Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-12-15

Mr.. Miller conflicting, asked Why should
poor town give to a rich corporation wbict
boosted of its millions the use of streets tina
the tax payers had laid to lay out and to grade
lie knew That the threat had been made tha
the company would 60 around the town, but i
was Obliged by its charter Ito come 10 aud e,
IRON Alexandria. 1t had been stated that i
it only touched the city limits an iuch, it would
then comply With the charter, but it woulc
De cheaper to pay a moderate rate Tor trausi
through, thsa to undertake to run a road any
where around the town. MIR. Ms remark:
were listened to with much attention.
The President having asked il any olhel
gentleman desired to speak,
Mr.. French said be had come here as q
spectator, but the debate had taken suoh a wide
and singular latitude that be felt mpelled to
speak. He spoke With SOM feeling on the
proposition of the committee of the Aldermen
to assert tho ownership OF the city over the
track on Henry street.
Excited STRANGER outside. Build it up
build it up build it to Lynchburg
Mr.. +. would not complain if any one desir-
cd TO take away the little property he had, but
there were other interests. The Alexandra
and washington road was 10 debt to citizens
OF Alexandra aod they would lose if that road
was ruined. lie was sorry Mr. Miller had
written TO Mr.. Mckenzie to ask Congress to
interfere to take private properly from one
corporation aud give !. to another, and he
hoped that MIR. Mckenzie would not invoke
such o despotic exercise of power.
Mr.. Miller-Wil the gentleman allow NE
to ask him how the Alexandria and Washing
ton Railroad Go. became possessed of the right
of way from poor house lane TO Duke street?
Mr.. Freuch-By the action OF the City
Council, and ty the u. s.. which built the road.
Dir. Miller-Wss not the grant OF the City
Couucil to the Alexandria, Washington and
Georgetown Railroad Company?
Mr.. French-That is not involved in this
question. Every body knows it is the same
road; thew merely added the nam Georgetown;
they had just as much right to add Memphis.
MIR. F.. then turned his attention 10 the
Frederick sbnrg Co., which he said was as I'm.
popular 10 Fredericksburg as it was here.
MIR. Massey demanded the authority for
that statement.
Mr.. French said it was a newspaper state.
ment.
Mr.. Massey asked that the newspaper be
produced.
Mr.. French had not the newspaper, but
thought his word was as good as a newspaper
statement.
Mr.. Massey insisted that authority should
be produced.
Mr.. French did not wish to DO interrupted,
and would withdraw the statement.
MIR. French continued and urged that the
Fredericksburg road would iujure the Orange
and Alexandria. and commented upon the fact
that Virgiuians did rot suit this road, and that
its surveying parties were from Philadelphia,
even the laborers on the Long Bridge were
strangers.
During a portion Of Mr.. F's speech the ex
cited stranger outside the bar declared with
vehemence that what Mr.. E.. said was strictly
true, he knew him of cd. The road toiLynch-
burg was the thipg built it up! built it up!
The Chair sent for the police and had the
man elected.
thority the Alexandria, Washington u George.
Co. bad used the track on Henry street.
Mr.. French not replying at once, Mr.. S.
no would reply TO it himself. He uGder-
stood that the Council granted this company
the right to use the road, not the Zee in it or
the exclusive use OF it. Ii they had the right
to grant the use to one company they had also
the right to grant it to another.
Mr., French contended that the interest given
BY Council was vested and could not be dis
turbed. He had concluded and MIR. O.. f..
Stuart was about 10 speak when Mr.. Miller
said be was not satisfied with Mr.. Ffench's
replies, and he asked Mr.. F.. again what right
the Alexandra and Washington Railroad Go.
had to the track on Henry street?
MIR. French said that was a question for the
courts to answer.
Mr.. Miller commented on the anomaly OF
that the Alexandria and Washing
ton railroad could inherit from a corporation
which never legally existed. II so it would be
heir of a still born child.
Mr.. g. E. Stuart next addressed the Councils
He bad once been director, without an inter-
est in a road of MIR. French between this city
and Washington, which was chartered to show
how a railroad cou'd be made to run without
gradiog over mountains and through valleys,
but which selected q dead level IN order to Illus
trate the theory. MIR. s. did not think that
MIR. French bad a right to a bar of road on
Henry street, but the city had 20 right to sell
the right of way or to tax companies tor going
over it. He was in favor of Gov. Walkers
view that whenever people wanted to construct
q road aud to pay for 1t, they ought to be al.
to do 50. As for the opposition OF
Fredericksburg, it did not amount to shucks.
Every sensible mac that had not lett that town
ought to leave it. Laughter There was
one street IN inc pace, anu ne lau secu d
Of the bar Of this city slip down On it
on ~'trozen angle of Is d~egrecs-snch IS Mr..
French's road was originally made to run over.
(L,ugbter.) What Alexandria wanted was
live men. Why the Fowles and the Danger
fields and Others had got rich on the river
trade, and now our merchants had rot the en-
t~erp,ise to keep a steamer running to the low
counties. We wanted such uen as Lewis
Mckenzie. against whom the speaker had
voted, but who was u live man. (S!ight APP
Our vicinity to Washington was
what kept us going now.
MIR. Massey favored the adoption Of the re
port. lie begun by stating that it was an ad
mitted fact that the Alexandria AID Freder.
icksburg Railroad Company had the use OF
Henry street south OF Duke street.
Mr.. Miller denied this. The right OF way
granted to Joe Stewards Company. That
company was dead. This one was a new COM
papy. 1t bore the ame relation to the old
company that tho Alexandra and Washington
Company bore to the Alexaodrla,
Washington and Georgetown Railroad 20.
After some discussion as 10 the proptlety of