Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-11-22

and the manner in which its books and hnan-
cial affairs are kept" beg leave to suEnut- the
following report: .,. ,,
Having been kindly furnished with Il s''"clal
| tra;n and accompanied by the Geucral ot@"r-
iptendent, who was with us by invitation. your
Committee commenced their tour ol lrspccl"h.
| from Lyuchburg on the mornlnEos F1taF h;
| 18th inst, and carefully examined Inc io:u
bridges, and depots through the entire length
| of the road, including the Warrenton Hahc'
| It affords your Committee pleasure to report
that they found the road, through It's man cx
tension, in very superior order-better than
they recollect to have found 1t at any former
period. :,
On the extension between Charlottesville and
Lynchburg, more than thirty Thousand new
cross-ties have been laid within the year; am:
ON the old road above Alexandria, over a mile
| of entirely new rail Since our last annual
meeting new, cumuodious and sui stanlal tie
not buildings have been erected at Ne" u las
Cow. Arlington, RCcktish, Coeesvlllc, North
! Garden, Rapid Ann, Brandy and Alexandra,
| restoring to the farmers and merchants along
the line their former facilities for the protec-
ton and shipment of freight over the road
At Alexandria the attention OF your Com,
mittee was arrested by the appearance OF the
neat, commodious and durable shed, ticket
Office and reception rooms winch have peeh
recently erected at the depot-bulldlngs much
needed heretofore at that point, for the COM
fort and convenience OF travellers.
The bridges over the entire road, yonr Com,
mittec found to he substantial and safe, and
even those first erected still IN remarkap'e
state of preservation, though unprotected by
cover; they can only regret thut the means OF
the company did not justify covered bridges IN
their original construction, and recommend
that in the future construction or bridges OF
much magnitude, they be protected by
some irc-proof covering, feeling assured that
thereby their durability will be enhanced at
least five fDld This policy they regard as die
tated by the wisest economy. Your Commit
tee on Monday last, in the further dl schargc
Of their du,its proceeded tc examine the Man
assas Gap Railroad rec .nty transferred to the
O. & A. r. r. Company They are grati6ed
to be able to report that road in rapid pro-
gress OF reconstruction.
Thirteen and half miles OF new ties and
rails have been laid between Piedmont and
South Shenandoah River, and trains are now
running from Manassas Junction to within
three miles Of Front Royal, and the bridge
over the Shenandoah at that place will be com
pleLcd SO as to admit the las-ag: OF trai"s III
some 8 or 10 days.
AU
that point, bridges are ais, being erected, and
it. is confidently cxprc. ed that the road will be
COMPLETED to StrausbuIg in the great Shcnan-
; doah Valley in January next, and that the
steam whistle will be'heard at HarIsonburg,
the present terminus Of that road, by June or
July at 1urthcrst.
10 some Of your Committee, and to many OF
you perhaps, the country through which this
road pass.- was entirely new and they can
but congratulate you upon the progress Of this
branch of your road through some Of the
grandesL emery, into one Of the most Fertile
and beautiful valleys ever warmed into vegcta-
bic life by southern Sun--a section OF ilrgl-
MIA abounding in all the clements OF wealth
and greatness and which must soon become 4
profitable tributary to the main stem.
An exchange of the bonds Of the Manassas Cap
railroad company has been made Tor new Issue
of bonds f. the Orange and Alex. and MaaaS
sas Crap railroad com an? II sixty two per cent,
including the matured coup ms payable the lSt
Of July, 1858. ut seven per cent
Referring again to matters connected with
the main stem Of the o, A. 4 N. Railroad,
your committee find the accommodations Tor
passengers at Orange Court House and at Cut
pepper Court House entirely inadequate. No
design seems to have been entertained to do
more at these places than to have room enough
for the agent to dispose Of his tickets while
the wants Of the travelling public, and parLicu
larry the ladies, have been entirely over looked
We therefore recommend that suitable re-
ception houses be erected at each of hose places
without delay
Complaints have been made to your com
mittee of want of attention and proper man
agcmcnt on the part Of the depot agents al
scvera important stations.
Believing that strict performance OF duty and
spirit OF politeness and accommodation to be
essentially necessary in public agents: we re-
commend that the Superintendent give this
matter his personal attention, and take such
steps as may be necessary to correct and remove
the cause of these complaints
We further understand that In one or more
Instances, depot agents have been appointed,
who are entirely incompetent to discharge the
duties of the place, and that the management
and control of the dep0ts are necessarily Ell
| trusted to cerks
Deeming such appointments Injurious to the
interests OF this company, We recommend that
| the Superintendent examine into these cases,
and remove all agents who fail, or who are in
competent from any cause to discharge the du-
ties Of their position.
In the farther and final prosecution Of the
duties imposed by your confidence upon your
Examining Commute, they proceeded uHmedl-
atcy upon their return from their trip over the
Manassas Gap Road to examine the machine
shops and the books and accounts of the vari
GUS officers Of the mpany.
knowing the importance Of this particular
part of their duty; and that it is in the financial
department Of any company that leaks are most
| frequent and most fatal, your committee gave
particular attention to this branch Of their du-
ties, and are pleased to report that the books
of all the departments are neatly and systcmat-
ically kept aui that by a system OF checks and
counter checks, errors could not well escape
detection Abundant facilities were afford, Il
by the genlemanly officers of the company,
and after rigid investigation espt cia y into
| the Trea>urer's ohic", no error could be found
The remarkable freedom from accidents on
the road, and the notable fact that every en-