Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-05-11
ALEXANDRIA,, VA.
SATURDAY, NAY II, 1872.

THE M,TEREAL PROSPERITY OF our city Is
nearly allied TO, and dependent upon the success
of those public enterprises which contribute to
its trade whilst on the other hand all our enter
nrises are more or less affected by that liberal
spirit with which they should be encouraged
by the city Mutual benefits indirectly accrue
always, v here there l., a cooperation toadvance
the interests of either so intimately connected
are they. In this connection, 1t is our purpose
to review the progress aud development OF the
O.. \. & W. R. T. under its present manage
n,ent since the war. This Road is now one OF
the few, or perhaps the only r 'ad in the State,
that remains under The control and direction OF
the same management aud officers who under
took its. contlol immediately succeeding the
war, and have a,lvantag eously, and successfully
direc, ed its affairs to the present tine whilst
the her roa Is OF the State, without rejecting
on the management which has controlled them,
have founl it necessary to make some change
in their government substitute some more
economical, or at any rate more judlclous syS-
ten. And yet few, if any oil them, eau to
day present healthier financial condition, or
a prosperity resting on frmer basis than
does The o, A. & NJ. Road. Without the aid
of foreign capital.which has in several Instances
contributed So largely to the successful opera
tou of other roads, it has relied almost exclu
siyey on the resources which arose out OF Its
own advantages, aud the manner in which
those advantages were organized aud directed
to furnish that material which has redounded
to is present growth aud development.
With all incubus of a heavy debt resting up
on il. under the cons ,lidation of the o. d a.
and VI. &. r ,ad,, the Manassas branch has
been completed from Piedmunt-34 miles from
NJ IN ,ssas Junctiou--to liArrisJnburg,a distance
of Is uies. at the cost Of 81 OOJ,0JO, thus ex-
tending this branch iuto, and through Que OF
the most fertile sections of Virginia. The de-
maid, in the way of rolling stock and road
eonipuen ITS, which this extcn-ion ueccssitated.
ger: tuet and supplied This construction in
ITSELF, which has contributed so largely to the
income IF the road, is an achievement which
sllou i have c,mnenled the power that dlrec'
ted the effort, and effected the result, tut when
the circumStauc IS under which this work was
accomplished, together with the heavy expense
necessarily incurred by it's more extended ope-
rainy, arr. considered. it becomes evidence
OF superior ability in Railroad management on
tn. D .rt of The officers Of the Company.
On the main line there has been an addition.
al evidence of its recuperative energy in the
dispatch with which the destruction Of the war
have been replaced, and other improvements
essential to putting the road in safe condition
have been made.
Beside the large outlay, above mentioned. it
has discharged large balances due the U. s.
government for material purchased since the
war, besides heavy Indebtedness incurred by
the inmeda predecessors of the present man
asepent with the Adams Express Company.
II addition to the discharge of these heavy
debts. the Company has laid 80 miles of new
r.l on the main line between Alexandria and
Lyuchburg. and put down 100000 cross ties on
the same by which Improvements the road has
been put in fine condition, and is rendered one
OF the safest aud most rea'le railroad routes
il the country. The increased patronage that
arose from its great facilities as the shortest
through line from New York to New Orleans
and the other cities OF the Southwest combined
with its remarkable exemption fIom accidents
Of a kilIs, which rendered it whilst the most
IL ha r m
those points, made a corresponding increase Of
r ad eqnilments necessary to meet the de-
nauds Of the increased freight and travel. The
same en-. rgy which prosecuted and directed the
work so tar, furnished an adequate proyis-
ion in this particular.
Since the war there has been added to the
rolling stock of the Company 10 new locomo
tives, 9 Passenger cars, 3 baggage and express
cars, aud 2l9 freight cars, the cars being built
in their own shops by which there was employ
meut given TO a large mechanical force, beside
the beneficial contribution to the raLufactur
ing interests of the city in the work prosecuted
in their large AMI c'm uolious shops located
here. The cars turned out here combine the
triple lvantages of comfort, safety, aud dura-
bility. an but few. if any, of the roads South
are furnished with cars finished with more cle-
ganee and taste than tue first class. cars OF this
road.
On the main line there have been built II
Station houses, engine houses and shops, and
Is bridges, not including the complete
constructions on the Manassas branch
With these facilities and couvenences the
road may be said to be thoroughly equip
ped in every respect for transporting the aeru
mulated amount of travel and freight which
passes over it. The total value Of equipment OF
every sort and material for machinery and
tran portaion nnwnwned by the company may
be safely estimated at not less than a million
of dol ars.
Lii addition to these heavy expenses, which,
In the ordinary course IF tn, road management.