Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-08-07
LOCAL H r. MI s i.

much OF which now goes to the Baltimore ana
| Ohio Railroad at Berlin and Point OF Rocks.
1t is estimated that the additional income which
| will thus be realized will be O,OOO per an
| mum. To make this extension, we have on
| hand about three miles of rails, with sufficient
spikes and large portion OF the ties. We
expect to complete it this Fall.
The Company has four good engines, three
| passenger cars, Zone built recently at the Com
| pany's own shop and another will be COM
peted in about month baggage cars, Is
house cars, 10 fats, 6 gondolas and l stock
car-suficieut for the present actual needs OF
the business of the road and several box cars
are now building. The rolling stock is steadily
added to- to meet tue requirements OF our IN
creasing business; and we expect to be able to
move with promptness the coming crops, which
promise to be very large We have valua-
bic and very commodious depot property flour
acres) in Alexandria, upon which there are ex-
tensive offices, passenger accommodations,
warehouses, (ot brick, covered with slate,)
engine house, machine and blacksmith shops,
and other requisites.
At every station along the line, there are
good station houses, containing rooms tor pas,
sengers and freight; and the road is we'll
provided with waterst stations, turn tables, &c'
Two trains q day are now run, leaving Alex
| andria at a. m and 5 p. M, and Leesburg at
! 81 a. m. l24 p. m.
The stimulating effect of this road upon the
productiYeness of the country through which
it passes, is already obvious. Additions are
being frequently made to the farms and farm
Jog population. 1t is expected that, by the
next season, large amounts OF fruits and milk
will be sent to Washington and Alexandria
over the road, 10 addition to the ordinary
crops-the old residents and the new settlers
| having very generally turned their attention to
| these branches Loudoun is one of the most
| fertile counties of the State, and is now more
| thriving than any other portion of it. Her
| thrift and progress are shown in the large
amounts Of artificial manures and improved
| implements which We have sent to her this
season, as we'll as by the large quantity OF goods
which we carry to Leesburg, the county town.
A good portion of the cost of these supplies
is paid in ready cash. or G. 0. D. The far
mers Of the county have always been noted for
industry and energy, and tor always keeping IN
front in the march of improvement. They gen
orally do their own work to considerable ex-
tent, and can therefore employ and proftably
use as much colored labor as they need.
The original design of the projectors of this
road, however, was to build first class coal
road into the vast beds of the finest ''Cumber-
land" coal which underlie the county Of Hamp-
shire and the counties adjacent, and to bring
that indispensable mineral to commodious
shipping port at Alexandria, where there are
ample space, depth of water, and facilities for
it's handling and shipment. Experience and
intelligent observation, in view of the existing
inadequacy of the means of bringing this coal
to market, demonstrate the necessity for the
road Its only outlets now are the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake and
Ohio Canal. We present, in addition, road
of easier grades, and distance of thirty eight
miles less than the Baltimore and Ohio Rail.
road With the Influences controlling that
road, and, through the preponderating interest
of Maryland, in the Canal also, the rates of toll
on coal will of course be kept up to the high
est practicable point short OF prohlbtory one;
Great, however, as is the magnitude Of this
coal interest," in any calculation of the profits
of our road, there are others which are worthy
of prominence in the estimate a finer agri
cultural region than that which this road will
necessarily drain, is not to be found IN the
United States; and the deposits of iron and
lead Immediately upon its line, IN Jefferson and
Clarke counties, are rich in quality and almost
unlimited in quantity These literally wait Tor
our road to furnish means of transportation
| being now accessible only by the very defective
and unreliable navigation of the Shenandoah
river. In the county of Hampshire, near
Hanging Rock, is mountain of the purest
| white sand in the world, from which glass can
be made equal to the finest produced in Europe
| and this road passes Immediately bylt There
| is also iron at the Bioomery Gap, on our line,
| which has been worked for many years. In
| deed, every mile of our line is marked by ex-
| traordinary sources of wealth, agricultural and
L., 81
country. actual or projected, which offer great
er elements of profit to the stockholders In
addition to Leesburg, it passes through the
| Aourishing towns of Berryville, Winchester,
| and Romney, the county towns respectively,
| of the populous counties of Clarke, Frederick,
and Hampshire, besides numerous villages.
| liza railroad to Leesburg, 373 miles, pays u
| sulplus over and above expenses, what may
be expected of it when it shall reach Winches-
| ter only, especially when we view it IN refer
ence to the great line from that town 10 Salem,
| in Roanoke county, on the Virginia and Tenn
essse Railroad intersecting also the Manassas
Gap, the Orange and Alexandria, and Virgin
ia Central roads; the first named giving a
through route to Nashville, Memphis, Mobile,
and New Orleans, connecting with the entire
system of Southern Railroads., and the Flr-
GINA Central, now in progress to the Ohio rlv-
er at the Kentucky line, and actually com
pleted to Covington? By the connection with
| these roads, it will become part of the best
route to the White Sulphur, and nearly all the
mineral springs of Virginia.
| Regarding the present financial condition of
| the Company, it is proper to say that 1t Is
bound by contract to protect Clarke county
against the interest upon its issue Of 500, 900
bonds, until the road reaches the county line,
| when the liability of the county becomes COM
plete, and the mortgage given by the Com
pany to indemnify it becomes null and void by
Its own priyisiops About one third of this
| issue is still held by the Company.
Under authority ofan act OF the Genera
| Assembly of Virginia, the Company has pur-
! chased the interest OF the State in its stock,
amounting to upwards Of sl,OO0oOO, tor $780,