Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-10-17
COMMUNICATED.
COMMUNlCATED.
.,oxaus,ria and Fredericksburg s 4: &.


Alexandria and Fredericksburg .i:.
M####x had hoped his labors on the Vexcd
question of the railroad had been brought to
close, when he found it had been taken up BY
such able hands in the Board OF Aldermen,
notwithstanding the resistance in that body by
ono of its members having 50 large a pecuniary
stake. that it should have made him silent,
when private interests and his public duties
come io direct conflict. Is here not dctcrmi-
nation in our legislative halls, National, State,
or Municipal | fear it is shown 10 lnnumerabie
instances in the first at least one or more IN
the second, and it looks amazingly like 1t IN
the last.
Alter this exordium permit me TO occupy again
some space in your columns, upon Whlch L
have so often rcsspasSed, to resume the con-
Gict. [ can only apologize to you, Mr Editor,
and your readers. by saying that | have lived
too long in this community, not to exert any
ability and Influence i may possess, in resist
ipr and exposing any selfish schemes, which
nav be connected by auy man or set OF men,
though among them | may reach Old personal
friends from Ehom better things might be- cz
pcctcd | shall war ag linst ali acts, By which
the interests OF this good old town, the place
Of my nativity, is likely TO be jcopardlz,d--
let w!o will aid or abct them. Some two weeks
ago, YOU published the route proposed by the
frederick sburs Railroad Company from Alex
andra to Brooks Station.
Il struck me at the time that II WAS cut Ot
place that whcI charter h ad been granted
from Alexandria to fredericksburg. that the
company should advertise Tor proposals from
contractors, to build road not to Fredericks-
burg, but for one 10 - point some twenty
miles or morc short OF Fredericksburg. lu your
synopsis OF the po:ns % be touched By this
route, comncnciu@ at West Grove, tie Initial
| point you specify 20 stations 10 "Bemont Bay
and west Of Colchester, which appeared to
me to be all right as aifordiGg facilities Tor a
fair portion of Fairfax, and the people OF that
county.
FROM the point on Occoquan river to"the %
iectigc poiut," Brooks Station. | have very
little knowledge Of the other Is points named,
but some of them, such as "Freestonc' Cock
pit, Postum Nose, '"'Shipping Point, ''near
Evansville" | knew 10 be on the Potomac
Not relying upon my imperfect kGowedIe of
this part OF the county Of Prince William,
consulted very Intelligent tricnl, We'll ac-
uuaiptcd with localities, whose business in ship
| ping timber and wood from and over the creeks
emplyug into the Potomac; and learned from
him that my surmiscs were correct, that this
proposed route, diverged after crossing Oc:o
guam River, to the Eastward till it touched the
river, and was continued nl0ng its rerV naurgin
to the collective point.
The proposed route, necessarily crosses at
the mouths OF all the creeks, including Nabsco
Quantico, &C., and will materially Interfere
with the navigation of all the streams, which
| ( NJ tb Dat
the tide rises and tails with the river, and nust
streams, though the bridges across them be
provided with draws-so that small steam
boats plying on these streams and even long
! boats with maStS must encounter the risks oil
| damage in passing through these draws during
| the prevalence OF hig b strong tides or heavy
| gales OF wind.
These difficulties were fully appreciated by
my friend, and upon asking the reason Why
the company should adopt such route where
the bridges and causewavs must OF necessity be
| lorg and expensive, be suggested they had
PROBABLY adopted it as being cheaper than cuts
through the hills bounding these creeks higher
up stream. This hypothesis seems to nc reason
| able and only tends to show that this foreign
corporation, branch of the great "Pennsylva.
MIA Central Railway" welding q capital OF SO
|
other than their lust ior making road which
shall bring the most money into their Golfers
| In the simplicity CT my heart, it never &C
Cured to me that the General Assembly of
Virginia would fail to look, and lock closely,
into the results of granting such valuable
franchise without providing 10 the fullest cx
tent for the convenience and Interests Of the PEG
| pie through whose county such road should
pass. Look at it and it will at once be seen
| that Instead of the road running somewhere
near the middle OF tie county atfordng taciIi
ties for trade to the people, enhancing the value
OF their lands, by opening to market thousands
of acres of valuable timbered and arabic lands,
thereby adding to the assessed value thereof,
aud helping to replenish the exhausted treasu-
ry of the State, it is proposed to run along the
margin OF the river, where they need no new
facilities Tor transportation, ana would not use
the railroad were they furnished with stations
at the mouths of all these creeks crossed by it.
The facts according to q plain common sense
view of the subject are undoubtedly these This
gigantic corporation has secured this charter
and are no1D endeavorlng to manipulate it for
| their own selfish purposes, by making the
nearest through connection between the North
and South for trarel only, utterly disregarding
| The interests of the State. No one, much less
7,
| that it is Of vast importance to facilitate inter
communication in this way. But these Iacili-
ties may be iurnishe1 and as well furnished,
| probable better, ty an interior route free from
| the deilerious, miasmatc Influences 10 the
Summer. of the low marshy grounds, which
| abound at the mouths Of these creeks, whilst
| valuable consideration will enure to the State,
| Tor the grant of this charter, and the benefits
be mutual and reciprocal, instead OF being, as
at present, all on ono side.
The writer has poudcred deeply upon the
whole SUI ject OF these railroads; has kept n
eye upon all proceedings touching them, sought
information wherever it can be acquired, and
has not failed in getting Information as to pro
ceedings in the Legislature, and he now hears
it stated that Mr.. Reuben Johnston has iii
troduced bill in the House OF Delegates, re-
pealing so much Of the charter as requires the
.{,bo bot1r, ovo nIrin