Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1892-08-18
COMMUNICATED.
The Electric Railroad.


A ride across Hunting creek and be-
yond, along the reaches of the river
lands of the New Alexandria Improve
ment Company, will show that this asso-
citation is making sure and steady adj
vances in the direction Of substantial
industrial developments. The changes
they have already wrought and the
more surprising ones which are out
lined to follow in quick succession,
ought 10 fairly startle the Rip Van
Wrinkles who through the long years
have been doing in their fond deluslon
of anti-progress and contentedly dream
ing the old dream that Alexandria was
finished town, and that no new lie
could ever come TO it or its suburbs.
An army ofaxemen has been for weeks
engaged in the work of clearing up the
waste places to make them more at
tractive for the goodly numbers of
strangers who are ere long con-
ing to possess and occupy them as
their future homes, and now an
other army with plows and picks
and spades and hammers and ties and
rails are following fast through the
clearings and, presto-the iron track OF
the Electric Railway will be trailing It's
length through the green meadows, by
the majestic river, along the wooded
hillsides and over the fair Virginia up
lands, even to the very gates of Mount
Vernon, and 10 ! the magnificent city of
the great Washington will be linked
with his home and tomb, and conve-
nient, cheap and pleasant means OF
rapid transit between the two
places will be furnished to the wayfar-
ing millions.
The Electric Railway and with many
incidental enterprises is, we feel conf
dent, one of the new industrial move
ments of the day, which time will fully
prove to have been most wisely con-
ceived and planned by its projectors,
and its progress to completion will be
watched with an earnest and
encouraging interest by all who have
faith in the important objects which
the Improvement association has so
confidently marked out and declared to
be entirely possible and practicable.
All honor, encouragement and advan-
tage to these men of intelligence and
means who, asking no one of our citi-
zens for dollar, propose through their
work to insure and open up 50
many sources of public good.
The road will quicken and intensity
the already notable beginnings of q
new and healthy business life in the
old city. 1t will give start to new en-
terprises within her borders undream-
ed of. 1t will bring to her midst thou
sands instead of hundreds of wayfarers
and pilgrims and very many of these
will doubtless find it pleasant
and profitable to stay and add
to its growth and Improvement. Along
the line of the road for many miles
abreast new impulses will be given to
the rival communities and there will
be a general awakening among them to
new and more earnest efforts for i'm
provement, comfort and success. Large
tracts of land heretofore unwieldly will
be divided and subdiyided and will soon
find ready purchasers in strangers look
ing for small farms and gardens in
climate most desirable and in neigh
borhood so contiguous to the good mar
kets Of growing cities. With small
farms and quick transit we shall have
increased fertility, and greatly increased
productions and more presentable ap-
pearances Of farm premises, City and
country as their interests are mutual
and inter-dependent, will alike be bene-
flied hv This new euterDrise One i'm |
pulse will give start to another and
thus the train of forces for general in
dustrial improvement will go ON in
creasing in number and effect. Surely
all the signs now visible are full of
promise for our people if they will lay
aside old prejudices and traditions and
profit by the new spirit of progress and
the opportunities which are offered
them. w. II. S.