Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-06-22
Annals Of decentralization Series.

Arrangements for the establishment OF the
new town having been made at BelhaveD, the
Fairfax delegates took charge of the matter 10
the House OF Burg, sscs at Williamsburg, and
during the session Of l74S-'49 IAN act for erect.
ing town at Hunting Creek Warehouse, in
the county of Fairfax" was passed. 1t set
forth that.
"Whereas it has been represented to the
Grand Assembly that town at Hunting Greek
Warehouse Wcud be commodious for trade
| and navigation, and tend greatly to the ease
and advantage OF the inhabitants; there shall
be laid out by it within four months after the
passing Of this act sixty acres Of lsid, parcel OF
the land of Philip aud John Alexander and
Hugh West, by the County Sur7eyorof Fair.
! fax.
"Bagiuniug at the mout of the first branch
| above the Warehouse aud extending down the
meanders of said river Potomac to point called
Middle Point, tbencs down the said river ten
poles, and thence back into tho woods Tor
quantity aforesaid
Lord Fairfax and the eleven gentlemen here.
toioro mentioned we're declared Trustees of the
town. The act further provided that the town
should be laid cut toto streets aud half acre
| lots, aud that market place and public land
ings should be set off, and that the Trustees
should sell the lots to the highest bidder, and,
after paying the eXnenscs OF the survey, should
pay the residue to John and Pnilip Alexander
and Hugh West 10 proportion to their several
interests 10 the land. 1t was, also, provided
that unless within two years alter a lot should
be sold or conveyed, house at least 20 feet
square and 9 feet high should be built
thereon, the lot should revert to the Trustees,
and be again sold for the benefit OF the town.
The public landings of the streets were placed
on the footing of public highways. The cree
ton Of wooden chimDeys and the running at
large of hogs was forbidden witbio the town.
The Trustees were authorized to fill all vaoan-
cies arising 10 their own body, to have perpet-
ual succession, and to govern the town, and it
was declared that the said town shall be called
by the name Of ALEXANDRIA"
The official text Of the act was received 10
Alexandra 10 the spring of l749, and Hugh
| West and W %. Ramsay made the preliminary
arrangements tor the practical laying of of the
town.
The laying out of the town and the stalking
out of its lots and streets and landings was be-.
gun 10 the latter spring Of l749 and finished in
July OF the same year. The work was done
under the supervision of John West, jr., depu.
ty surveyor of Fairfax county, BY Francis Por-
ter, assistant, and the chain was carried by
Thomas Gratford and Gerard Bowling. Graf.
ford was still alive 10 1885, and was an author.
ty here as to the boundaries of lots.
Belhaven or Hunting Creek Tobacco warehouse
was ona hill or promontory between Oronoko
creek and the river, and on that bill they laid
out the toWD. Then begun about POO yards
almost due west of the warehouse, near spring
on the north side 10 the centre Of the square
now bounded by Princess. Otonoko, Royal and
Pitt streets aud ran 1873 poles to q point now
at the upper end Of the alley that comes into
Duke street, between Pitt and Royal, and then
turned cast, and ran line parallel with the
present street lines to the river, reaching the
Potomac half as quarc south of what is now
Duke street. Then returning to the initial
point near the spring they ran line n. ca Z.
to the north of Oronoko creek. These lines
with the river which curved in from tishtoWn
to the foot of the Mansion House hill, between
King and Cameron streets and then curved out
again to Middle Point or Point Luuey (uoN
Pioneer Mills) made the boundaries of the town.
The contour of this cove may be still readily
traced, especially south Of Cameron street,
north of it most of the bills have been entirely
cut down. The streets were laid out 10 accord
ance with the plan heretofore chroncled. but
the name "Dutchess' was abandoned and the
street north Of the warehouse still retained the
Belha7en name of Oronoko. The street which
ran north and south from each side Of the cove
was called Water street, part of it being actu'
ally at the waters edge and often oveThowed.
There are copies of the plat of this survey Of
the town on the record books at Fairfax g. f.,
in liber II, of the Hastings Court records ct
our city court house and 10 the books of the
city surveyor. 1t has recently been engraved
as one of the maps in the excellent Atlas Of
Alexandria just published by G. NJ. Hopkins,
of Philadelphia. The squares were made $50
feet by PAT feet AID each divided into four, acre
lots. This division is still visible, 10 the fact
that the building lot lines in the middle of
square arc 10 this day, with scarcely an tx.
ceptioD, directly CONTINUOUS from one end Of
the town 10 the other; whereas, all other lot
lines are rot uniform.
These surveys being completed. the trustees
agreed to meet Oh the 18th of July, l749, to
organize, and on that day Richard Osburne,
| VIM Ramsay, John Carlyle, John Pagan, Ger
rard Alexander and Hugh West, the latter two
being land owoers and tho others merchants,
met at the Warehouse and appointed John
West, jr, (who is still liViug) clerk Of the towD
Some CONVERSATION then took place relative
to the rights acquired by the purchasers Of lots
on the cove through Which Water street was
afterwards extended (trom Cameron to Prince)
and it was agreed that the purchasers of such
Water lots should have the right to the river
front Notwithstanding the extension Of Water
street. At still later period Union street
was extended across the cove.
They then walked from the Warehouse on
Oronoko street, south along newly laid out
Water street until they came to the river beach
at the corner of Cameron and Water Streets
and there they appointed Mr.. West oryer, and
offered at auction lot 36 lquarter square uorth
west corner Of Cameron and Water streets
which Was bought by John Dalton for 10 pis
toles, or about $60*.
The sale oflots then continued and No. 81 IS.
w. coroer Queen and Water sold to Gerard
Alexander at l94 pisto'es. Number 26, N. w.
corner Queen and Water, sold to Allen Macrae
at % pstoles. Then the trustees went south
along the cove again, and sold the first lot south
of Cameron street to John Carlyle for 80 pis
tolls, and the second to VIM. Ramsay, at the
| como prioo Than nrnssino Kino straot Iofill