Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-03-09
AJEX ANDRTA GAZETTE AND VIRGINIA ADVERTISER

RrLt..Iors OBSgRyASCEs.-To-da Is cetc-
bratcd by the members of III" Catholic
Church. a. Ash Wednesday, the frs; day OF
Lent. In ancient times public pcnltcnts ap-
rcarcd. on this occasion, clothed in sack
cloth with ashes upon their heads, III token
of repentance for their sins, and at the pre-
sent time. ashes are solemnly blessed with
,,rronriate Drawers. and laid on the heads
of the people in the form ct cross the ON
ciatns clergyman saying to each 'kemem-
her man that thou art dust, and that unto
dust thou wilt return The forty days next
following. Sundays excepted are kept as
a solemn fast. in commemoration OF the fast
of orr Saviour in the desert, and in prcpa-
ration for the great festival Of Easter, which
occurs, this year. upon the oath OF April
The ceremony of the blessing and distribute
ing Of ashes will be performed 1T 1t. Mary
Church. this morning, at . O'Clock; ana ti'ls
evening at y o'clock, the Rev. DR.. Ryder
will deliver the Introductory Lecture OF
course, to be continued every Sunday after
noon and Wednesday evening, during Lent.
In addition to these exercises, the devotion
usually called The Way of the Cross, will
take place every Friday evening, at = o.
clock.
Is THE Court OF APPEALS sitting at RIch-
mond, the following cases from Alexandra
County, have been decided:
Mutual Assurance Society of Virginia. VI.
IIodsson. Decree of Circuit Court reversed.
and cause rcmanded, with directions to enter
decree for compartments.
Stabler's administrator. W. Flaws eXccu-
! rs and others. stockholders of Columbia
Cotton Factory Company Decree OF CIR
cult Court reversed and cause remanded for
further proceedings.
In the Washington Criminal Court on
Monday. Mr.. Ould, the District Attorney,
announced the death of the late Mr.. Key. i'll
an appropriate manner. to which the Court
responded, and Immediately adjourned to
the next day.
CoRREcTIoN Where the name OF L. ;.
Jameson occurred in the Committees OF the
Common Council. as published yesterday,
read Andrew Jameson, member elect from
the Third Ward.
IMPROVEMENTS IN FAIRFAX, VIRGINIA.
| was agrceublv surprised recently. when
passing through the upper part OF Fairfax
county, along the line of the Alexandria,
Loudoun and Hampshire Railroad, to see
the improvements gong on in that part OF
Virginia. once considered the most sterile.
The whole county once belonged 10 the fam
liz Of Lord Fairfax. from which it takes its
name and was tcnanted out until the land
became exhausted and large tracts, turned
out To rccuperate. became covered with old
field mines, and tenanted only by the hare
and wild turkey. Much Of it has now
fnlleu into the hands of those who have EN-
tered into the spirit oi improvement, and the
change wrought already Is very evident
The land is gently rolling, appears 10 be
easily cultivated. and Il large part of that
passed through. adapted to the growth OF
! fruit and the grasses. Herd grass or tim"-
thy appears to be indigenous to the soil. and
clover from the appearance Of the stack
! YARDS grows well.
Travelling along the line of this road,
/ which the company are constructing rapidly
III lao run
ming order early in the ensuing summer, for
| twenty-five or thirty miles, | was particular
| " pleased with the point selected Tor a sta
| ton on the 23d section, near the crossing "i
the county road leading from the AlcNan-
dria and Lccsburg turnpike road TO Centre
| Vile. The surrounding country Is hcautl-
| full. and the spirit Of improvement Is rapidly
| changing the pinc-coycrcd lands into fertile
! fields of wheat. clover and timothy. At tins
uoint forty acres of land have been land out
| into town lots of half an acre each. The
| embryo village is called llerndon, after the
| Iamontcd Lieutenant llerndun, lost III the
! Central America One dwciling-hnusc has
bcrn erected upon one Of the lots and Il lack
smith shop, and the sound Of the hammer
! and anvil already cheers the surrounding
country. \ steam saw mill is in full opera
ton. Seven er eight neat farm houses are
! in full view from the site selected for the de-
pot. 4 post Office Is established at this point.
! and they are now erecting Methodist
church. thirty by fifty, which, when finish
ed. will add much to the interest OF the
neighborh0od.
The land all around lies beautiful and is
well cultivated. lii sufficiently rolling t"
be easily drained into the many streams ter
minating in the Potomac river. This point
! stands near five hundred feet above tide wa
! ter at Alexandria, and is considerably high
er than L.ccsburg, fourteen miles vest
/ There is. therefore. down grade each way
from this point. This village, just emerging
from its embryo state, will in few years be-
come place of considerable Importance, SO
| convenient is it TO three good markets. " ash
/ ington. Alexandria, and Georgetown. The
| lands in this ncighborhood must incrcaS" IN
value, and persons seeking a rural hom"
where they can enjoy health and contlgn'ty
to the metropolis OF the nation can hnd II"
point having superior advantages either IN
/ Virginia or MARYLAND. have no doubt the
future will witness at this beautiful spot a
busy, active population. who may enjoy all
the luxuries Of the city without any OF the
annoyunces of brick walls, dusty streets and
the noise and hustle of daily busincss.-Na'.
mt MAHoN.