Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-04-25
IN THE COUNTRY.
Fairfax Court House-vtenna-
Church-The want of CO." s~s
RaflrOad Reforms Nee 1o~~s-
ICorrespon|,nca or Tn, sr,p1

Correspondence OF The start
TAILS CHURCH, VA, April, 1870
EDITCs STAR:-It may be needless TO premise
thst l have been rambling beyond the sscity
limits" for a few DAYS.
Fairfax Court House bears the impress of age.
Decrepitude and decay mark in too visible out
lines It's hill-tops and their gentle slopes, and
vacancy is quite too apparent i'm its streets, to
please my eye, for did not see a single hus-
bandman's wagon or carriage therein. But it il
what its people made it, '.man made the town."
and de sincerely hope that these words may be-
come Suggestive to them of better condition of
in its want of energy and enterprise, in its lack
OF active life, 20 much in contrast with the ac-
tvities and endeavors distinguishing the spirit
and West, am compelled to state. but with r ~
gret, too truly represents Virginia herself Vir-
gina! "Old Dominion" "MOther of Presi-
dents" Proud names for the limits of land,
within which to-day 80 much of the intellectu,
al greatness and glory Of the past is inurned, is
almost dead to the living realities of the pres-
emit oh! how wish she would awake to-
day and rise up and array herself i'm the beauti-
tul garments of a new life of Improvement, to
JON the long procession Of sister States in the
grand march of liberal ideas and physical pro
gress and prosperity.
Fairfax Court-HOuse might be and should be
lively, growing town. and 1 would be glad to
see il again under more agreeable aspects; but
me people there must be up and doing, or
never shall. know fever that time does come
the rough wagon trail winding about for dis
lance OF hye miles between Vienna and Fairfax
called a road with not one foot of it worked
In the legitimate sense of the term, will have
been supplanted by good turnpike road not
more than three and half miles long. If a
locality would have business trade, it must have
roads to the country every way, so people can
come and go with comfort, and there must be
one to the depot, a few miles away. And so it is
over the country. Most of the farmers seem to
Enn far l,o,~ g.
they would the smallpox or the pest house from
their dwellings How long before Virginians
will learn that good roads are indispensable to
try so far as L travelled over il in Fairfax county,
Is at least five-sixths cleared land and the fields
from their entire absence of stumps, bear evil
century ago, and yet 1t has not the cheap and
feasible luxury Of good roads. Here these peO-
pie are living thus, within twelve miles of the
capital OF nation, with the most magnificent
domain; thus near the capital of q people the
most remarkable Of any on the globe for their
mental, moral, and intellectual development
for their agricultural adyancement-in aword,
Falls Church is beautiful little country town,
delightfully."- situated, and most agreeable rs the
stroll about it Here were good roads, good
fences, handsome houses, SCHOOL, houses and
churches; here were large gardens well set with
strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and
gooseberTies; here were pear, plum, cherry,
large and numerous peach and apple orchards
vineyards; here are genealogical and agricul-
tural society. three lyceums zone colored), the
DIN OF industry, and the genial influences of
ment. An effort is being made to get daily
coach to and from Washington, and Iheard the
project Of club to THE EVENING STAR dis
cussed, and commended 1t as a thing to be ac-
eomplished. The turnpike from Georgetown to
Germantown will be worked again this spring,
and carried on as speedily as possible to compile
ton. This pike runs through Falls Church and
Among the prominent and active men of Falls
Church are DIR: Lester Lloyd, Rev. II. w. Read,
u H. Buxton, ESQ.,, and Messrs. John McCor-
Isaac Crossman, Spencer Coe and Almon Birch,
&c i almost wish that "my lines were, in
some legitimate sense, cast with theirs.
But this region and these towns would he
greatly benefited by the extension on the one
hand of the Alexandria. Loudon and Hampshire
railroad to the Ohio river, and on other into
cheap passenger and freight tariff. 1t costs now
per barrel for the transportation OF -four by the
car load from Leesburg, BIZ cents. There
cents per barrel to the railroad company IL the
arrangements lg were completed for it, and the
rates , sbcuS de- this The
the railroad company, and please the passen.
gers both. People will ride when they
can ride cheaply. 1t is not profitable policy to
charge for example, s1.20 the round trip from
Alexandria to Vienna and return, and il the
passenger fails to return the same day, retax
him 40 cents to get home. -Four cents per mile
is to sell round trip tickets always, and II the
purchaser sees fit to hold the half of one awhile
and lose 1t, IT is no damage to the company.
There Is 'sno money in the long run either in
charging the passenger who steps on the cars
without ticket, 40 cents for ride from Vienna
70 falls Church, q distance Of \ miles, 1 make
these remarks for the benefit Of the managers
OF the road that desire to have prosper. have
seen these purely vexatious ticket expedients
practiced on other roads, and played out to the
satisfaction OF the companies themselves. years
ago. lisa
THE NEW LINE To NoRFoLK.-Messrs. s. p
Brown, Geo. III. Plant & Co. deserve the thanks
Of this co immunity for their enterprise in estab-
fishing permanent steamer line from this city
to Norfolk and we are glad to see that the indi-
cations are favorable to their success. The line
steamer "Lady of the Lake." arrived here on
Saturday, having passenger list of nearly 100,
and bringing full freight of oysters, fish and
garden products. The appointments Of the yes
sci are first class, and the officers experienced
and courteous, with that tried seaman, Captain
Joseph w. Denly, in command. Mr.. Charles
Spear, the general superintendent, is a gentle
man Of energy, and Is ably assisted by Jos. H.
HOldredge, clerk, whose duty is to receive
freight and look out for the general welfare of
the passengers. The Georgetown millers seem
disposed to encourage the line to the fullest ex-
tent, and shortly after the vessel discharged her
cargo on Saturday, there we're delivered on
board 200 barrels of flour, besides quantity of
miscellaneous freight. The "Lady Of the Lake"
lett for Norfolk at p. m. to-day.
~
d.,