Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1888-05-02
The MARYLAND Ferry.

Al meeting of the board of directors oil
the Alexandria and Maryland Ferry Com.
pany, held on the 9Th u'timo, it was thought
best to apply to the City Council for an ap.
preparation of $500. chat being the lowest
sum necessary to pay the debt now due by
the company, aud part of the repairs to
enable tbs boat 10 be laced on the Mary.
land ferry.
The City Council hiss taken no action ex-
cept referring the question 10 ;be Finance
Committee, but from what ia learned, it is
thought 10 be almost certain that If the com
mitee SHOULD report favorabiy that the
| Council will feel ii their du.y 10 voieassinst
| the appropriation.
the present board Of directors nave bud
charge ofthis boat Tor several years, and, as
| in times past. there has been an annual loss
| The directors DO rot believe cur cliZ ans
have an idea IS TO The value OF the trade
brought here by this boat THE amount Of
cash received monthly is from $40 to $50.
The expenses for the two hands employ ed
Il; 81 per day each; c)al. etc, amount to
about $50 per month, hence the receipts ai 9
about equal to the running expenses, hut
The necessary repairs, such as work on the
bull, repairing boiler, engine, etc, require q
fund that 80 far We have had TO apply to
Couacil for, IS in 1884 $50; 1885,
$3.50; 1856, $3.50; but last year no appiica-
ton was made. From The above it will b.
noticed that the receipts for about seven
months, when the boat is running, and the
expenses are about the same, but there is no
fnnd for repairing, which, for boat built in
1867, is absolutely necessary
Now please consider that at least nine tenthi Of
the receipts or from $500 to 500, are paid in
ferriage by our friends in Maryland, and if this
trade pay this amount to come to our city they
must find it profitable; and remember that the
sum realized from the sale of their produce is
nearly all paid out by them in purchasing gr0cs-
res dry goods, lumber, coal and general mer.
chandise, with portion to the city for ths rent
OF market stands. &c. 1.-THE boat is removed only
small proportion of the present number of mar.
ket gardeners will come here; they will drive
from the top of tho hill to Washington Think
for q moment what our market would be in the
summer and fall months without the tomatoes,
peaches, watermeons, cantelopes, potatoes, &c
brought over by this boat.
Think also of the oftea sudden calls for our |
physicians. the occasional call for an undertaken |
with his hea1se, hacks, &C. Must our neiebbors
go to Washington?
l have been informed Big one of our Oldest and
best citizens that We have had q ferry boat on
this line able to convey hoise ann wagon (the
ms. WI hcu py n horhel slhce l0--Z Are we now,
city OF Is .OOO people, to offer nothing to enable
this trade to continue The present board of Gi.
rectors are confident that they could obtain suf.
hcient stock vote to enable them to surrender The
boat to the city, and woud be delighted to be re-.
iieved of further care and trouble.
Shonld the Council conclude not TO render the
necessary assistance, perhaps the next action
might be to dispose of the boat al auction, ard
then the purchaser might or might not keep it on
this route; but to mako it profitable he would
certainly not keep up daily ferry.
EDw S LEApBEATER