Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-10-23

THE RAILROAD DIFFICULTY IN WASHING
ToN.-The following is the Washington Re-
publican's account Of the railroad difficulty in
Washington, statement of which appeared in
yesterday Gazette.
Yesterday'morning the contractor for grading
and paving First street west, from Peunsylva-
MIA avenue to Indiana avenue, ordered his
workmen to proceed with their labor and not
let the track of the Orange and Alexandria rail-
road. which is laid along that street, interfere
with them in the least in other words to cover
it up completely This action it is understood,
was dictated by the Board of Public Works on
account of the unwilliDgness of the company to
raise their tracks some two or three feet 10 ord
er to make it conform to the new grade Of the
street.
As matter of course the workmeu willingly
obeyed orders, and by ID o clock the entire sur
face OF the track, for space Of thirty or forty
eled fast, and by this hour Mr.. DuBarry, super
appeared at the head of four stalwart
laborers, each armed with shovel and order.
ed them to clear the track, which they proceed
ed to do, one set throwing on dirt and the other
throwing it of. Fearing that some trouble
might eDsue, special superintendent Flynn sent
word to Lieutenant Kelly, and that officer soon
responded with his entire reserve force.
He had hardly reached the ground before
he was appealed to by the railroad men to
drive the others from the track, they claiming
it as their especial property. This the Lieu
tenant couldn't see; he was not there to decide
upon the rights Of either party, but to prevent
breach of the peace, and SO informed them.
The little game Of throwing off and on con-
tinucd for half an hour, the railroad men, who
had in the meantime been reinforced, granting
ground rapidly, and nearly clearing the track,
when suddenly cattle train came up and
drove both parties off The eng ncer looked
over the ground or the track carefully, conclud
ed that he could get over and putting on a
good head OF steam, succeeded in crossing
Safely, but instead of going on he halted his
train and allowed it to remain standing.
While the train had been in possession the
contractor. determining not to be outdone, had
sent for more men and carts, which soon ar
rived, and instead of covering towards the
avenue as they had been doing, they dumped
in between the wheels of the cars, the railroad
men attempting to take it out as last as 1t was
put IN, but seeing that the game was losing
one they detached the rear car and took the
others to the Baltimore depot. In few mo-
ments the engine returned, and 10 attempting
TO force the remaining car over the dirt ran it
off the track. Then the men began to get a
little angry, and the indications were that un:
less something was done speedily there would
be a genuine free flight.
Determined that if the presence OF officers
would avert it, it should not take place, Lieut..
Kelly sent message to headquarters, and in
twenty minutes the reserves from Skippon 5
and Eckloff's precincts were on the spot. Then
it. was discovered that Mr.. DuBarry had sud.
denly disappeared, many thought for the pur
pose of gettidg additional men, but he soon re-
turned with a much more effective remedy in
the shape of the following letter.
BOARD OF PUBLIC Works,
WASHINGTON, October Do 1872.
-M. Smith, contractor for pairing First street:
SIR: You will desst from covering the track
of the Orange and Alexandria Railroad Com
pany on FIRST street until further orders.
ALEX. r. SHEPHERD, Vice Prest.
This was handed the foreman of the work,
and in second his men were drawn off and ten
dered to DuBarry to aid him in und oiug what
they had already done, and in short time
thereafter the blockade was raised and the trains
passed over the road as usual.
From the time of the arrival ofthe railroad
men until the affair was quoted there was
large crowd of lookers-on, anxiously awaiting
the fight which they felt certain would ensue
but in which they were happily Disappointed
thanks to the good sense fthe parties to the