Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1877-07-31
LETTER FROM ALEXANDRIA.
ALEXANDRIA, VA, July 18th, 1877.


tured editor who is in good healthy keeping
them to his readers for their amusement, rs
we'll as profit, l hope. For i wish it under.
stood. in all those dottings. aim to impart
useful information. something substantial. by
tho way. which will bear second going over.
LETT Charestown on Tuesday, with the ex-
cursiou throng for Washington, that pro-
jected by the Railroad men to cover 8 days.
mine to continue weeks for health, pleasure,
change, etc. At Harper's Ferry. we excur>
sicnists were embossed from the 81 accommo-
dation train, which sped awsy to Baltimore,
and hi,ched to what understood was to be
an excursion one from Martinsburg. laid
down in the programme. The train came.
minus rhe excursionists. the coaches being
pretty much empty. brought about [ suppose
by the excitement at aiartinsburg, in con~
nection with the strike of the F:remcn, of
which you have learned through the daily
papers fine rain prevailed for the last 25
miles of the road to Washington which we
reached about 10 A. NJ. Leaving the sight
seers to do up the Capital of the Mighty Ma
ton. went right on TO Alexandra. where |
am now, and from which good old town l
send you thi. epistle. Well. it is hot down
here. and have sought out cool place. and
where do you think | sit and write On
the shady sido of one of the Main streets OF
the town. Washington, Of course, named after
the pater patrie through which he often
rode when he came from his loved Vernon to
church, or on business. 1t is beautiful
street to me as sit in an easy chair before q
barber shop aud look up and down. Fine
large shade trees grid either side, many very
handsome residences are TO be seen, and what
is striking fact, and l note il such.
within q compass of three squares are six
churches all of which can see by spire
otherwise. First. the Baptist with it's pastor.
Rev Mr.. Penck, who was with us in Charles
town once then the NJ f. Church, where
when youth forty years ago was wont to go
and worship; Just across the street from the
last named the NJ. E Church South large
and imposing structure. greatly improved
within tho two last years by expenditure
IF four thousand dollars thon the NJ.
Protestant church moderate building in an.
pearance and size; next old Christ Church P.
Episcopal. where Gen'l Washington had a
pew and sometimes camo to worship, just
beyond Jewish Synagogue, q small affair
in appearance-anda little beyond that stands
in full view the building where for many
years Benjamin Halowell established and
conducted most successfully a mathematical
az birthstone Castle" its color l suppose
suggesting the souhriquet, place interest,"
ing to me-, for there | spent = year to stock
for future use. Such is one of the many
streets of this old town. l have thu. writ>
ten of one in particular as it was right at
hand and afforded me a good subject. The
time and space would fail one to write Of
others in minutii, but rather let US take up
the city ns a whole and write up its bright,
as we'll as its shady sides. It is very old
town, going way. way back TO tho earliest
colonial days. and time the great lcvalcr has
marked. and furrowed, and wasted in his
own way; evidences of which are patent on
every hand Its social feature is prominent.
Old Virginia's hospitality was very early en-
grated into its society and has all along he Id
its own, and is to>d.y bright festureen the
social fabric. The religious element has a
predominntine influence; manifest in the
large number of churches from which the
purifying spirit of Christianity is dissent
mated through the body polite. and very few
towns CT its size can show cleaner police
record and a greater freedom from the rows
dy element. In point of location it is supe-
rlor The beautiful Potomac which hugs
the north side of our county sweeps this way
in its rOiseless move TO the vast ocean, ex>
pandug right in front of the city to the width
of mile and depth which gives a. safe an
choraye for the largest ships. A grand
country back of it through which the Mid
land Trunk Railroad passes, may pour its ag>
gregatrd products into Its stnre>houses But
with all trade lsngu shes, and the hum and
stir of thrifty traffic delays. A fate most
strange holds in check the would-he busy
mart, and inertia sits supreme Factories
once ayloH with the music of the spindle
and the hammer are now AZ silent as death,
and there is very little hope of returning
prosperity to them With such 4 paralysis
of trade tho monster incubus of bonded
debt to the extent of one million one hundred
and ifty-eight thousand dollars hangs a
pail over the corporation. with rapidly accru-
ing interest unpaid, and taxes to the extern,
of two dollars 20 the hundred levied to meet
the expenses What ia to come of all this it
is hard to tell. II will t,ke the most skill
full financial engineering to weather the storm
and avert tho rock of Reputation 20 threat
ening. May they steer clear of the breakers
and reach safe and prosperous harbor. I
leave Tomorrow for Warrenton, noted in
history as the birth place of one who signs
himself TIMOTHY.
COUNTY ITEMS Prom he Shepherds:ovn
Register we copy the following items:
Mr.. j. w. Grant of this place, showed US
a grape growing among uthors, on his viues,