Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-09-12
candidate b:ing elected. ltis fair give and
take. Nd Hsnkiue ard no diminishing.

1r4IeDb;r we'll tho fierce discussion that
WAS car.isd CO last winter in the Legislature,
enccs ths transfer CT the James River and
hsIaEh CaDtl 10 q stock company, the State
SleidiSs up s!l tbs rights and privileges upon
tie >cooditiGa that railroad should be CON.
strucsedoa >ths s;seot the old canal. 1t was
Gr. Houock who engineered that bill through
the House, enc zone bat be with bis thorough
| kncWisdse CT The eubject, bis ready wit, his
toSged psrsiseoc:, could have accomplished
the result. Gould hsppy thought have struck
| the Sebsl end able member from Apron attoX
cad be bad cbaEttr:d packet bost ard car
| riad tae House on a tip up the camel then be
| "tuld havs tornd 90 opposition to the propos.
| CO sep. 70 this fast ago when steam anubi.
| lates spsc, csnals arc numbered among the
things OF tie past, as an ancient h!nt lock is to
| Winchester rihs, patent steam threasher to
the d4ll, crack ocean steamer to tho old
bread bo;toned ship, go is csoel to rail-
road. -Four milss az hour will lot pay when
steam ls rushing along at tho rate of forty
mules. The tortoise can Ict'rac With the hare,
Easop 10 the contrary Notwithstanding. Canals
ere do2c'oo' and no one will regret that Ecs.
Iaey have not even the glamour of the sage
oosch that the genius of Dickens has imnor.
taiIz:G, aod who regretted so keeny that they
had passed aWoy. But | don't thirk that
even the great BIZ" could throw any sen,i-
ineut or huuor around q canal boar, even if
did coatGlu The perpetual president ofthe Picx.
wick Club. Mr. Tracy Tupnap, old Mr.. War
die. and the lrtepres:ible Sam Weller himself.
What good is canal is the question I ol,cn
AK myself ss>l Sit and count the arees as we
slowly elGo pass. Nest Of the farmers send
Their grain to the city By their private teams.
Ii Is useless 10 transport periShatl, articles like
| tlu!t and early vegetables. As means of
travelling II Ia rarely used except by Strangers,
aid It is 30 sender that the farmers along the
route pray fer the time when iussead of the
blsst 81 the ;in hcr1 which the driver of the
mules heraids his approach, the whistle of the
locomotive will he htard, and awsk, the quiet
neishboEho3d with lis shriil voice, that would
btlGe encouragement ard comfort to O c,m.
nuGltV OF esriculturist that arc we'll nigh hope
less OF better times ever comicg.
Tho seo:ioa Of Virginia that borders along
Inc canal seems to be 10 long sleep. The peo.
pie jcs along 10 their cid slow Style. raising tho
ssms crops their forefathers did, Leading the
| sauie existence, and keeping tat even il they
can9ot gee rich. How different il the canal was
changed into railroad Instead of slow, creep
Ing bosf, thCt comes up three times week 10
summer aad is stationary 10 winter, for then
IL is lcsbouGd. The cars would rush through
this region, which is srich as any 10 the world,
bringing capital AID enterprise and emigration,
and bearing b:ck tho garnerad grain aud to-
baeco OF tbs farmers; lands would Approximate
10 value, nllis saG Factories bo built, and tho
Kip Van Wiak'e sleep Of The James River SEQ
ton Terd Re casDged into live bus,lic place,
With tho prosperity ot every land owner oousid'
erably enhanced.
The fatal pol;cy pursued 10 Virginia, Of her
people asking too much for her water powers,
her nil sites, her mines, aud real estate, has
been bu! Que act Of gigantic folly. Ins.esd of
| attracting capital By every means 10 her power.
TO eYel give where there is no improvements,
! shd has pursued course that repealed imni
grafton c1d rejected money. in the vain hope
CT getting mo!e, until the natural result is seen.
1t is not too latu yet to retrieve her PISS! bIuna.
ers Will STE DO il?
Reader. Mcsseurs, or Mesdamee, have you
ever travelled 10 packet boat on 40 August
day? Ii you are like the Persian King that
oiieEed kingdom for new sensation, aud if
ECU desire novelty, engage first class ticket
! up tho canal, and there see if sou wont have
; sonethlnc to think about afterwards. I Ger.
,any done Ieol at this moment like being
| hyper critical. aad disparagIng. Truly there is
| no accounting for moods any more than there
| is Tor tastes, for there are really some quiet,
tln;d people, who prefer this ssle mode of
| travelling to any other. No danger, said an old
lady to me. Of fire or bust up
Yet travelling 10 a canal boat on ho. sum-
Encr day is tu. saother pamo for iourueyiog
| alouS the path OF Slygiaa horrors. Outside on
| deck The san b!szos and pours down upon the
cIosp;u= craft. You canuot stand it long, and
| diva, down i5sIde. sad jump as il were, in
eae leap. from the trying pan into the fire; for
in this close contracted specs thcrs is 20 current
| OF air, except tho small quantity that manages
! 10 slip 10 through the narrow windows it is
close. criObed, coEiued, aGd saelteriag, and
rest is Impossible.
But 10 the night it is more endurabe, esp,
clCy 10 one stretch of five miles; the boat runs
a!org the liver bank. Twas glorious night
as passed down, aud spent i. on deck. do
not thlnk slept wink, though I must have
occasionally.
1t is charming to be consciously retreatipg
lato unconsclou51ess: to drift, as it we're, into
that land whero roseate hued fancy governs
! her realms. aud where reason is bauished from
the curt ct Greenland. The man is at the
| wheel, tho captain has turned in as it is near
midnight, aud solitary passenger is enjoying
| near BY his meditation and his cigar; the rip
pilng OF the Water as the boat passes through il
o"ioiS ecoiols, tuo ulSut W!uQ means plentlVe.
l7; tho moon seems goipg to bed, and is draw
ing. dark curtains about her, IS her chaste
majesty disrobes, and Venus across the way
seems to slso bo thinking of her night CAD.
Away up the river bank the toiling mules are
Invisible, and tho boat seems 10 move without
any visible motor. The moon burst out az ain,
aud with it the darkness fad, the lights and
shades became more distinct; the shadows of
the trees ard rocks intermingug presented a
Grotesqns appearance. reminding ono OF some
OF the little fantastic dioblotius which Teniers
loved to introduce in his pictures of ST. An.
lhony' temptations.
After awhile ny fellow voyager, hard
locking, grim man, having finished his two
cent cigar, and throwing the stump away. turn.
cd to me and asked:
",SsraDger, whsr uout you be going2"
l tod him.
'Mhar do sou live when sou are at homo 2"
| answered him.
What mout your Damo be ?"
told him that, too.
Have you got cbav Of lobsc.o?"