Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-08-31
MANASSAS BRANCH MAILS.
MARSHALL STATION,


To the editor of the Alexandria Gazette:
We have heard much of late. concerning
he mail service on the Manassas Branch OF
,be Virginia Midland Railway, and the
various changes which have been made IN
The handling of mails on this line. In most
all of the complaints that have been made
on this subject the railroad authorities have
been blamed--so unjustly so that we think
a fair and candid statement of the entire
matter should be made, so that the people
along the line may have their eyes opened
and see that this fault really does not rest
with the railroad authorities, who have en-
deayored to afford the people along this line
the very best facilities for communicating
with the cities of Alexandria, Washington
and Baltimore. 1t is evident to any one at
all acquainted with the country along the
Manassas line that the travel over the same
does not Justify the running OF more than
one passenger train in each direction daily,
and if this be true the railroad company
could not be expected to 60 to the addition.
al expense Of running more trains. Ii only
one passenger train in each direction can be
run it is best for the interests ofall concern
ed-the railroad, the people along the line,
and the growth of our country-tnat tnls
train should go TO Alexandria in the early
morning and return in the evening. Ihere
is no question of this arrangement being the
best, for it enables persons living along
the line to visit the cities OF Alex
andria, Washington and Baltimore,
get through with their business,
or visits of pleasure, and return home by
convenient hour in the evening-thus not
being subjected to hotel bills for two nights
lodging or to being kept away from their
homes and families two nights, which is
very Objectionable to large majority OF our
people, whose household and farming duties
require them at home at night. Further
more ours is lovely section of country
and one very attractive to the city people.
looking for summer board. This class OF
persons bring into our country every season
a great deal of money which is paid out in
the wav of board, &C., and is distributed
among great number of our farm houses.
This class of people desire to locate at some
point convenient to the cities, and where
the train schedules are so arranged as to
enable the male members of the family to
come out from the cities after business hours
and return to the cities in time for business
of the next day. This passenger train
schedule on the Manassas Line is most adj
mirably arranged as will be seen from tho
above and many other reasons, This train
leaves Baltimore at 3 p. M, Washington
Ais p. M, and Alexandria at 4:40 p. N. and
reaches Marshall at 7:13 p. m. This train
is known as No. &C. The returning train,
known as No 81, leaves Marshall at 5:5S a.
NJ, reaches Alexandria 500 a. m, Washing
ton S:45 q. m, and Baltimore l0:3S n. In.
The above trains comprise our passenger
train service and are as much as we could
expect the railroad TO run, as the business
would not justify more A hasty glance
will show that these trains are 80 ar
ranged as to afford our people excellent OPP
portunities for visiting the cities, spending
sufficient time and return home at conve-
nent hours in the evening.
Now for the freight train service. We
have one freight train in each direction.
The one going to Alexandria is known as
No. Is, and passes here at $3.50 p. M, reach
ing Alexandria during the night, which en-
ables the freight sent from here to.day to be
delivered in Alexandria and Baltimore ear
ly to. morrow morning. This train reaches
Manassas Junction in time to enable pas
sengers from the same to change to the
northbound mail, and reach Alexandria the
same evening about 8 o'clock and Baltimore
about 1880.
The freight train from Alexandria, known
as No IA, leaves Alexandria at midnight,
and reaches Marshall at 7:20 the next morn
ing, enabling all freight delivered at the dc
pots in Baltimore and Alexandria up to 6
o'clock one evening, for shipment to Mar.
shall, to be delivered at Marshall at 7:20 the.
next morning. Surely freight could not be
handled more promptly or satisfactorily
than this, and our merchants and business
men are satisfied with the arrangement.
Thus far it will be seen that the railroad
was running one passenger and one freight
train in each direction and that the sched-
ules of these trains were arranged for the
best interests of all concerned. Then camo
the question: which are the best trains for
carrying the mails. Here, too, the railroad
seems to have had the interests of all in
view, when they said the mails had best be
carried on the freight trains, Nos. IA and 15
for in doing 80 tho letters written in Balti-
more, Washington and Alexandria up to
7 o'clock one evening, were brought out to
Manassas that night and taken up by train
No. IA, which delivered them at Marshall at
7:20 the next morning-just FIVE hours ear
lier than we had ever received our mail be-
fore the change.
As train No. Is took the mail North, .
merchant at Marshall could write letter
on Tuesday to an Alexandria house. This
letter sent Oft on train No. Is passing Mar
shall at 1855 p. M. would be delivered in
by eight clock the next morn
ing Tor in Baltimore at the same hour
reply could be made to it during the course
of the day and put in the Baltimore or
Alexandria posteiIice any time up to seven
o'clock that evening, and we would get it
at Marshall at 7:2O 8. m Thursday.
OF this movement Of the mails we do not
think anyone could Justly complain. By
this arrangement We could always receive
at 7:20 one morning the Alexandria GA.
zETTE and the Washington Star of the pre-
vious evening. On account of the mail
leaving Baltimore at nine p. m. we were
not SO fortunate as respects the Baltimore |
papers, switch were not issued until |
after the mail had left Baltimore, but an
arrangement was made to send them around |
BY the Shenandoah Valley railroad to River
ton, where connection was made with train |