Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-08-04
LETTER FROM WINCHESTER.
Correspondence Alexandria Gazette.l

WINCHESTER, Va, Aug. 3.-Think-
ing that you would grant space in
your paper that stranger sojourning
in this little city may give his impress
sions 1 proceed to give them. The first
thing that strikes resident of Ale1an-
dria on his arrival here is the new and
elegant depot building, recently erect
ed by the B. & o. company. 1t is built
of stone of pleasing appearance and
with all modern conveniences. What
a contrast to the miserable, ram
shacklen affairs which the Pennsyl-
vania and Southern roads have in AL
exandria, q city four times the size of
this. The next thing is the smoothness
Of the streets. No cobble stones, but
smooth macadamized roads over which
it is a pleasure for man and beast to
glide. They have paved two blocks
with vitriied brick, as sample, and 80
far are highly pleased with it. There
is scarcely any dust in the streets, not
near as much as we have, and, in wet
weather, no mud. Why can't the AL
exandria city fathers make an expert
ment of macadamiZing at least one
block. Take the worst in town (Prince
between Pitt and st. Asaph) and put
the chain gang to work on it,
Winchester has four hotels, beside
number of private boarding houses.
The former are all doing fair bust
ness and the latter are full of summer
boarders. The old Taylor Hotel is now
kept BY Mr.. Jos. Wright who seems to
be the "(W) right man in the right
place." Col. Cartwell, his manager,
has been in the business all his life and
is q genial and courteous gentleman.
He was connected with this house be.
fore the war, when the stages started
from it for Leesburg. The line was
owned by Mr.. Samuel N. Garwood, OF
your city. They average from Is to 20
transient guests day, many OF them
being bicycle tourists. The Hotel Evans
is new one but lately completed. and
contains all modern conveniences. 1t
is also we'll patronized. There is fine
new hotel, the Winchester" which
was erected by stock company a few
years ago at cost of $3.50, 900 but it has
never been occupied. 1t is up to date
in every respect, and situated near the
depot of the new Cumberland Valley
Railroad, which runs from this place to
Harrisburg, Pa, and which road is
doing good business. Speaking OF bi.
cycles, 1 think every man, woman and
child in Winchester and the regions
round about rides wheel. With such
smooth streets and roads it is not to be
wondered at. Tourists on the wheel
are seen every day, from single indi.
vidual to parties up to dozen. A
gentleman from Pittsburg, with his
wife and little boy 8 years old, passed
through the other day from trip to
Luray. The boy rides on his fathers
wheel, on saddle just behind the hsn.
die bar, and which has the stirrups and
straps of hobby horse attached. This
child has ridden in this manner over
5000 miles. Some one asked him if he
didn't get tired. He replied II only
diets tired when I have to stop at
hotel"
DR.. Brown, of auckland, passed
through one day last week en- route for
Martinsburg, on his wheel.
Every evening the streets are filled
with handsome equipages, mostly driv-
en- by ladies, and one will see as much
style in this respect as in Washington
city, with this exception-the ladies
here are prettier by far.
The streets are lighted by electricity,
and there is also gas plant and two
water supplies, The last water supply
was largely helped by the muni6cence
of Mr.. G. B. Rouss, of New York. The
fire department is, l expect, the largest
of any city in the State. It is volun
teer, and consists OF three engine COM
panies, each having steam fire engine,
all drawn by hand; hook and ladder
drawn by horses, and hose company.
These companies have total member
ship of 500. The engine house Of the
Union Company is without doubt the
finest in the State, if not in this section
of the country
There are several Alexandrisns liy-
ing here. Mrs. Jno. H. Brent and her
daughter, Mrs. Evelyn Lewis, have
made it their home for several years.
Marshall G. Willis, who was member
of the firm of Price s. Willis, on Union
street, in the late sos, is cashier of the
Union Bank. Mr.. R. T. Lewis, neph-
ew of the late DR.. NJ. NJ. Lewis, and
who lived in Alexandria as boy, before
the war, is in the insurance business,
also the family of Maj r. W. Hunter.
Rev. DR.. VIM. M. Dame, formerly rec
tor of Christ Church but now of Balti
more, is with his family, spending
his vacation here. He conducted the
services at Christ Church in this city
yesterday, in the absence of his brother,
Rev. n. P. Dame, and it carried me
back 20 years to the time he was in old
Alexandria. Christ Church here is
beautiful edifce and strangers are vel.
coined and treated with great courtesy.
The congregation was large; the fair
sex greatly in the majority, and for
beauty and style, could not be excelled
anywhere in this country. While on
religious topic l will state that the boot
blacks of Winchester seem to be re-
ligious, at any rate they follow the
scriptural Injunction, when you meet
a stranger, take him in" by charging
residents" cents for shine and
strange 10 cents.
There is a large knitting mill here
employing, am told, between $50 and
200 hands, which makes all kinds of
underwear, stockings, socks, ste. There
is one other thing that Winchester can
boast of, aud that Of having the loudest
whistler in America if mot in the world.
He is colored and every night he takes
q position just opposite the hotel and
tunes IN His ranatoira is NOT aytan.