Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-08-20

Tells Willy He Elected the CoXcyitcs.
When Gov. O'Ferrall was asked at
the Blue Ridge Springs the other day if
he desired to say anything regarding
,h, Washington papers structures on
him for driving the industrials out Of
Virginia, he replied
1.-The little county of Alexandria,
Va, with less than 500 titheables-426
white. 2l9 colored-taxable values Of
only 81 100000, and population (white
and colored) Of only $500, was made
the dumping ground OF this horde OF
jdlers and vagrants, numbering at their
| height more than thousand. These
intruders were without money, food,
or meaus of subsistence. When work
was offered to them they refused it,
but they had 10 idea of starving.
squads were sent out daily into the
surrounding country with wagons t)
secure supplies, and for weeks the citi-
zens of Alexandria county, mostly
farmers, suffering from the failure OF
crops and the depression of the times,
were forced to contribute to the sup
port of these vagabonds. The women
were terrorized and compelled, in the
absence of the men, to comply with the
demands made on them for food.
Thieving was common and the quiet
and peace of the citizens for miles
around were disturbed by the midnight
prowlings of these strangers, represent
ing almost every nationality. If any
haI I,INF
er into Washington and were caught
begging they wele arrested and put in
the workhouse. This made them shy
of the city, and their levies upon Alex
andria county heavier, and the 400
white taxpayers of this county were for
weeks virtually compelled to supply
food daily for men frequently more
than double their number.
This state of things could not con-
tinue, continued the Governor. Some
thing had to be done. Appeals for re-
lief came TO me from every direction,
including the Sheriff and Board of Su-
pervisors of Alexandria county. There
were only two remedies:
First, the enforcement of the vag-
rant laws.
Second, the expulsion of these
strangers from the State.
Tine first was impracticable. They
could not be hired out, for no one
would hire men who would have to be
guarded; and, besides, there were too
many of them for the demand. They
could not be put in a workhouse, for
| Virginia has no workhouse and they
could not be put in jail, for the Jail Of
the county would not hold one-fiitieth
of them, and besides the expense Of
their support in jail would have i'm
posed a burden upon the county too in
tolerable to he borne. Nothing was
left for me to do but to require them to
leave the State. gave them more
than twenty-four hours notice to break
camp and depart. They paid no atten-
tiou to it, and then ordered the mill
t ,ry to drive them out by the way they
came, which was across the bridge
spanning the Potomac.
Il have spoken of the feeble condt
ton of county Of Alexandria, and while
| might say that it was not a generous
act upon the part Of the capital city OF
! Tue IdllOu, Will uCi uIOIC llsli -Op,VOo
population, billions of taxable values,
and unlimited resources, with her work
house and public Improvements and po-
lice system, to push these hundreds OF
vagrants oil upon the little county OF
Alexandria.
The good citizens residing opposite
Washington" replied the Governor,
"have been sorely afflicted for long
time. The Virginia bank Of the Po-
tomac, particularly about Jackson City
ard Rosslyn, has been the rendezvous OF
gamblers. thieves. and cutthroats for
years. do not think a worse place
could be found anywhere. Ii is dis
grace to the State, shame to the com
muuity, and an incumbus upon the
prosperity of the neigboyhood. Civil
authority is either put at defiance, and
the officials are powerless, or these Off
cials fail to discharge their duty, and
the citizens are content to keep them in
office. hope, for the sake of the fair
name of the state, the law will hereaf-
ter be enforced by those entrusted
with its enforcement, and if unable to
suppress lawlessness and bring offend
ers to punishment, they will so declare,
in order that there may be Il resort to