Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-12-31


The transient business alone it Is
thought would more than pay the ex-
penses of such hotel, and under prop,
er management many people, to avoid
the worries of housekeeping, would De-
come permanent boarders.
Among the wholesale branches OF
business which have made the greatest
gain during the year is that in drugs,
paints and oils. This trade has 80 In
creased as to afford an object lesson to
those contemplating entering into the
wholesale business in other branches.
By enterprise and push this trade has
been fostered and extended till it has
grown to surprising proportions and
by the continued exertions of its
promoters it is still growing.
The constant enlarging of the al
ready extensive fertilizer plants shows
how that branch OF trade is increasing.
One of these large plants was partially
destroyed by fire few months since,
but already buildings much larger than
the burned ones are being erected in
their stead and every modern appli-
ance for the manufacture of fertilizers is
being placed within them. The Alex
andria fertilizers have wide reputa.
ton for excellence and have proved
satisfactory wherever used.
Operations at the brewery have con-
tinued uninterruptedly during the year
and the output exceeded by 1000 bar
rels that of last year. The excellence
of the Alexandria brewed beer is ad
mitted by all competitors and the plant
here is one of the best equipped and
most complete in the country.
The grain trade does not increase,
for, as stated last year, number of
mills have recently been erected in all
the surrounding country and these
consume most of the grain grown in
their immediate neig hborhoods. Much
of the -four not consumed by the
people living in the vicinity of these
mills is sent to this market for sale.
The city has not grown this year to
the extent it has during some previous
years. The general "hard times" was
the cause of this, for when money is
tight building is limited. 1t is said,
however. that plans for quite num-
Der of buildings to be erected in the
near future have been drawn and it Is
hoped when spring comes the builders
and carpenters will be kept busy.
1t cannot be said that the prices Of
property have advanced during the
year. Hard times and the want OF
, money are given as the reason for this.
Still holders of Alexandria real estate
are sure that better times are coming
and but few are willing to sell when
prices are low. The real estate deal
ers therefore report rather dull year
in their line.
The building associations have aided
a number of persons in securing homes,
| and have been fairly prosperous during
the year. The lack of employment by
some of the stockholders compelled a
| few of them to withdraw part of their
savings and the demand for money for
building purposes has fallen off. These
institutions continue of great advan-
tage to the city, they are we'll and eco
nomically conducted and have aided
in building up waste places and MAX
ing many homes. The dividends this
year will be about as usual.
The various manufacturing plants in
the city have kept pace with the i'm.
provements of the times in their re-
spective lines and are fully equipped
for filling all orders intrusted to them.
This year has been dull one for most
of them and in many instances reduced
forces of hands were employed, but in
anticipation of better times their capa-
bilities have been increased to meet
any demand that may be made upon
them.
The dull times and the tightness
of the money market is given as the
reason why the big shops for the South
ern Railway Company have not been
erected on the land just west of this
city which, it was stated, last year had
been purchased for that purpose.
Though some of this land has been
utilized for laying sidings, it is hoped
that during the next year these shops
may be built and the force of employees
increased. The present shops in this
city during the past year have been
fitted with many pieces of heavy and
improved machinery and are now fully
equipped to meet any ordinary con-
tingency. A force of skilled men are
employed in these shops.
In similar article to this published
last year it was stated that the stern
hand of the law had taken in charge
the "wild cat" insurance companies,
chartered by northern adventures, un-
der Virginia laws and located in this
city. Since then most of these "compa-
nies" have ceased to exist and such q
watchful eye is kept on the others that
they give but little trouble, 80 this blot
upon the city has been about wiped out.
The trade in groceries and provisions
shows an increase and it is claimed that
this business now amounts to upwards
of 81, 100000. Alexandria is now rec
| ognized as supply market for groce-
ries and provisions for very large ter
ritory.
The lumber dealers report no falling
off in the volume of their business
which they estimate at fully 100000
| feet.
In china, glassware, crockery, &C.,
very large business has been done dur
ing the year as was also the case in the
hardware trade.
The dry goods and notion business
has been fairly good. The merchants
in this business now have larger and
handsomer stores than ever before and
keep decidedly larger and more varied
stocks of goods than were ever offered