Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1867-10-01
oRANaE AND ALEXANDRIA RAILROAD.
The following article appears, editorially, IL
the National Intelligencer of this morning:

he following aILlCle appears, culColld'lJ, Ill
the National Inteigencer of this morning
'"rhe business interests of Alexandra,
Georgetown and Washington city, are closely
identified What Brooklyn and Jersey City
are to New York, Alexandria and Georgetown
arc to Washington They are even more to
Washington than Brooklyn and Jersey City
arc toNew York They are the termini of
great lines of transportation and travel from
the surrounding country, rich IN mineral and
agricultural wealth. Their natural advantages
of position lave been greatly enhanced by the
improvements which have been made in most
instances through the lilcrality Of their eli
zens. 1t is painful Tor any one interested IN
advantages thus due snatchel from their pos
session by the chicanery Of n great and power
Iu monopoly.
The Orange and Alexandria Railroad Is one
OF the most important avenues Of trade lead
ing ont of that city 1t trayerses one OF the
most fertile and productive portions OF Virginia.
With proper management, IL might be made
what ii was intended TO be, the means OF
building up, not onl y a lucrative and extensive
commerce at Alexandria. but a lasting benefit
to the dwelers upon the line OF the road all
the way to Lynchburg.
Fears are entertained that this great and
good purpose may be defeated through the
cupidity and asutcncss OF other railroad mo-
nopolies The business of Alexandria is to-day
parayzed and seriously injured by the simple
TACT of the inadequacy of freight transportation
on the Orange and Alexandria road. For
weeks there have been hundreds of tons OF
| freight awaiting Transportation The BALI
more and Ohio railroad cars Which were IN use
on the Orange and Alexandria road have been
| recalled This has very seriously crippled the
transportation facilities Of the road; No argn-
ment IS necc ssary to show that thIs has been
| done to prevent Alexandria from dong a bust
| ness with the interior OF Virginia, which
might, by a hOcus pocus arrangement in re-
gard to lreights be forced to Baltimore, so that
! the freight would BE compelled to come over
| the whole length Of the Washington branch
Of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad.
| There appears to be 4 strange diversity OF
opinion among the officers OF the Orange and
Alexandria road as TO the ability OF that road
| to DO the business offered with its present
means of transportation, since the withdrawal
of the extra cars heretofore loaned by the Bal
timore and Ohio road Mr. Barbour, the
president of the Orange and Alexandria road,
says there are not sufficient cars, and no means
with which to supply them. Mr.. Dyer. the
freight agent, rciterates that there are not sutil
cient cars since the Baltimore and Ohio cars
have been withdrawn. The general superin,
tendent, MIR. Vandcgrift, asserts. as we under
stand, that the Orange and Alexandria road
has cars enough, but that the motive power on
the road is Inadequate to the business offered.
This inconsistency in the statements Of the
leading officials Of the road is not little remark
able; but in the meantime the trade of Alexan-
dria is suffering. Merchants there have made
sales of freight to be delivered by that road,
and for want Of transportation arc unable to
deliver it, We have been informed that one
firm in Alexandria has even offered to purchase
additional cars and place them upon the road
for the convenience Of their customers. but the
offer has been refused. The superintendent
alleges that he has repeatedly applied to the
Board ofDirectors Of the Orange aid AlcXan-
dra road for additional locomotives, but his
request has been reiuscd
There is, however, one prominent fact that
many afford key to all this difficulty. Mer
chants at Stanton, Virginia, on the line Of this
road, write, that although certain staple artl-
cles OF consumption can be purchased in Alex
andra at much lower price than in BALI
more, yet they can buy in Baltimore and have
them delivered in Stanton, cheaper than to buy
in Alexandria
This is the whole story The Baltimore and
Ohio railroad management have obtained the
control of the Orange and Alexandria road, and
arc making it feeder for their Washington
branch, to the detrment OF Alexandra and
Washington, and to the cost Of every consumer
upon the line Of the Orange and Alexandria
road, each OF whom is required to pay tribute
to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company.
Alexandria is large stakeholder in the Or
ange and Alexandria road. Her citizens are taxed
heavily to pay the interest upon its bonds. They
have right to be heard in this matter. 1t
would be better for Virginia to pay at once
bonus to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company than to permit the Developments OF
it's agricultural and mercantile interests to be
thus crippled and injured The State Lcgisla-
ture should promptly take the matter in hand
and prevent these unjust Determinations in the
price Of lrcights, which give advantage to Bal
timorc over Alexandria in the trade along the
route Of this Virginia road We advise, fur
Their, that the merchants Of Alexandria should
apply to the Stale Legislature for the privilege
OF running their own cars over the Orange and
Alexandria road at 4 fair rate Of compensation
to tie company.
AFFAIRS OF FRASER, TRENHOLM & Co.
The terms agreed upon for the settlement OF
the business between the United States and
Fraser, Trenholm K Co.. are perfectly satislac
tory to this government. The defendants, by
counsel, acknowledged the principles OF public
law claimed by the government and provide
for securing to it all the property to which it is
entitled on these principles. Further action,
however, will be necessary to the contamination
of the terms through the courts Of Great Brit
ain and The United States.
Another effort is to be made to raise the