Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1896-12-10
CitytHall. Alexandria, Virginia.
A HISTORIC RAILROAD.

: a HISTORIC RAILROAD.
The road between Strashurg and
TIarriSonburg was, in 1913, leased to
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad for
term of ninety-nine years by it>
owners, the Orange, Alexandra and
Manassas Railroad, and has been OPP
Grated until last week by the Balti
more & Ohio Railroad since the lease
began. The road is about Is miles
long, and was originally owned and
operated by the old Orange, AleXan-
| dria and Manassas Railroad, and in
the many changes that have followed
the fortunes of that old system OF
ante-bellum days it has remained a
part of the road, going from successor
to successor, and is now the property
of the Southern Railroad.
When first constructed from ManaS-
sas to Harrisonburg it was known as
the Manassas Gap Railroad, taking
its name from the gap or pass in the
Blue Ridge mountains through
which the road passes from Pied
mont Virginia. east of the mount
aims to the great Shenandoah valley
TO the west of the Blue Ridge
During the war of lS6l'65 this
piece OF road was used Is Il military
road in the operations of the Confed-
icderate armies, and made possible
some of the most important move
ments and engagements of the south
ern forces.
From Manassas to Harrisonburg
every foot Of the territory through
which this line passes was made his
toric by battles betweenthe two great
forces contcnding for supremacy and
control of the great valley of the
Shenandoah, from which much of
the supplies for the Confederate
armies were drawn. The union gen
erals who had the valley campaigns in
hand, well knew that if the Conted-
crates could be dislodged from the
rich and fertile territory that the
Confederate> would have to look to
other and less promising fields for
rations, hence the valleys prolific
record for the many engagements and
many victories secured by Jackson
and other southern commanders.
Commencing at Manassas. where the
first great battle of the conflict wa
fought with such signal success to the
southern arms, and where later the
Battle OF Bull Run" was fought with
like success to the Confederacy, Manas
sss to Strasburg is sixty-one miles, and
,,,t hat RI ;-.to MI
made memorable in our war history
that will never be forgotten by all brave
Americans. In their order, going from
Manassas, the following points are
passed : Wellington, Gainesville, Hay
market, Thoroughfare, Broad Run,
Plaius, Marshall, Rectortown, Della.
plane. Markham, Linden, Happy
Creek, Front Royal, Rivertou, Buck
ton, Water Lick, and then Strasburg,
nearly all of which have felt the raw
ages of the war and the brunt of battle.
Leaving Strasburg going directly south
over the leased line of the Southern
operated under the ninety-nine year
lease by the Baltimore and Ohio, we
pass in distance of forty eight miles
Fishers Hill, Toms Brook, Mauretown,
Woodstock, Edinburg, Bellows, Mount
Jackson, Quicksburg, New Market,
Timberville, Broadway, Cowans, Lind
vile, and Harrisonburg, the southern
terminus of the Southern's territory.
All of this country is sacred to the his
torian, and is the most productive soil in
the State, where lived plain but
patriotic set of people, who possess in
the largest sense an abundance of
everything necessary for their comfort
and happiness to be found in no other
section of the State.
During the civil war every foot of
this part of the great valley was dis
puted territory, and the great armies
of the North and South fought it over
time and time again. At the close of
the war the great garden spot of
Virginia was left desolate; agri,
cultural pursuits were dead, and
every Industry was lying in ruins (t1is
included railroads), bridges were burn-
ed by the invading army, or else burn
ed by the southern army to prevent
the advance of their enemy; the tracks
were torn up and the rails bent out of
shape, the roadbeds demolished and
other damage done.
Iu 1865, when the war had closed, the
Orange, Alexandria and Manassas rail
road, which had prior to the war opera
ted between Alexandria on the north
and Lynchburg on the south, 8 distance
of los miles, and the short line from
Warrenton Junction to Warrenton had
to practically rebuild its entire line.
The work was done in crude but sub.
stantial manner, but without any pre-
tense to workmanship. Limited means
prevented anything but this, and de-
lsyed the work until about two years
after, when the line was again opened
from terminus to terminus for business.
Later the Manassas Gap Company, be.
ing unable 10 rebuild its line, turned it
over to the Orange, Alexandra and
Manassas Company, as they afterward
called it.
In 1878, while Hon. John S. Barbour
was president of this line, that portion
Of the road from Strasburg to Harrison
burg was leased to the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad for term of ninety-nipe
years, at au annual rental of $50, 25O.
IT, po1.;,,o-o apd Objo railroad.