Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-06-12
Letter from LOudOun.

Correspondence of the Alexandria Gazette.
LEEsBURa, June l0.-A slight sketch of
trip through the northwest portion of Loudoun
may not prove embarrassing: From Leesburg |
by turnpike to Hamilton village incorporated |
and voting Al, which indicates 200 inhabitants,) |
is six miles. Between the railroad stations it
is the same, but Hamilton station is nearly a
mile from the village. Hamilton contains one
newspaper, the Enterprise; three stores, one
whcclwright and wagonmaker's shop, one car
riage factory. livery stable, more than one
good boarding house, and many neat residences,
10 tho main recently built and ranged far apart,
generally set back good distance from tho
road, which was formerly the Lsesburg and
Suckers Gap turnpike, and the town is one
and quarter miles long. There is Masonic
hall, the lower story used as public school
room By sub district cut off from Mt. Gilesd
and Jefferson, and the house is thus jointly
owned. Here also is the pioneer cheese fac
tory of Virginia and the Harmony NJ. h. Church,
the subject OF law suit between the two
branches of the church Methodist. | do not
see much evidence of growth here. Three
miles further Oh is Purcellvie, " here the turn.
pike and the railroad are $50 yards apart. This
towp, of perhaps Is or 20 houses, would grow
if it had chance, but it is hide bound; the
land owners surrounding 1t being unwilling to
sell lots at any price. l noticed one frame
house 10 process Of erection, to be occupied by
j. K. Smith after while, but for q time by
another family. Hore is a steam plaster mill
with fifteen horse engine, but in consequence
of the large boiler running to eighteen horse
power the engine is connected by shattlng With
the machinery ola manufacturing establishment
tered BY the Circuit Court of Loudoun county.
There is foundry 10 which at present cast
ing of $500 to 5000 pounds is made once
week, consisting of plough shears, bells, other
plough castings, and any other articles usually
made 10 such establishments. The bolls are
iss, superceding the old time horns, and for
summoning the farm hands, and the sounding
of them is far more pleasant and expressive OF
home comforts than the horn. This company
has several lathes, among them wood lathe,
made entirely at the factory. A planning mill
has lately been connected with it. but 30 late
in the season that the demand for dressed tim
Der s far in advance of the supply. The par
ties running this establishment are Loudoun
born men, who had some engines with which
they sawed timber, thrashed wheat. ground
plaster, &C., and who, on the completion OF the
railroad 10 Purcellvile, ran together into one
mass, making this company out OF three firms.
Each of the original firms has support out
side OF this particular establishment, and they
have, as they resolved at the start, drawn no
dividend but added all tho earnings to the
business in the way of improvements, the plain.
ing mill being the last addition in the way OF
| capital Their plough took the premium ct
the Montgomery County Fair last tall, and
probably at other fairs. They made few gates
by particular request and now the orders tor
gates are almost troublesome. MIR. John Mil
ton, one of the partners, has recently patented
an Improvement 10 drills, by which he substl-
tutes iron tubing for the gun feeders OF the
old drills | believe their intention is not to
build new drills but to rebuild old drills, prob
ably at less than half the cost Of new ones.
They make speciality of corn shelters, which
are sold at SIS, being less than the Baltimore
retail price The gentleman engaged in this
enterprise are j. R. Smith, MIR. Davis, MIR.
Hirst, John and Theodore Milton, MIR. Bi'zer
and MIR. Bolyu. Mr.. Bitzer is the pattern
maker and Mr. Hirst the machinist. There
are in all about twelve persons constantly en-
ployed. Purcelve is six miles west Of the
Ketoctip mountain, seven miles from the Blue
Ridge, perhaps ten or twelve miles from the
Potomac at Berlin, whore the canal and b. &
o. R. R. come together, and the same distance
from the Fauquier line. Thus i. is 10 the very
heart of Loudoup valley, and roads from all
these points meet here There will be two
stations on the W. & 0. r. r. above Purcell
vile, namely, Round Hill, four miles, now
used, and SDckersyille, three miles further on,
and to which point the road is nearly graded.
but prudent Lewis Mckenzie will not venture
beyond his depth until he sees better pros
peot of swimming to the other shore. The
money from this county lost in Northern Pacific
and tied up 10 Union Pacific and G. & 0. would
have put the road into Clarke county, but dis
taDcc lent enchautment to the view, and now
said bondholdcrs look exceeding blue. When
will our people learn to have confidence in aud
lend support to their own people2 More next
week. ALIQUIs.