Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-07-07

DURING the past year or two there nave
basn many "booms'' in Virginia. nose
which had q substantial basis have built up
towns and enriched their rcjsctors; tnose
which had not
Are melted into air; into thin air.
And lke the baseless fabric OF vision
Left not rack behi nd, )"
except the empty pockets OF those VIM
wsre deceived by them. Alexandria mas
had no "boom," but her property Is ad'
vanclog rapidly In value; her waste places
are being built up, and her population Is
jac,essirg. She needs no agents OK drum
ming. II her people be true to themselves
ard 10 each other. Her natural aoVsn'
tsses husband very soon-give her b
prent i.ope,us in the upward path OF pros
perlty. Her proximity to Washington mss,
heretofore, Injured her; now 1t is aoeas 10
benefit her. Lots have become 30 hign
there that g small fortune Is required 10
buy one, and people who want MONIES s!e
Turning their eyes from the suburban an
pexes snd subdivisions to the north ana
west urd are looking across the Potomac 10
cur qalet, moral little city for refuge
Even now, they can save considerably by
renting here bot they want to buy a1e the
cheapness OF Alexandria property teppts
them. They can get pleasant house pe'e
for what d vacant lot would cost them there
We want two railroads where we have out
one. and we are likely to be grained
Then we shall have more convenient hours,
lower ;-,as an; better Accommodations
and the .st... 81. soon be apparent. We
have said that our people must be true 10
Themselves ard TO each other If they wish
TO proft bv their opportunities. They must
helm each other. IT grocer wants sugef
for his family and goes to his rivsl to buy Ii
bis customers will soon come to think that
his must bo OF inferior quality II shoe
maker seou,d allow his wife to buy her
sboss f,cn, another man in his line, il you'd
be accented Ys confession that bis are not
ss elegant; If tailor should get another 10
make him coat, people would say that be
oou,Gn't FL them, and 80 on, ad infmtum
Nov wien the wife Of the owner OF store
poe, 10 Washington to buy the very same
articles her huspsnd's tenant sells; when
.5e public school 80 lcSer gels her warrant
csshe,l and taxes the next train to that City
10 snend the money which the very tax
nsyers abe leaves behind has found II 30
had to make for her when the police
maa'a wife follows their exsmp'e; whom SO
many nf our ladies so of to 5pepd what
their husbsnde aud flthers have ma1e by
es!liag TO their fellow cItlz >ns, who Gre
thus deprived of their legitimate business,
what sort Of "boom' DOES Alexandria pet !?
The country merchants purchase their sup
niles from hers, because she furnishes them
lowest. vet many of hsr own people go OF
to pay higher prices her schools attract
students two Thousand miles, yet scme OF
her citizens ignore them her manufsc nreEs
find ready sale for the products of their In
dustry afnr OF, yet work like theirs is i'm
por.ed What have other people right to
think? In vaia do we hope for prosperity
five destroy tts source la vsia do we ex-
psct other people to do for Us what we will
not do fer ourselves. To paraphraae the
words of an ilQs!ricas orator, to get 1t we
must haze
Self help and unity
One and insepsrsble-
Now and forever.
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