Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-05-29
"reminiscences OF Alexandria.

/ one returns 10 NlSlt Tue iC CaillN Ol MS
birth and where he passed through
youth aGd early manhood, the redec-
tions thrown back from some old land
mark, nearly obliterated from memory,
appears to his enchanted gaze causing
the blood TO tingle through the veins
with pleasant recollections. yet the ex
uberance Of Joy is somewhat saddened
when we call up in review our COM
rades who participated in the scenes
and incidents in relation thereto, and
find with few EXCEPTIONS they have
passed down the stream of time.
Such was my experience upon recent
ly visiting Alexandria and its vicinity
after an absence Of about forty years,
although this ancient city is unques-
tionably recuperating, with the pros
pect of rcgaining her former prosperity,
from which she rapidly declined for a
number of years. In my early days the
grandfather of the present proprietors
of the ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE published
that paper. At that time, and continu
ing several years, Alexandria was at
the zenith of her prosperity, her for
eign commerce cqualled, if hot surpass-
ed Baltimore's, particularly in the ex
ports OF flour and tobacco TO Europe.
Her South American and West Indian
trade was also large. Quite large
number of frst-class ships, barks and
brigs sailed regularly between this port
and ports of Europe and other foreign
| climes, nearly all of which were con-
structed here and completed from keel
to truck
recall from memory, with the as
sistance of very skillful shipwright
now employed at Mr.. Agnew's, the iol-
lowing vessels Ships-Nirginia, Alex
a .dria, POI mac, Gen. Washington,
aud Metamora; brigs-Philip Dod:idge,
John Laird, Belvidere, and bark Gen.
Harrison. The above were built by
Robert Hunter. The following by
Capt. Wm morrill, and John Murray
Ships-Columbia and Pioneer; brigs-
Edward, Virginia, and William, and
steamer Phoenix and several small
schooners. In addition to those above
many others were purchased by the
merchants and regularly employed in
commercial transportation. Several OF
the latter class We're owned by Capt.
Thomas McCobb and engaged in the
South American and West India trade.
can recollect the name of but one of
his vessels, the brig Sea Horse. She
traded principally to Buenos Ayres,
carrying out flour and returning with
hides. and sometimes coffee. There
were also numerous transient vessels
i,l, 20 of ilnlr
bacco, &c. OF the latter class have
seen three OF Stephen Girard's ships
loading here at the same time-the
Helvetian, Rousseau and Hindoo. The
principal merchants engaged in foreign
commerce were Messrs VIM. Fowle x
Son, and Henry Daingeriield Il Broth
ers. These two firms, | believe, were
exporters and importers ard owned all
the vessels mentioned in the list above,
except the steamer Phoenix.
There were other marine merchants
who conducted principally a coastwise
and commission business. The leading
ones were Lambert & Mckenzie, Saml
Messersmith, Thomas q Dyer, and
some others, all Of whom had an ample
amount of business and were prosper
| Gus. AS matter of course they were
all located on the water front where
their business was transacted. There
was another class Of merchants located
at the upper end OF King sire ct
and the adjacent vicinity, viz, flour
merchants who handled the flour and
otherproducts brought from the teaming
valleys of Virginia and west of the Allie
chanv Mountains in sufficient abund-
ance to supply the cargoes for the
above white winged argosys 10 convey
to foreign climes, and bring in return
to our shores the surplus products OF
countries more prolific in many essen
tial articles than ours.
The activity, the hustle and uproar
necessarily attending the loading and
discharging of ships; the rafting OF
long lines of drays hauling flour, to-
bacco, etc. TO the wharves, with the
cheerful singing of stevedores Zone of
whom | remember, John Dogan) pre-
sented scene intensely eXhilarating.
Such was the condition in those palmy
days around the water front Yet there
was equally as animated picture dis
played in the viciuity of the flour mer-
chants at the head of King street. The
activity and excitement prevalent at
that part of the city was due to the rat
Ting of numerous wagons moving to
and fro or unloading flour and other
productions from the interior, as they
were the only means of transportation
at that time. 1t was not an uncommon
occurrence for forty or fifty conestogo
wagons, drawn by six horses each, and
nearly every horse adorned with bow
of bells. TO be assembled in the vicinity
of the flour merchants warehouses.
The imagination therefore can fill the
picture of the business activity prevail
ing in Alexandria sixty years ago. The
decline of her maritime commerce is
attributed to various causes. among
them the great distance TO the ocean,
with difficult navigation ofa long and
crooked river. No doubt that was re-
sponsible to some extent, but the first
fatal blow to her prosperity was the
construction of the B. 4 o. R: R., which
invaded the prolific field from which
she obtained products TO sustain her
commerce. And inasmuch as transpor-
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