Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-05-16
SOUTHERN ENm1rY TO SOUTHERN PROGRESS

The following 10 an instance or tne rech-
lessness with which unreliable statements
are taken up and circulated by irresponsible
papers.
The Chattanooga Times, commenting on
an article,i in the Macon Telegraph, in refer
euce to our list of: Southern enterprises or.
in the South in 1884, says: - -
1.-THE Telegraph alludes to the receipt of a
letter from gentleman in Richmond, Va,
callnglthe editors attention to the fact that
this Record placed three ship yards at Alex
audria, Va, town so dead these many
wears that the facilities for building bateau
might not be found there "
II the, Telegraph ever. received such let
ter the publication of it, without any at
tempt to verify it's correctness, was dls'
grace to any journal, and especially TO
Southern paper, that, in order TO use the
opportunity 10 lie about the manufacturer
Record, published statement so damaging
to Southern city, without even making an
enquiry as to its correctness. An examlna-
lion of Bradslreet's commercial agency book
would have shown the utter falsity Of the
statement made by the Richmond writer.
Out Of personal enmity to the ManGfactu.
rers' Record the Telegraph publishes false
hood that is calculated not simply 10 mis-
represent This paper, but TO damage the
business reputation of Southern city. The
Richmond writer was either stupidity igno.
rant of what he was writing about, or else
wiIftllly stated falsehood
The following facts will show the absolute
sroundlessness of the slur on the city Of
Alexandria, and will furnish an apt illustra-
ton Of the blind and reckless methods of the
Telegraph and the Times.
The Virginia Iron Sbipbuilding Co., capt.
tai stock 100000, (paid in 0OOOO) was
organized in Alexandria, Va, in 1884. The
accompanying letter will give some idea OF
the immense capacity of its works:
VIRGINIA IRON SHIP BUILDING Co.'S OFFICE,
ALEXANDRIA, VA, May IL, 1859 }
Editor Manufacturers Record:
Your kind letter of enquiry as to. the NUMBER
of ship yards and capacity for building IRON ana
wooden ships in our city is at hand. we nave,
we think, the capacity now, as well as the pest
location for building iron ships of any other place
in the South. This has been conceded to us by
the principals of the largest wood ship building
company in this country, who made an examina
ton of the whole Southern coast for point to
locate yard they contemplated moving from the
point they are located in Maine to the South, be-
cause Of the superiority Of and the abundance OF,
our ship timber we'll as of the low price of iron
used in the building of iron ships, which latter it
is thought, will be the principal material used I'D
constructing vessels of all kinds In very Few
years. Our yards and location have also been e1-
amined by gentlemen who are extensively en-
gagged in iron shipbuildiug in England and Scot.
land, and they pronounced the location not only
very good one, but very much superior TO that
of those on the Clyde in Scotland.
The Virginia Iron Shipbuilding Company has
capital paid in of O,OOO-(capital stock
81 600, 0OO) Their property consists OF about ~
acres of land situated in the heart OF The city, with
a water trout on the Potomac oil about $50 feet,
within miles of Washington. It's proximity to
the Washington navy yard makes the location
better than at many other points for work OF this
| kind. The improvements on this property con-
sst Of large brick building containing y fur
naces-6 charcoal and gas-with other neccssa-
ry machinery; largo brick building for molding
shop; another extensive brick, 16OxSO feet,
stories high directly on the water front, with
good and substantial wharf; also wooden ship
yard supplied with all the requisite machinery,
with engines and boilers combined making over
900 horse. power to run all the machinery OF the
ward and furnaces; and, in addition, 9 tenement
houses. The whole ], $50 feet of water front is
| available, with uniform depth in front of "a
| feet. AS soon as there is an improve
nent in and demand for iron and wooden ships,
(which is dull property at this time) this compa-
| ny Is prepared with facilities and means to take
any number of contracts for vessels Of the largo
Glass This is a chartered company, and the stock
is owned by Boston and Maine capitalists, with
one exception One of the largest stockholders is
q resident of our city. They selected this point
because of the advantage the city possessed for
work Of this kind.
There is also another large company chartered
under the name of the Marine Railway and Ship
building Company, with tapital OF SIo,OOO.
They own front on the Potomac of about 5OO
feet, and have two large railways for hauling up
ships and steamboats, for repairs, and are Kept
busy. They have also built some fine ships;
= some as large as !, 800 tons. Their yard
is provided with steam power and all necessary
machinery for carrying on their enterprise
Alexandria is particularly adapted to works
not only of this character but all kinds OF manu-
factories. There are seven railroads running
into the city, having their connections with the
Baltimore and Potomac, Alexandria and Wash
ingtoD, Alexandria and Fredericksburg, Balti.
more and Ohio, Tire iuia Midland, Manassas, aud
the Washington Ohio and Western, which give it
direct connection with the coal and iron fields of
virginia and West Virginia, and by the Alexan-
dris and the Chesapeake and Ohio Canals, with
the coal and iron Of the Cumberland Fallty Of
Maryland. These panies' property is con
uected with all these lines, thus enabling them to
purchase and lay down at their works coal,
iron lumber aud charcoal at the lowest market
prices Labor is cheap, cost of living very low,
while the mildness OF our climate renders ut
door Work possible Il SIcdIcI uuuueI VI HolhluS
days in the year than at any point north Of US.
| have as director given you correct q re-
ply 10 your letter as l am capable Of think
the correspondent from Richmond you referred
to had no knowledge Of Ae4andria or of her ad-
vantages Both before and since the war she has
excelled Richmond in the line of shipbuildipg.
Many of the finest ships that loated the oceans
BIZ fore the war were built at orr town, and she
has held the reputation earned then by building
ships that will com pare with those built in any
any other part of the United States. .."
Yours very respectfully,
>'..' .t.'' JNo. w. GREEN,
-f, Director Va. /. S. b. TO.
The Marine Railway, Shipbuildng &
Coal Co., the one referred to in the forego
ing letter as having capital of S75 DOC, was
incorporated in 1884. A letter addressed
to them, asking about The facilities for build
ing vessels in that city, and referring to the
statement that Alexandria was said not to