If she does not
enjoy her fair proportion of the trade, IL must
not br laid tn the charge OF high treIghts.'
New CorRt lloUsE--A resolution passed
both branches Of the City Council, on Tues
day night requesting the Committee On pub
lie properly 10 take into consideration the
expediency Of converting the upper portion
Of the old Court House in the market square,
into Court room, jury rooms. and clerk =
office and report their plans and estimate Of
the cost, to the City Council.
At the January term Of the County Court,
Turner Dixon John Summers, II. l.. Simp-
son. j. j. Wheat. and H. W fcebry. We're
appointed n committee {" confer with Il COM
mittee to be- appointed by the Common Coun-
ell. in reference to the carrying into effect
the provisions of an Act of the General As
s.mhly of Virginia. passed Feb. 2'th. 1886.
authorizing the erection of II new Court
House in the city of Alexandria
a favorable report upon this much desired
change would be very gratifying To large
number of our citizens who frequently have
business AT the Court House. as we'll a. those
Immediately connected with the Court: the
present Court House being in such IN isolated
and distant position from the business p"r-
ton of the city.
AcCIpExTAL SnooriNG.-i esterdHy after
noon as some boys We're handling among
them u loaded pistol in the hold Of II vessel
on the ways. at one Of the shipyarda, one Of
them trvcd 10 cock it, but the lock being out
Of order, it would not stand. slipped his
thumb, and discharged The pistol, the ball
from which lodged in the hand of colored
bow named Oscar Borbon. infictiug a pain
full though not serious wound. The ball
was extracted by DR.. NJ. NJ. Lewis.