Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1882-09-30
Potomac Manufacturing Company;

The Directors of this company held very
important meeting in this city on Thursday
as heretofore noticed in the GAZETTE.
1t will be rendered that special charter
was granted this company by the Virginia
Legislature, through the able efforts of our
representatives, Col. Francis l.. Smith and
Judge Charles f. Stuart. The rcorganiza-
ton under this new charter, making this q
real Virginia company, was not fully com
plctcd until Thursday.
The various members of the compony
here, at Washington, and at the East,
have been utilizing the summer months bv
getting everything ready for business
boom this fail. Captain J. B. Archer was
the founder of this enterprise, and in his talk
to our citizens at the Council Chamber,
more than year ago, mapped out the
possibilities Of Alexandria for manufacturing
purposes. He thought this ought to become
the Manchester of the new South utilizing
the vast and unequalled advantages it held
as distributing point by river and rail of
the raw material held prisoner in the noun
tAins of Virginia. He then spoke of iron
works, rolling mills, nail machinery; agri-
cultural implements, car works, shipyard
with Il capacity for iron and steel ships of
the largest tonnage, together with glass
and pottery works, and revival of the
Pioneer Mills, with their eight hundred
barrels of flour per day capacity-all to be
employed as auxliaries of the Potomac
Manufacturing Company.
frhnsn r,lopc horo ro,,o, boo,, Io.+ -,
for Il day by those public spirited men who
controlled the destinies OF this company.
The old furnances were removed, and four
new ones built, with capacity of 25 tons of
iron each per day. Irons for other large
furnaces have been ordered. A large amount
of machinery has been purchased. The
Pioneer Mills have been thoroughly over
hauled. the windows glazed and the walls
reprinted. More than a thousand feet of
new wharf have been built, giving the
river fronta prosperous appearance, in place
of the decaycd and unsightly look which
was there when this company began its
work.
y ship yard was established, with neces-
sary buildings and machinery and u ship
costing SIC, 900 will soon be completed. to
be followed by other ships of wooden struc-
turc, and very soon by steel and iron vessels
of immense tonnage.
Briefly, this is proof of what has been
accomplished, and most substantially too.
The magnificent results intended have been
delayed somewhat by the long and painful
illness of Captain Archer, at Boston Aud
yet, sick and suffering as he has been, aided
by his constant and unceasng helpers Col.
Bright and Judge Roach, to whom too
much praise cannot be given, he has been
pushing forward the good work.
The delayed meeting of the Directors was
held Thursday The officers elected were:
Capt. e. {. Goss, of Bath, Maine, President:
f. D. Immersion, ofBoston, Mass, Treasurer:
c. P. Lincoln, of Washington, D. c., Sec
rotary.
Captain Goss is one of the most thorough
going business men in New England. and
his ship yards at Bath are perhaps the most
extensive for wooden ship building in the
United States. He will spend as much of
his time as is necessary in our city.
Col. Emerson is well-knoWn business
man of Boston. He will remove to Alex
andria, and take personal supervision of