The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-09-15
ANCIENT ALEXANDRIA.
dGOssTPY TALk ABOUT THE DEAR
OLD CRY.
At Present bay She L. Not to Re sneered
at for Commercial Inn
portance-

pOHICK, MEAN ALEXANDRIA, va,
Sent. u.-Spccial Nesting at the foot or
the beautiful hills Of Halifax and close
down on the shore Of tho broad Potomac,
is the old city or Alexabdria- 'he gateway
To the Southland.
rho white dome of the nations capt.
tol the golden tops OF the new Congress
sional Library and the netdle-like shaft
Of the wonderful Washington monument
rise far above the city. ana seem 10 be
within speaking Gistsnce.
There is quaintness about the old
city that Is impressive. And this quaint
ness dates back TO the time when George
Washington trod its dusty streets O.
hitched his sorrel nag TO the post at the
entrance OF st. Georges tavern. Many
cld-fas hioned mansi ms are stu In ex-
istenoe, and are owned and tenantcd by
descendants OF oli-time Virginians that
made themselves famous fighting Tor
freedom side by side with their New
England brethren.
Besides the native Virginia families a
large number of the leading citizens and
business men of the present day, have
descended from New England and Euro
pean stock SO that Alexandria may be
Justly termed the cosmopolitan city OF
Virginia.
Inante-hellum times. Alexandria had
q formidable trade-both foreign and do
nestle. Baltimore. the modern Mecca
of Richmond people. considered the busy
Virginia town its chief rival. But the
war and the proximity Of the national
capital crippled The city commercially,
and while now its trade is considerable,
IL is but a drop In the bucket to what
it was.
lyashingtonians consider Alexandria
merely n Joke, and an ancient one at
that But when II comes 10 comparison,
Alexandria can point her finger at wash
ington and exclaim:
SHOW me your first families; what
famous men have risen from your midst?
What have your native citizens ever
done 10 cause their names to he placed
upon the scroll Of fame?' AT this Wash
ington must hang her head, for she can
make no reply.
Coming down 10 the present day. how
ever. Alexandria is not TO he sneered at.
Her water front is Incompatible; her
railroad facilities complete. The finest
elective railroad in the country centres
there. connecting Mount Vernon, Tho
resting place of the Father of His Coun-
try, with Washington city. distance OF
some sixteen miles. The Episcopal Theo-
logical Seminary, an institution that has
sent out some of the most famous d.
vines IN the country, is situated on the
hill overlooking the town. and there are
| within the city proper, some of the f1nest
| educational institutions in the land. That
| latter.day educational instrument. the
daily newspaper, is well represented II
| the Alexandria Gazette. the Oldest paper
| In the state, and one that has been edit
cd by members OF the same family sine
| its BIRTH some nlnety-fiye years ago.
Il hot lie f.f
a hcary age, Is The Times, edited by
"Old Man Carne." as he is familiarls
| called. This latter paper is published by
| a stock company, which included i'm its
| membership such men as State Senator
/ George Mushback, captain of the Alexan-
| dria Light Infantry. and author of th'
famous anti-samblng law; Postmaster
| q. G. Carlin, the youngest man that eve
| held that office; Samuel Brent. Corpora
ton Attorney. and J. NJ Hill. owner o.
| the St. Asaph race-track. Captain Pas
| McCarty. first editor of The Richmond
| Times. edited the Alexandria Times unit
| a short time ago. when he resigned e
accept a similar position on Washing
ton paper.
THE ANCIENT CITY.
But Alexandria will never regain 81
former commercial prestige VIVA
| Brooklyn is TO New York, Manchester q
| Richmond, Alexandria is To Washing
ton. Onice-holders In Washington fin'
the Virginia city n cheap. healthful, an
convenient place OF residence. and thou
sands OF them take advantage Of tn
opportunity TO locate there while EN-
ployed in Government service.
Tourists from everywhere are attract
ed there by the many historical points
OF interest i'm and around the city. whic
include the old Carlyle l:ouse, wher
Gen. Braddock was located in coionia
times, and Christ church, where Gen
Washington worshipped with his family
and later where Gen. II. Il. Lee wa
wont 20 bow his head i'm prayer. TIL
pews of both these distinguished Amer
leans are still just as they left them.
II is said that ninc-tenths Of the popu
lation Of the country has at one tim
| or another lived in Alexandria. And
Is further predicted that when the Nortl
| Pole Is reached, the man in charge wi
have hailed from Alexandria. Howeve
IL may be, 1t is certain that former citi
zens Of the old burg are now locate
I'm all parts OF the civilized world.
The Alexandria small boy Is irrepres
slble During a recent circus frocesso
one of this genus grasped the lions ia
through the bars OF his den. and pulle
il until the King OF Beasts roared again
Strange as il may seem, there ar
old, gray-hared citizens of Alexandri
that have never visited Washington, a
though the city is within sight. FEY
! miles up the river, and there is a stor
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