Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-08-22
Eisc Virginia fsIslIaud ROnd-OId
DUsHsTies-PoIitics IN Prince Will.
Iinn.-hhe Surroundings Here. &c.
THE VIRGINIA MIDLAND ROAD.

Correspondence ct the Alexandria Gazette.
THE VIRGINIA MIDLAND ROAD.
Cannon HOUSE, MANASSAS, Aug. IS
leaving Mib0ro lis Saturday night week We
started 81 ;he {. & o. Hallway for the low
eouatry. inlcndbg 10 stop t.w Days 10 Prince
William, which eourty is the cradle Of the
w'ltai ) race Gu this contine1t. We thought
&c s9Juid Just "aamp our foot Oh our native
h>a'h AMI cay cur name is McGregor." Aud
We might have carried Gu; some such pleasant
Illtla programme we're it not for tho fact that
arriving tired &c thought We would seek first
The embraces ot Murphy as some one calls
| him IN A'eXaGdtls before entering upon the
| role OF McGreg0r. Seeing our we'll appointed
| room 10 the Cannon House for this purpose wo
threw ous2lt upon the bed, not rtn.ctipg
upon tho Srtet change 10 the weather and that
our window and transom were both opep The
result has bccn The very worst cold To have
bad III cur ic aud an utter inability to stamp
our loot upon cur native heath. &c." The ep.
forced coutntmant to our quarters, resulting
from his severe lndispoEitou, has given US an
opportunity to reflect upon tho very mapy ex-
presslons ct regret we haTo heard coming from
all quarters, tho last few weeks, at tho very
idea OF removing from Alexandria the head,
| the staff, tho workmcn, the works, TO-, of tho
Virginia Midland Road. The very great ability
OF MIR. President Barbour as railroad manage
er IL readily urged by all competent to form an
opinion. low could it be otherwise Given
Inc natural abilities, good judgment of men,
| competent private estate 50 90 10 mako the
head OF the road-lt he were not otherwise so
beyond the reach oil the sourest suspicion on
the point OF personal probity-eiven all these
first rate qualities, devoted to one business for
thirty years. ard SUCCESS is as certain as the
most logical conclusion drawn from proper
premises. Therefore it cannot BIO tho fault Of
Nlr. President Barbour with regard to the
present complications CT the road Therefore
1t Is that VIC hear so many expressions of regret
at the slightest prospect OF bis bciug removed
from his present sphere Of usefulness. Ii he
must 20 from there. then to higher trust is
tho universal verdict of competent Judges
Men are not such fools as not to acknowledge
that mans experience in his business in
creeS?s his usefulness in tremendous ratio up
to Tho time of his powers failing him. We
make the usual exception 10 favor of geuiuscs,
SO that Dobtdy shall feel badly. And the great
est regrof, too, IS expressed at any prospect
which Should threaten TO remove from tho
town tho Very competent staff of Mr.. Barbour,
whose salaries, With the wages Of the w0lkmen
make such an important feature 10 tho business
ct Alexandria. Poor old city If she looses
the Midland read We will be found invoking
her IN tho language Of Byron as the "Niobe of
cities 'Oae by one" she has lost, you know.
fiaVn't we, with our own eyes, seen the car
cllmhln@ DOT her capital, but her cemeteries.
All me what party got up that thug, par
n lu
part" AZ Hals Rreittman's. But where ish
dat bady COW" The one Of them who set up
:rn Inscription "Tu the cemeteries whether
he Was sent to the lunalic asylum or no has i'm
mnrisl,Z:l himself. As if Que wanted to ride
every dry TO hls grave yard, for pleasure The
Haea CT 1hn future Esvn him already in their
ri :ulrss cinfcti.e.
OLD DUMFRIES.
Tie fret dag sc 90: down tG dinner we were
waited upon By 81 old servant, who said he
was born snd bred 10 Old Dumiries. We could
wci Imagine so be had on sr of such pcrEecs
faded gentiity-aut sill every inch gentle
maR. lis name is Jesse Wa had a little
pcciuinar? talk as to whether Jesse was the
SIN or father If David Feeling little hszy
81 thc poot we though. the best way was cau-
dtd!y to rltr the iuaiter to him. particularly as
he bad iaiormed u that he bad leaning 10.
yards the hard shells '-Baptsts, we presume,
TO our astoGisimGut he frankly confessed tha.
ao dIdos kDow whether Jesao Was the father
oE the son CT David. Shocked at such state
al things existing With regard to two peDtIe-
mcn coming Out of Dumfres. as it were, wo
consulted tie proper source of information and
gave Jesse the corrtc. state Of the CASE, ia an
authoritative way, for which he made the pro.
f1uDdcst acknowledgements. Proceeding to the
discussion Of Dumfries he did US the honor to
observe thgt he k0cw all about our people there.
Occasionally there was O faint embarrassment
on cur part. when Jesse would turn TO US and
remark, Nov there vas Mr. and Mrs. So
and 30, ci Duntties of course you know
them, sir. Now jesse looks as if be might
90 anywhere between IS and 100, but ia SO Der,
fcclly polite that We would consider it az an
uDpardona6lc Iudaness to remind him that We
arc cot entirely contemporaries. So we wave
the matter of by observing that while tho
naulas are wholly familiar to US We do not OK.
cc:Iy TecsIl the faces. Jesse perfectly under
stsGds that wave Of tho hand and drops this
bracch OF the suhjccs instantly. The other day
gentleman remarked to Us at the table, the
Henderson House is still standing at DumfIiee,
sir. We threw into our bow and smile as
much OF courteous acknowledgment as We
could for what was ucguestiopaby meapt
as an act 81 Kindness. But was it kindness?
In this new country, at least, VIC know Of no
blttcrcr mockery Of man's efforts add bis am
billions than tie brick and mortar put up by bis
own hands tic accumulates riches and builds
great mansions for his use and his chidren's
aud his childrens' children. He generally is
| borno q corpse through his own portals. 1t is
lucky for the family if the second generation
occupy the house of their ancestor. 1t is al
NEST invariably sold 10 the third generation,
The Henderson House is still standing at
Donfries II lce. But where arc tho Hen.
dcrsons?
POLITICS IN PRINCE WILLIAM
In this region there is the usual amount of
political talk going on. From what wo hear
We take it for granted that there will be no on
| position to the election of Captain Francis l..
Smith to tho State Senate Since 10 announced
bis candidacy there has not been the slightest
idea OF returning any ooe but the Captain of
the Alexandria Light Infantry. very fne
command Tor one go VOupo So tho oaynrol