Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-01-24
LOCAL ITE N S.

oplrio and Washington Railroad Company.
lFr.p,h's road. a. it Is called, at their own
cost without one dollar from the government.
to strengthen and improve the present bridge
over the Potomac and remodel It's draws. -
The Union goes on to say
"Thcrc can be no reasonable objection Ia
this. The cars on this road are fine speci-
mems of CITY railroad cars, made for the ex-
nress purpose of being drawn by horses over
hi. bridge and into this city. They are
l;pht as the omnibuseS now crossing the
bridge. and. with a track on one side OF the
bridge. would occupy less space and create
less inconvenience than the omnlbuses now
dn This connection i a necessity There
were transported over this road Yesterday
more than go passengers, and the daily
average j. now G0O. 1t was putin operation
December y. 1857. and up 10 the list OF last
December tone YEAR had carried over I2,oOO
passengers. with constantly Embarrassing pat
ron,oe-and this with all the inconvenience
attending the break at the bridge, and the
necessity for transferring the passengers 10
omnibuses. This enterprise is the result OF
individual energy. and has, 80 far, been con-
sumated under difficulties which would have
appallcd any other persons than those VINO
have charge Of it. Its success lisa great pub
lie necessity, and Congress might, we think,
safely Grant the necessary legislation to en-
able them to connect directly with the Baitl-
more depot. and run up to the canal in the
heart Of the citv. As the connecting link
between the North and South, distributing
its advantages equally to all the roads terml-
Mating mt Alexandria, while at the same time
by frequent trips, it would accommodate the
local travel. it would confer more public ac-
commodation than any road of its length III
the Union. We have given the more lmpor-
lance 70 this subject from the fact that this
hiatus between Washington and Alexandra
is the only one which i'll few months Will
exist to interrupt a continuous railway CON
ncrtion between New Orleans and New DIRK.
Indeed. il forms serious break in great
line of through travel which ere long will cx-
tend from Portland, Maine, through New
York and New Orleans. via the Tchuantcpcc
route to San Francisco and Oregon. 4pIo-
nos Of this line of travel, we have received the
annual report of Mr.. Mcdaniel, president of
the Virginia and Tennessee railroad, show
ing the prosperous condition and destlnies Of
the work under his direction.
1T is particularly interesting to the citi-
zens of Washington. rs proving that city to
be upon the most direct line of railroad COM
m,Iuication between New York and New Or
leans. which "can and ~W be passed over in
scycntv-iive hours. The connections. com
plctc and unfinished. are fully described III
the report.
1t makes very prominent the important fact
which We have been presenting i'll the fore
going paragraphs. 1t is stated in the follow
lng extract:
.Upon the completion of this road. yours will be
an unhrokcn line from Washington to New Or
leans and ruth he exception Of the use Of omnibus
.. hrouh Washington ciy, the conncXion will be
complete by railroad and ferry boat between New
York and New Orleans.
His 10 be hopcd that the obstruction !" nd"h'"J-
to, city ,riW be- ,emored. The Orange and AlcNan-
dria Railroad Company have extended their road
down to the wharf in Alexandria and IT i pr"po-
scd that the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
extend their road through the city t" some convent
en-, landing ON the East Branch of the Potomac, at
which the Alexandria boats can deliver the pasScn-
gers alongside the railway trains. There hcinS Il
fine ,lcrrI OF water between those points Il larger
class Of ferry boats can lie used adding much to
the comfort of the passengers in ia" transfer!
Il seem, that theomnibuS in this city isthc
only obstruction to through rail from New
York To New Orleans.
We trust this will speedily he done away.
The experience of all other cities III the mon
has proved that the present facilities "i pass
agc and transportation are most advantagcouS
Ia commercial and al other interests, whilst
the attempt to levy a local tax drives travel
and trade upon other routes where there are
no such Instructions.
The completion of this connection would
secure the whole current Of travel between
the North and South. Trans would run
twice day. and all who felt inclined to view
the curiositics and celebrities OF the political
metropolis. could do 81 without loss OF time
or other Inconvenience. That the profits
derived bv hotels and merchants from greatly
enhanced numbers of persons passing through
the city would be much greater than any
transit tax levied upon the smaller number
which is now transported across the District
in omnibuscs. is beyond question:
The Washington correspondent of the Bal
timorc Sun says
a conference was this morning held by
John ". Garrett. esq. President Of the Bal
t;morc and Ohio Railroad: William Prescott
Smith. master Of transportation 1t the same
GREAT linc John :. Barbour. esq, President.
and a number Of the directors. and Mr.
Daingcrfeld. of the Orange and Alexandria
Railroad: John III. Tcgmycr and Mr.. C"ylc,
civil engineers, as well as other distinguish
ed and influential gentlemen, including May
or Berrctt and Richard Wallack esq, of
Washington. The object Of this meeting
was 10 consult on the eXpcdirncy Of direct
and permanent connection Of the northern
and southern sections of our country, at all
seasons. by Il union of the two tracks with
thr best possible route to meet all the inter
csts of the District Of Columbia. During
this interview four great thoroughtnrc> were
under partial consideration. The first to
obtain permission from Congress to put the
Potomac bridge in substantial condition. and
extend the line of rails across, connecting
with the cnterprising road, which proves to
l,e Of such vast utility, from the bridge, and
thence through To Alexandria. A second
plan is to continue the Baltimore road in Il
direct line through 10 Georgetown and over
the aoueduct. The third to lay branch
railway from or near the present station
house a. direct As possible, TO the point OF
land in the vicinity If the Arsenal and the
fourth to leave the main route near Ken
dallvillc," and extending through over the
Eastern Branch. AID perfect their line To the