Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1877-07-20
Alefan0ria 6azettc
FRIDAY EVENING. JULY 60
Surroundings OF Wit. Vernon.
C0LLINGW0oD, WooDLAWN, ACCoTINK.
.rrr1.rc,ur.,,r IL LII. ,7-

|
beautifully on the western bank Of the Poto-
mao. Il WAS Intended this should be the spot
Of oil others Tor development on the noble
river. Georgetown, now a suburb Of Washing
ton, at The head Of deep water naviga;ia.. ~
| the eastern or Maryland side, once had large
West India trade and fnc connections with th,
interior Of the country; but lis advantages for
becoming large city, with commanding
| sweep, wero never acknowledged to be 80 great
as those Of Alexandria. Both, however, hava
been cclipsed by Baltimore-that splendid ex
ample Of enterprise half Northern and half
Simultaneously forty miles distant. AleXan-
dra at the present day has less than fifteen
thousand inhabitants. 1t has a noble approach
by water, better than that Of Philadelphia, and
is built upon plateau we'll elevated above the
rlvcr yet its boundaries arc very restricted.
and the appearance only of an attempted large
city greets the view of the curious visitor, WHO
wonders, while gazing upon it, why thero
should have been rctardiug Influences SO poteu-
tial as to limit its expansion to such toy.likr
boundaries, Even now were ihcro fair
amount oi that enterprise which briggs into
existence cities like Chicago, st. Louis aud
Cincinnati, within the old fashioned and sol
cum precincts Of Alexandria, hope as to its
future might be entertained. Until something
OF the kind is injected into its body politic il
will remain stationary.
Alexandria is directly south OF Washington
on straight reach Of the river which exteods
almost to Mount Vernon, some eighteen miles
down from the Capital. Along the front Of the
former residence Of the Father oi his Country,
the stream courses sharply TO tho southwest,
leaving Fort Washington at the angle on the
MaryIand shore The river il 1 beautiful eS
panse OF water averaging more than mile III
width, AID bounded by gently sloplng and III
some instances hiIly shores, with notable cuMps
OF forest fringe. Five miles below Alexandria
commences the original Washington estate OF
eight thousand acres, Of which Mount Vernon
is the central pOnt OF anumbcr oil plantations,
each, according to the Southern custom, hav-
ing independent namcs-W ellingtou, Colug-
wood, Woodlawu, Tor Instance. The trac: II
intcrscctcd by Little Hunting Greek aud Dogue
Greek, small streams coming from the north.
west and inding the Potomac on either side o!
Mount Vernon. Below Doguc Creek there is
a dccp indeutation called P0hick Bay, into the
head of which cmptics Accotlnk Creek from
tho northwest aud Pohick Greek from the west,
both Of which arc naviSable for sloops and
,I ~ ibn Snuthwcst shorc Of the bay il Gurstop,
the old family scat Of the Mason's. B:low
Mount Vernon and next to Doguc Creek is
Woodlawn; and above It, between Little Hunt
pg Creek and Alexandria, is ColIlngHool.
The Mount Vernon estate proper, consists at
present of only two hundred acres Immediately
around the dwelling. This is under tho cou
troll Of an association Of persons organized for
the the preservation m Of the memorable spot, and
was purchased some years ago OF Mr. John a.
Washington. All the remainder Of the eight
thousand acrcs-tweIva square miles and moro
has gone Into the hands Of various purchas
crs. Aud here comes in singular fact. Near
" the whole Of the new residents are either
member. of the Society Of Friends, or descend
tomb toni Ct Washington ia surrounded. protected
aud and cherished by this peaceful people, whos'
practice Of holding human beings in sorgItuI'.
and. under any circumstances, OF resortlnE to