Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1871-08-23
The Railroads.

Washington Correspondence Of Bait. Sun.
There seems to be 4 general awakening here
on the subject Of railroads. and that fruitful
source of plans and projects Is not less produc.
tive here than elsewhere Missionaries with
impracticable plans abound, but a. matter Of
i;ct. I'LL our solid railway enterprises, with the
exception pfthc Washington aud Ohio railroad,
are those which arc controlled by either the
Baltimore and Ohio Company or the PennSy-
vania Central Company Under the shelter
ing wing Of each Of these great companies in-
porant works of vast interest to Washington
arc in progress, and will soon be pressed II
complexion The Baltimore and Ohio have
now, by means Of the Alexandria and Washing
ton and Orange and Alexandria railroads.. the
only railway ligament which joins the North
and the South Atlantic States together.
This company is now constructing for Wash
ington the Metropolitan Branch road, that
will place us in close connection with " CStern
MARYLAND and Central Pennsylvania, while to
avoid all possible hazard Of IN interruption to
its southern connections BY storms and flood on
the water, or rings on the land, it champions
the National Junction railway enterprise:
which purposes to connect the present terminus
Of the Baltimore and Ohio raroad here with
the great line Of the Orange and Alexandria
the depot of the Metropolitan Branch to the
Alexandria canal aqucduct. at which point the
| Bernie Bank railway, running along the BERNIE
bank of the Alexandria canal. will make the
connection with the Orange and Alexandria
railroad
The Bernie Bunk railway is partially COM
plctcd all the grading, &C., as far as the Long
| Bridge being finished Sonic time since Work
on the Junction road at its Georgetown end
will be commenced early this fall and the
whole work, it is stated, will be completed
within two years. The authorized capital Of
the company is SS00:o00. with power to is>lle
| bonds
The Pennsylvania Central Company chnnl-
pions the Baltimore and Potomac road. which
reaches this city from the riverside counties Of
Maryland, and the Alexandria and FrcderlckS-
burg railroads, which runs along through the
riverside counties of Virginia; the first reach
ing the city via bridge over the Eastern
| Branch and tunnel the third Of mile long
through Capital Hill to Nirginaaycnuc, where
it reaches the present Alexandria and Wash
| ington depot; the second will come over the r.
| land avenue. and will join the Baltimore and
| Potomac road al the present Maryland avenue
depot.
The Baltimore ana Potomac road is being
pressed forward with great expedition. The
track from the Patuxcut TO the Patap>co has
| been laid, and the construction trains are now
running thereon Most Of the graIingand cut
ting within the District beyond the Eastern
branch is completed. The bridge timber for
! the Eastern branch crossing is ready. Within
the city the tunnel and road bed thereto is in
an advanced stage. and will be finished before
Indictment weather sets in and the engineer in
charge expects to have the tunnel comp cted TO
the west side Of Tenth street aud the west
side of Eighth street within two weeks.
The Alexandria and Fredericksburg road has
all the cuts and fills below Alexandria complct
ted and construction trains running Ona small
portion Of the road On the route between
Alexandria aud Washington about on!-hat the
grading is completed, the work being stopped
under an Injunction. At Long Bird &c live Of
the piers are finished and seven others partially
COMPLETED The cmbankmcnt work is done.
Workmcu arc employed in demolishing the
woodwork of the old bridge and carpenters busy
preparing the framing ofthc new. Steam pile
drivers, steam saws, skilled divers are all busy
at the work, a portion Of which goes on by night
as well as by day and it is expected that the
new Bridge will be finished early next year.
On this side of the bridge work mcn are busy
regarding Maryland avenue for the use of the
company, Congress having passed il special act
authorizing the work. So that wcarc about en-
torng new railway era.