Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-07-10
The Narrow Gauge Railroad.

At q public meeting, in Georgetown. lee!
night, to take action 10 regard to the Wash
iugton, Cincinnati aud St. Louis Narrow
Gauge Railroad, The chairman. Mr.. Te1naS,
gave history of proposed railroads in George
town. Including The metropolitan road, which
they had to abandon because they cou'd not
raise 5000 900 after paying $40, 900. Mr.. hc
Kenzie offered 10 take the road ana run 1t
within two miles of Alexandria. They saw
| tho. rood within ton milas of Alexandria was
| no road for Georgetown. Trade was b0und to
take it's natural course. The coal and the grain
trade we're bound to come 10 GeorgetowD; but
that trade had gone TO AlaEaucrla and Wash
ingtou because there were no facilities tor
bringing it to Georgetown. Other roads had
taken the trade from Georgetown, and the only
resource they had was the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal.
MIR. Borst, the president Of the road, said
tho Datural course to Georgetowo was via Falls
Church. The narrow gauge railroad proposed
to come by nearer route across the Aqueduct
Bridge. He described the difference in time
and distance to Georgetown by the various
railroad lines. They desired to reach St. Louis
and finally Chicago. 1t might be asked how
they would ever get there. He would say by
keeping at it. They expected to build the
road, but they had been a long time at it. He
then stated the time it took to build the Balti::
more and Ohio Railroad. to which the city of
Baltimore subscribed $5,000,000. Baltimore
did not give it as a donation, but she had
received it back over and over again.. The city
only paid per cent. on her bonds aud has
received 10 per cent. on her interest. ne then
referred to the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad,
j - /, ~ Gpo n
it. One Of these roads bounded the proposed
road on the north and tho other on the south.
He then described the counties through which
the narrow gauge road was to run. They had
|, 100000 bushels of wheat to deliver to some
market which was willing to receive it, aud they
proposed to send it to Georgetown. He then
spoke of the rich agricultural districts through
which the road was proposed to be ruo, and
through those counties they would 20 to West
Virginia, where we're the finest coal fields 10
the country, producing the cannel and spllnt
coal. There was no camel or spint coal he
said, on the line of the Baltimore and Ohio, but
it was en- The line of the Chesapeake and Ohio
Railroad, The splint coal was valuable for
locomotives. Hon. John s. Barbour had tried
it on his road, and testified that it was worth
90 per cent. more than bitumiucu, coal. He
then referred to the immense fruit crops and
timber along the route of the proposed road.
He claimed that narrow gauge railroads were
less expensive than broad gauge roads. Ia the
West stock men preferred to send their cattle
by narrow gauge roads. They commenced the
road 10 question 10 1872, and had graded fifty
miles. Now they ask nomioal sum Of
s25, 900 from Georgetown. They did not ask
that any money should be paid until the road
was built. But if they subscribed the sum
required, the road would be finished and run,
ming into Georgetown from Fairfax G. H., or
at any rate from Falls Church, in sixty days.
unless they were delayed with the timber. The
question was whether the road would paw. He
bad 10 doubt it would If it took 10 $4,000
Der milo per anuum it would operate the road,
pay the interest on the bonds. and leave large
surplus f1r dividends upon The stock.
Mr.. TenIey then read certificate FROM II.
". Brewer, civil engineer, who had gone over
the road at the request Of the ci!izsus and
business men of Georgetown, certifying that
tho road had been graded az far as Falls
Church, aud vas ready for the lies aad rails
Mr., Tenney claimed that it COST fifty ceais
per head 10 cross The Long Bridge. while
it would only coSt one cent per passenger uader
the present arrangement to Cross the Aqeduot.