Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-27
THE ANNALS OF ALEX &NDkIA.
THIRD ) ERI K y. ]
CHAPTER vi.

THE MATERIALS THAT MADE ALEXANDRIA.
l72>. By lbs the tobacco producing bands
already extended far above the site OF Alexan
dra, 50 that it was too far to carry the tobacco
down to the warehouse at Quantlco creek.
So this year the Colonial Assembly directed
the placing of new tobacco warehouse "at
Arthur Broadwater's land, on Hunting creek,
but Broadwaler' land was found inconveuient
and the warehouse was built about 1880, ''on
simon Pearsou's land" O.her documents
rolpt to a hill which stood not mauy years
since near the Alexandra, Lvudoun and
Hampshire depot as the location. Indeed, the
exact spot could not have been more than
twenty Yards from the present site Of the City
Gas Works.
4 portion of the old hill has been cut away
within the last ten years. The old BAKERY
winch surrpouuted it withio that period bore
evidence that the hill there had once been
very lofty That bill top extended as an un-
brokeu plateau irom OrunoEo creek aud marsh,
(which has sluce uwDdled luto the gul,j ou
the uorth aud northwest, TO the river shore on
the east, and to what was called hlte Oak
swamp, on the south aud southwest. Ill had
au average hcig ght of from ten TO twenty five
feet above the streets as they now exist in the
To the east the Contour Of the bill correspond
cd with that OF the river beach, to which 1t de-
Scended as preceptiousy as the hill beside MIR.
Smiths lime kiln, on the north end OF the
Town to the shore there. The river then form
ed cuyes IN trout of the hill similar to those it
vet makes uorth aud south OF It, Beginning
at what We call Fishtuwu it curved 10 to the
foot of the Mansion House, aud then curving
araip ran cut TO The Pioucer Mills, aud made
then another small cove near the ship-yard.
have. been particular in thus marking the gene
raj topography of this hill, because We will hud
that the lglual plan the town was shaped to
sui, the ground, not as afterwards cutting and
shaping the ground to suit the town.
We may we'll Imagine that the tobacco or
rolling house, as it used 10 be called, was the
c, utre of The eighbol hood. 1t was the gene
raj storehou>e Tor the crops. Here the tore ign
ships came Here the planter met the outer
world, II was bauk Of deposit, loI it re-
ceved all the wealth OF the ueighboriood 1t
was bank of circulation, and its notes were
the common currency Of the COLONY. All colo
NAL transact ions We're made not III sterling bul
IL pounds of tobacco. Tie governor salary,
the laburer's pay, and even the marriage fee,
was rated in tobacco. Not as one might think
was the articles carried about aud these pay
ments made actually 10 the tobacco itself, tut
in tobacco notes or certificates OF the deposit OF
certain amount Of tobacco iu public ware
house for Instance, planter would roll 30
coo lbs. OF tobacco to the warehouse aud lie
cyive therefor flU0 to zoo tobatcI notes.
1llcse notes passed currcut even among ner-
chants, aud upon their presentation at the
warehouse the required amount of tobacco
could be drawn. 81 they selVed tor certain
rough species OF currency.
lo, ,l.to a no bn pnadS nj hp
to the new warehouse soon began to grow
around il, and its fue han Dor at once suggested
the uaue Bell Haven. and so about 1882. We
had the ncucluS of Alexandria. have heard,
and believe truly, that the log cabins which
many years since tod on the SITES Of Sarepta
Hail and Washington Hall were the last re.
mants OF Old Bell Haven. They served it is said
US an Inn for the Tosacco Rulers. This prv-
CESS of tobacco rolling may be new to many
aud will give an account of 1t extracted from
one of the most trustworthy OF our Virginia
Aunallsts. Rolling tobacco was brioglug it to
the warehouse The primitive method used
for this transportation was curious. The to-
blcco hogshead was actually rolled to market
its own circumference through mud ana
stream. A long wooden spike driven iuto the
centre of each eud and rr jectiug few inches
beynud served for an axletree. "A split saplng
wa, fitted to it for shafts, aud extended 10 the
rear OF the hogshcad forming sort OF foot
board or box on winch We're slowed mid
dliug or two of bacon, bag Of meal and a Try
ing pan an axe blaokets for the men, covered
to some height with fodder for the quadrupeds
Ii the distance to market was moderate, the
hogsheads was rolled on its hoops, but if fifty
o. a hundred miles were to be over
come rough felloes were spiked on the each
end or quarter OF the cask and these
rude tires served to protect it from
being worn through. At night, the tobacco
roller kiuded IRE from bis rifle priming, fried
his bacon, made his hoe-cake and with the
souce OF good appetite, enjoyed his meal with
as much gusto as the great diner OUT living
The tobacco delivered at the warehouse aud
the requisite tobacco notes safe in his wallet
he trotted the horses all the more bri>kly back
that there was no vain behind them. Long
trains of these tobacco rollers wound, a hundred
years ago. over these hills aud refreshed them
selves al our first lop.
AS before mentioned the building Of these
tobacco warehouses was matter OF very con
siderable importance to the riverside commu-
nifty. The earliest known builder OF these
houses in this ncighborhood was John Sum-
mers, the ancestor of the we'll known Geo. w.
Summers of West Virginia, and of the taml-
lies of MesSrs John and Wesley Summers,
CAPT W. B. Price and others.
FROM manuscript left by Judge Lewis
Summers OF kauawha county, Va, the fol-
lowing sketch of the old pioneer is taken .
"Johu Summers, the 500 OF au Enghsh
Protestant family, was born on the Patuxent
river, 10 Maryland, iu 1897. He came to Vlr-
giuia when quite young man, built caoln
on the Potomac, where the town OF A!exan-
dria now stands. The laud was then vacant;
appropriations, not having extended far from
the bay, and mouths of the principal rivers,
The country between that part Of the Potomac
and Blue Ridge was the hunting grounds OF
the Indians shnunding with deer bears wolves