Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-11-26
Letter from LOudOun Co.


| Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
LEEsBURG, Va, Nov. q, 1874. -Notwith
standing the small crop of corn, and the low
price of wheat, | thiuk | have never seen the
farmers OF the county SO cheerful.
| understand that under the working of our
road law the roads 10 all the townships west oil
the Catoctiu mountains are very much improved
BIZ grading down hills aud 6ug up hollows,
and ditchlng so as to keep the water of the
road bed. There is some complaint in Lovetts.
vile Township that the fences encroach upon
the roads aud that land owners resist the right
of the Overseers to remove them, 90 the
GROUND that the public canuot show the right
10 the road wider than that used, as good
many OF the roads were used and by the aslng
only became public ROADS, tut that they were
never regularly laid out and condemned. The
narrow roads are an occasion off great incouve-
Dience 10 the public, aud will become more 30
as the county becomes more tblckly pop
ulated.
Another improvement 10 the county is the
pumber Ut sma bouses (cnttages) that are be-
ing built in the county. (You perceive l use
the phrase being built Tor the same reason
that one otthe humorists of the period alleges
for similar use 10 the case OF Sam He said
there was great difference between the phrases
"Sam is spanking" and Sam Is being spank
ing" iu fact the difference Was feeling one. }
Well, these houses, believe, are for the use
of teDants or laburers, as the case may be. Now
as these houses become multiplied the facility
for subdivision is shown, and as population To-
creases the lands will be cut up.
In few days the track of the w. q y. Il.
R. will be laid to Round Hill which Is about
four miles from the Clarke lioe, aud about
thirteen FROM Berryvile, and rs from Wlnches-
ter So you perceive the Valley is ready once
more to puur her products lnto the lap OF
Alexandria, and Winchester will again become
the ''entrepot" Tor the products OF the Valley
to be thence shipped to the best market. Now
as | take it Alexandria Is that best market, tor
ships Of d large SIZE eau come to It's WharVes to
take off the produce from the tine couotry
seemingly dependent. on 1t. Winchester Is
about IS miles from Alexandria, Baltimore is
about Il3, TO Harpers Ferry 81, to Baltimore
81 which Is difference OF just 335 per ct. in
distance, and with grades altogether favorable
10 the short route, aud | hardly thok can be
called uukud if | say that if Alexandria does
not again get the trade of the lower Valley, 1t
will be the fault of her Own people. | notice
that the drovers from southwest Londoun are
turning their faces already 10 the direction of
tie W & D. as the best route for them, and
If they should ship cattle instead of driving
them they will use this route in preference to
the Manassas Gap Railroad. So that you will
perceive that the W q 0. must lock up. |
hear that the receipts of the road for Oaober
are s 800 greater than for October Of last
year, and this is especially noticeable from the
fact that other companies are losing as compar-
ed with last year 1t may also please the bond
holders to learn that Scotland Gap Cults turn
ing out 10 be almost all sandy loan, rather
than rock as was appreciated and Anticipated
thus reducing its cost probably fifty per CT So
that Oh all hands We have cause here and 10
your town for thanksgiving, which | hope will
be devoutIy rendered next Thursday, though
some of he items 10 the account of thanks may
not have been anticipated by the proclaimer of
the document, which, as good citizens, we should
all respect.
The improvement of our town still continues,
but the shortening days remind US that the
time for ceasiog them will soon be at hand;
they are ply wonderful.
As to the "Bondholders proposition it
seems to me to be supply absurd. We have
debt running tWenty->lx years at per CT, aod
one, from the tax paying feature of it, that is
becoming rapidly home owned debt, and
therefore the more easily managed, and we are
gravey asked to make it shorter. debt with
the rate of interest equal (lf gold continues at
a premium TO the present rate, and payable 10
Loudon, with exchange added, of course. 10
New York or iu Rlchuoad, thus draining our
resources to foreign countries, and makiog US
dependent on their tender mercies Instead of
our own people.
Now that the township system is abolished.
and so much is to be saved from our taxes, ~
would it not be well to add little to our taxes
for houest debts? ALIQUIs.
Brevet Brigadier General Thomas J. Leslie,
died yesterday morning at bis residence in New