Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-01-23
communicated.


zette furnishes ''food for reflection, in rela-
ton to the general subject of railroads. 1t
takes but short timc now, to unsettle and
change men 8 views in relation to railroad mat
ters-as the events Of the past twelve months
demonstrate. We all live and learn, especially
as to aid from other States to make roads to
carry freight and passengers to cities outside Of
the State A. B.
The construction Of an additional line of
railway from Baltimore to New York has at last
become necessity, not only to the public trav
elling between New York and Washington, but
to the entire Southern business community.
For many years, Washington was regarded as
the end Of railroad civilization. Passengers
bound South were dumped down at the depot
in Washington, as if they had been so much
garbage Sometimes they were kept waiting,
for an hour or more, in cold and comtort!ess
reception room, and, as rule, they were lett
tn scramble to boat or railroad as best they
could Of late this has been improved. Com
petition has led to more attention to the wants
Of passengers, and, under ordinary circumstan-
res, one can travel through now, from
New York to Charleston, without un-
necessary delay or annoying inconvenience.
But what We want now is still further COM
petition, to provide for extraordinary circum-
stances Oflate, the Patapsco and Potomac
rivers have been frozen. Ice has been so thick
that STEAMBOATS, have been necessarily delayed.
A few days ago some gentlemen, bound south,
took the Bay Line from this city, as the most
comfortable route Arriving at Portsmouth
an hour too late, the greater part OF the lost
time was made up between that town and Wei
DON The mail train, however, had already
left. Fifteen minutes grace was all that was
given, and the passengers by the Bay Line had
to spend twenty-three hours and forty minutes
in as uncomfortable quarters as any one would
like to put up with, even in milder weather.
The same week the Aqua Greek boats could
not even make as good time as the Bay Line,
and passengers booked through that way, were
forced to lie over at Richmond.
There was through route, formerly, over
the Orange and Alexandria Road via Gordons,,
Vile When the companies south OF Richmond
formed through connections with the Aqua
Greek Line, they cut off the Gordonsville route:
1t was longer and could not favorably compete
with the other line, except at times when water
routes were obstructed Arrangements We're,
however, perfected at Richmond, by which the
Gordonsvile route could make no regular
southern connections, and in New York K
the rival combination even refused to sell
through tickets over the Alexandra Road
In consequence VI ILLS, liChoeo ua'S VI 4.t'e
been selling In New York, to all parts OF the
South. over lines which were obstructed, while
it has been impossible to obtain ticket over
the only line which was really open to Rich
lnond.
There is but one remedy for this, and that ls
competition The fact that the Baltimore and
Ohio Road, which once so vigorously opposed
IN airline, should now advocate it SO strenuous
". is but another proof Of what we have before
asserted, that the management OF, this road is
more popular to-day than it has ever been be-
fore under Mr. CARROTS Presidency. Let the
Baltimore and Potomac. and the Northern
Central and the Pennsylvania and New York
Roads have their coalition: Let them form the
have, if we can obtain it, an independent road,
and let it be the Southern route from New
York. Let us have road connecting BY one
branch of the Baltimore and Ohio Road through
Iynchburg and Danvile, to Mobile, and by an
other branch, through Staunton and Chatta-
nooya, to New Orleans We shall then have
the most direct Southern routes in the country,
bv which travellers can 60 from New York to
Mobile or New Orleans without change OF cars.
Goose CREEK FERRY-The ferry, where
the Georgetown and Leesbnrg Turnpike crosses
Goose Creek, will shortly be abandoned and all
facilities for crossing vehicles Of every descrip-
ton, sheep, hogs, &c., be suspended. There
fore fore WISH to cali the attention of the Superyi-
sors to the above fact, that they may make
some arrangements with the owner Of the boat,
bv which the ferry can be kept open, until the
bridges can be rebuilt. Should the ferry be clos
ed only for limited time, it would subject a
large number of citizens to serious inconvenience.
As bridge at the above named point is indis-
pensible, it should be rebuilt as soon as practi-
cable. The county will appropriate 81 200 to
repair the piers and rebuild the superstructuIse'
provided $500 can be raised by private e SUD- &
to contribute to the erection of the bridge, can
find a subscription paper at the 'Washingto-'
nian" Office. HENRY SAUNDERS, Jr:
Commissioner of Roads for Leesburg-
Township Jan. ~.