Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-06-17
Letter from Falls Church.

Correspondence Of the Alexandra Gazette.
FALLS CnURCH, Va. June II. 1878. 1.-The
average farmer is apt to be \ great croaker;
what with the frost spcwng out his grain, AID
the wcvi, the cbinch.bug, the lust, the frcst.
aud God knows how many more things to rul-
fle The surface OF lis otherwise peaceful soul,
he manages to keep himself iu :. !ermcnt most
Of the time, and now when ali dagger Is past
and tho harvest is at band he gets more dis
satisfied than ever because OF the failure Of oil
his representations and the return OF good
crop of grain. From present prospects there
can be no excuse for any starvation. TO be
suro all the buster and braggadocio OF England
and Russia fighting over who should have the
biggest piece Of Turkey, is apt to end in smoke
and instead Of giving our farmers two dollars
bushel for their grain is likely to keep the
price down to one dollar, but even at that they
can possibly pay of their debts and put IN
another crop to fret over Tor another season.
The narrow gauge railroad is our most prom
nent theme. The rough grading is principally
foi5hed out TO the middle Turnpike which i!
crosses at w. A. Duncans line. and some
quarter Of mile beyond. The road is rather
more crooked than the usual broad guagc,
which, however, is held not to be any dlsad
vantage to harrow gauge road. aud the
curves in the road having enabled the manage
ment to locate the same in such manner as
10 avoid any heavy grading, the tXransc OF the
work SO far done has been very light in com.
parisOn with what the same distance OF a broad
gauge would have been. The Lumcrou turns
in the road have added SOME to its length, max
ing about seven miles of road, between points
only little over six miles as the crow flies, but
this cannot be avodad 10 a rolling country,
such as ours, where it would be work oil
fearful cost to run air lnc roads as Is the rule
10 Great Britain and the European countries
1t has been the superstition ii many that
Mai. B0rst would % back to the A4ucduct
Bridge aud finish this section as lar as Falls
Church before going beyond; but the Major
assures NE, On the contrary, that while he Will
set force at work TO finish up this first sec
ton, the work on the rough grading would be
continued without Interruption toward Fairfax
Court House. The people seeing tie deter
mined energy OF the management arc cVIncng
better spirit TOWARD the road, and the srrlt
Of cavil that seemed such All obstacle at the
outset il diminishing 40 pcrccplbly AZ to be
of very little moment. AZ q rule the clVlers
at movement Of this character aro apt TO be
the most Jealous IN rs support al snon AZ ihrre
is any appearance OF success.
The prOpletOra Of steam excavation stht II
out TO work on the narrow gauge road with
view Of testing il. II Is constructed with
series OF excavaling buckets working over Al
endless chain that lifts the earth and carries It
up an inclined elevator, dumping it into
bcltcd carrier by means OF which it IL dumped
on either side at pleasure. The machine
seems 10 be constructed on correct principles
but it's working 80 far has not been satisfactory.