Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-12-30
"RaiIroads TO the National Capital

'sRnilrOads 10 the National Capital"
The following communication, published in
the Washington Chronicle, relates to matters
of interest in connection with railroad affairs,
and has attracted considerable attention. We
give it for general information, and the views
for what they are worth:
''The interest now taken by the people of
Washington, Georgetown, and Alexandria 10
respect to railroads to and from the capital
induces me to offer some suggestions on the
subject. 1t is proposed to embark the cities OF
WASHINGTON and Georgetown as shareholders
in the roads. This is well, providing it can be
done in way that will be certain to yield the
cities good dividend on their stock IN addl-
ton to the immense advantages that would
result in the new creations of property and In
crease OF business. propose to elucidate how
it can be done with good dividends on every
dollar invested.
There is one route, among the best natural
freight routes In the United States much bet
ter than the New York Central as that lies on
the Erie canal, and is subjected, for seveD
months in the year, to the effective competi
ton of that great channel of commerce. The
route allude to is from Washington to Lynch
burg. or, in other words, the line of the Orange
and Alexandria road. By establishing a freight
route on this line it can be made to pay, and
pay well. Please turn to the map and observe
the great amount Of way traffic it would COM
mand from agricultural products. lumber, lime,
and other fertilizers, 1t would commence with
the Tennessee road as a feeder-iurther north
the road coming in at Charlottesville; and still
further, the Manassas Gap and Warrenton
Junction, with the extensions OF system OF
roads from the West, to drain the commerce OF
a country twice as large as Virginia.
1t is needless to say that this vast mineral
region, with it's manufacturing powers COM
bined with agriculture, would afford more tons
of freight than pass by railin Illinois, Indiana,
Wisconsin, and Michigan. The freights are
there, illimtable in supply, incapable OF ex-
haustion, and are only awaiting deve lOpment
by some agency competent to handle them.
Were a double-track road established between
Washington and Lynchburg, open to free CON-
petition in transporting, moving treights at
eight miles per hour, with capacity on this
plan for carrying $4,000, 900 tons each way, at
q cost OF sixty five cents per ton each hundred
miles, my opinion Is that it would be made to
carry more tons than now pass on the New
York Central Erie, Pennsylvania, and Balti
more and Ohio all put together. The road
would have power OF development somewhat
approaching the immense resources that would
supply It's patronage.
u
freight railways it is not contemplated that the
company owning the road bed should engage 10
transportation, but merely to own and keep
the road in repair and collect tolls, like the
Erie canal. Outside parties would put on the
equinments or rolling stock, and free cOmpetl-
ton in carrying would keep freights below the
point Of eXtorton; besides, on freight road,
graduated on the cheap freight plan, such
would be the greatness OF its patronage that 1t
would be impossible for any one company to
attend to and properly take care OF the details
of transportation.
Baltimore, should that city cooperate by
continuing the route through to that point
would be privileged to put on all the rolling
stock it pleased, and in all probability would
avail itself of Its facilities. In such event the
writer predicts that Baltimore would reap
better harvest from the suggested freight
thorouehfare than she has ever received, or
would be capable of receiving from the Balti-
more and Ohio road under It's present plan of
management. But what effect would this
have upon Washington? Just this: Whilst
Baltimore would be privileged to take all 1t
could receive and handle, Washington would
have the same opportunity. In the meantime
the proprietorshlp OF the ROAD Oed Woulu DC
sure to get dividends.
Another view; Establish this thoroughfare
on he cheap freight plan, and scarcely ton
of freight would cross the road to go to Norfolk
or Richmond, unless, peradveuture, they put
their connecting roads on the same plan. In
such case they would carry to the coast IN that
direction all they pleased, and who would be
bnrt nv IL? Not the road from Washington to
Lynchburg, for their supply OF patronage
would continue Just as boundless as ever, In
exhaustible from Its very. nature.
The State of Virginia has it IN her power,
BY adopting the cheap-freight plan OF railways
to get more powerful agencies tor developing
her resources In three years than any otner
State now possesses or could ever attain on the
old Man of meagre commerce and high charges.
The natural wealth of Virginia is untold and
mcalcuIable. She wants capital, enterprise,
diversified industries, and population. She
can have them all at an early day by consld-
crate effort in the right direction. :,
The writer will premise that one double
track chean-freight railway can be made worth
more to the agricultural, mining, mechanical
and commercial interests OF a State than hall
dozen of the feeble, one horse, rickety concerns
where the folly is perpetrated OF making traV-
elers trunks and bandboxeS go three tlhes as
fast as the business OF the country oesiue,o a
with decent charges for freight 1t can De llaue
about three times as profitable to the road IL
self. This last proposition 4he writer proposes
to elucidate by little data OF generai ap-
phcation
1t is well-known to those who nave exain.
ined into the subject faithfully that tne lretsIo
traffic over good routes yields nearly the s1 WHoie
net revenue. Take for example the Ne~
York Central and Erie for the year 1900.
In the reports to the Legislature, sworn to Dy
the officers of these companies, the accounts
stood thus:
>,rxu vopK CENTRAL
Rooo;n..t g.. s-a;.bt s9,67I, ,92O