Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-10-10
Al&fan0ria 6axette
WEDN ESDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 10.
Alexandria.

peculiar 10 tho city have oecasl0ncd quite tall.
ing of in the local trade, both export and i'm
port, during the last year.
The lofty aud capacious warehouses that line
the waler front have silent and deserted ap
pcarance. while buzz Of wheels has ceased ia
mill and factory. Smokclcss are the loily
chimneys, save in one or two instances, while
grass and weeds have already begun to over
run the streets where factories were wont to
add their busy hum TO the rattle Of the noisy
draws that carried raw material or manufactured
goods. Not such was the appearance Of the
| city even 80 late as forty years ago, when she
| had thriving foreign trade; importing and
| exporting heavily sugar, rum, molasses and
| fruits from the West Indies, and sending out
| -four, crackers and lumber in return; bringing
coffee, with hard and dye woods, from South
| America; driving, moreover, thriving trade
with Great Britain, Holland aud Franco, the
supply for the tobacco monopoly of the latter
country having been at one time tarmcd to a
citizen of Alexandria. Many incidents and
facts connected with the present condition OF
the city, and the movements Of her citiZens,
soem to point to the fact that tho mould
aud cobwebs OF stasnant trade will soou
be swept aside aud hustle and activity
replace the present torpor. II the efforts
about to be made by AlcXandrlaus arc persisted
in, the mills and factories will once more ccho
to the tread CT busy operatives, whio shipping
will again throng the wharyes and hammer and
caulking iron ring chccrlIy once more to wake
the slumberipg echoes Of her deserted ship
yard. Vigorous efforts are being made to re.
store the ruined credit Of the city, which finds
itself unable to pay more than lilty cents on tho
dollar of tho interest on it's municipal debt. A
combination is being made to secure the eXccu
tiou of tho long talked of plan to encourage sDar
features by rcmitting for considerable period
ali taxes hitherto levied upon those who run the
mills and factories. It is hoped that if this Is
finally agreed to the empty buildings vii! not
only be re opened, but that new factories will
be started and new period of commercial pros
perity dawn for this unfortunate municipality.
Nowhere will this cOnsummatlon be more de-
voutly hoped for or moro gladly hailed than IN
the nations capital, although the close neigh
borhood Of Washington is too apt to oVershadow
both the business capabilities and the clnster-
ing memories OF the elder city. a series OF
wharvcs at which large war vessels or mcrch'
anthem Of the greatest lraught and tonnage
can safely moor, a private ship yard whence a
three masted schooner of tho largest size was
launched last year, stauuch. tout, and sea wor-
thy, making since its christening three or four
long trans atlantic voyages q number OF mills
and factories solidly built, mounted With the
newest "plant' aud machinery in the best
condition, ample and rapid communication,
both North and South, with the interior and
the seaboard, with coal and iron centors. as
with manufacturing and agricultural districts
by water and by rail, large and roOmy houses
solidly built, relics OF moro prosperous age oil
the city's history; these advantages, with many
more too numerous for recapiulation here, arc
no mean factors, when improved by thrift and
shrewdncss in the knotty problem Of towns
SUCCESS. The great attendance at the recent
"fair" conducted by the Woodlawn Assoca
ton, has stimulated the ci,Z,D OF Alexandria
to inaugurate movement providing Tor an an
nua agricultural and industrial lair.
This enterprise is now fully determined upon.
and before many months the permanent build
iugs for its accommodation will have been erect
ed, aud the race coursc-deslgned as ono oil the
features Of ''the show will have been oom
pleted. Upon the many points OF historic 10
tercst which cluster round this venerable olty,
the space is wanting to diIate, and nero brlci
enumeration is all that can be attempted here.
The Braddock house, built round by the Man
sion House Hotel, where tho disastrous Brad.
dock campaign against Fort Duqucsne was plan
ned 10 1859, still invites the eye and pencil OF
the tourist; while the road cut from Alexandra
to Winchester by Braddock's soldiers still sub
serves The more peaceful ends OF daily travel.
Christ Church, where Washington knclt 10
PRAYER from year to year. the City llotcl-hch
Gadsby's Tavern-iron the steps Of which he
reviewed, in l79S, eight uniform companies Ct
lroops; the "Marsha House, where Ellsworth
met his fate in 1851 during stirring times whose
eyery hour was page Of history, time is wanting
for their portrayal. And this old town, old and
houored families have gilded With their fame;
not yaiuly have they ivcd-thc lees and Fair
faxes, with host OF others. The falrfax title
hangs but by single thread. 1t il believed
hat Charles Fairfax, the eleventh Baron, left
sou who now resides 10 Virginia somewhere.
but the father came by his death in quite Gu
| rious manner.
Charles Fairfax was 10 San Francisco as re-
cordor or clerk of the courts. lie was very
much beloved there, being Of chivalrous and
| noble nature Ono night desperate waylaid
| him in the dark TO rob and murder him, but
Lord Fairfax, being a powerful man, of great
nerve, auickness and address, closed with and
mastered bis asssiIaut. Finding that he had
him at his mercy, Fairfax coutemptuously flung
him his life as ono would fling bone to a chr,
but az he strobe away the miscreant shot lim
from behind The bullet lodged 10 Fairfax's
| lung and Induced consumption, which finally
carried him off. One might liugcr longer ia
tho streets of this quaint old town and write
about their historic relics aud memories almost
without end, but the purping sky aud setting
sun give friendly warning that it IS time to
| pause, The revenue bell punch tinckles with
paiotivo and bibulous sound in ncighborinE
restaurant as your reporter crosses the gangVay
then up over the now purpling water the
numbering ferry boat takes its course, as the
evening gun booms family across the bosom Of
of the stream, towards the distant city looming
rod and hazy 10 the westering flush Of gorge,
GUS sunsot.-- Wash. Union.
MF How IT Is DoNE.-The frat object 10
life with the American people is to get rich -
the second, how to regain good healIh. The
larst can be obtained by energy, honesty and
saving; the second (good health) by using
l y1YI unI