Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1883-03-21
COMMUNICATED.
THE PAST AND PRESENT.

1t is time that we should hear something
beside what we once were, the number o
ships built here, &c. The old ship Boston, PSI
tons burthen-why 250 tons would hardi,
load the vessel now building at Agnew'>
shipyard When we remember the shir
We cannot but remembe" the wretched fate
OF the captains family; and so it is in look
| ing on the past we find many things that
are not pleasant to remember Do not let
US be like the :nan who because his tathe,
once made axes always had an axe to grind
at the expense Of somebody else. In the
days past we looked forward and were all
hopeful OF The future. The Carriers Adj
dress Of the GAZETTE on the ist of the
year usually contained brief summary of
what had been done for the city, and what
was in contemplation ! give you here an
extract:
There revival OF strength, II rekinduR of zeal
In behalf of our cherished and beautiful! town;
May efforts united then build up her veal
Aaa commerce and glory her energies crown"
AT that time we looked forward to the
completion of the canal. 1t was finished,
but from having Baltimore, with her i'm.
menSe wealth and resources to contend with,
Alexandria did not receive the full amount
VI e. DeClSu
We then built cotton factory. now
owned by Baltimored, and close. Our people
ald not stop. but invested in railroads and
other enterprises, and are now hoping
Tor advantages expected to be realized,
me question IS, are we not III II better con-
dltion now than then? We think We are
At that timo all trading was done either BY
water or wagon. Our area of trade from
4 NJ n Nt,,,n
or two hundred miles. low is it now ,
We have more freight cars coming In hourly
than we had wagons in those DAYS. 4
single car brings as much grain as bulf
dozen wagons, and Alexandria stands No
! as wheat market
Our mining interest is fast being develop
ed. We haye now ia our shin Yards
four Vessels TO lie built, each of which could
carry 4 cargo equal to three Of the largest
ships that ever sailed from this bort: one
OF them 300 tons burlhcn; equal to the
tonnage exactly of six ships the size Of tho
ship Boston. In 1881 thirty vessels larger
than our old time ships could be seen at
one time loaded with hard coal. plaster.
ice, guano, salt, &c, waiting to unload and
take III d return cargo Of Cumberland coal
Trade that has laid dormant for wears is fast
spTlnging Up, and where 9 dosen or SO zen
were formerly employed making nails.
siSantic manufactures of oars, locomotives,
ana iouhdrles are now at work. en-
Ployihg hundreds of men, and paving ont
thousands OF dollars for wages. The credit
OF our merchants is good. Northern drum
mers say they lose less money in Alex
ahorla Than in any city ofthe same size they
sellln. Wherewe had one dry goods or other
store we now have dozen. Our population
has Increased from 5000 to Il, 900 Il istr1o
that the fellow who looks for work and
prays God that he may not find it remains
Idle The really industrious can always find
something to do. Take look at on, cirv
no" and what it was City years ago. It was
ouSy around the wharves and on King
street. but !. requlrnd twenty men to dc
what one can do now with the aid of ma.
chinery. a cannon could be fred up Duke
street without hitting any one. Take Duke
street now at the upper end you will find
railroads. employing thousands and extend
ING Their trade from Canada to the Gulf of
Mexico. ga the east we find on the river
'front.' such merchants as Hooe, Reed and
others, building up the trade with Eurone
south America and the West Indies On
the extreme north of Union street we find
the hrm OF ". 4. Smoot & Co. w. 4
Smoot, without dollar, in few years has
built up business; made money and stands
the peer of any merchant here or elsewhere
On the extreme south We find ]. P. Agnewis
shlpyard, and others, one Of the finest
marine railways; hundred of men busr
building ships, improving the river front
ana making money-where any good man
VINO can handle saw and ak can find en-.
nloyment. Look again at the Va. Midland
Railway under the judicious management
OF John 5. Barbour, our honored Repre-.
sentative in Congress, who has extended
his road from the tidewater at Alexandra
10 the extreme South and West, building
up our waste places and rejoicing The hearts
Of thousands. There is better day coming.
and don't you forget it. x No