The times., 1899-10-13


absolutely without defence. The wealth
Of the Union was used TO build up the
Federal Capital, but few and far between
were the dollars spent in the Virginia poT
fion OF the District OF Columbia. Deprived
OF the powerful aid which connection with
Virginia would have afforded the town re-
mained in q corner OF the District, use
less adjunct 10 the Federal territory WHAT
ever fsvors Congress conferred were given
10 WASHINGTON, and Alexandria beheld the
growth OF other cities without power TO
Initiate them. Under these circumstances
the city authorities did all that was with
in their power. Streets were extended and
improved, the town lighted in the manner
then usual with oil lamps, and in 1917 the
market building with the cupola and town
clock was erected.
II 1917 the first town debt was created
by small loan 10 the corporation from
one OF the banks, and this debt had in
1913 sweiled 10 S74, 1920 On May 81
1875, II had grown to s1o79, ,0l477.
The great fire OF 1927 began at Green's
cabinet factory, in Royal Street. a few
yards south OF King Street. on the morning
Of January is. There was q strong gale
from the northwest and the weather was
intensely cold, the thermometer ranging
from 10 10 20 degrees above zero. Cinders
weighing half q pound were swept from
the place Of the fire into the river and
the flames burned through the town to the
foot OF Duke Street, destroying fifty-three
houses and oecasioning loss of $103, 600.
There was no hose IN use then, no hy-
drants; but long lines Of men stood ranged
from the pumps passing along leather fire
buckets that were emptied into engines
that stood close 10 the fire and played
upon the flames from elevations upon the
engines called galleries.
The Old Potomac Company, formed un-
der the auspices OF General Washington In
1884, 10 improve the navigation Of the river
above Underwater, by which it had been de-
signed to lock boats around the falls and
rapids and 10 pass them on 10 Alexandria
by channel on the Virginia side of Analos-
tan Island, and then by canal made be-
tween AlexandeT's Island and the main
shore crossing by what is now Roach's
Spring and Fort Runyon, had been shown
incapable OF competing with the gigantic
canal which was crossing New York; so
in 1920 the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal was
designed, and IN IS29-30, the plan of the
Alexandria Aqueduct crossing the Potomac
on granite piers, based on the rocky bed
OF the river, and thus connecting the
chesapeake and Ohio Canal with AIexan-
dria by lateral canal. was begun. The ten
or twelve years which were required 10
complete il were years of hope for Alex
andria Indeed. the town had nothing left
but hope. After the first decade OF its
entrance into the District OF Columbia. its
population, which from 1890 TO 1900 had
grown from 2,746 10 z,s7I or nearly .dou-
bied, had from 1920 to 1880 increased but
rs souls, and from 1880 TO 1870 only 1S6
souls. The town had IN 1920 s, ,21S inhzbi-
tants, and IN 1910 only S,z59. The hopes
excited by the canal proved vain. 1t was
completed but Georgetown, nine miles
nearer the source Of its commerce, reaped
the harvest. It was then Alexandria, in
one corner OF the District of Columbia was
about TO decrease instead OF increasing her
population; an earnest appeal was made to
the State Of Virginia, and in 1886 the Gen.
eral Assembly opened the arms of the
Common wealth 10 her long-estranged child;
the Federal Government consented, and the
voters OF the town approved, end in Sep
tenber, 1876, with professions. bonfres, and
illuminations, and z celebration extending
over three days. Alexandria became Vir- |
ginia town. The movements in relation to
rerocession were promoted by Francis L. |
Smith, Robert Brockett, and Charles T. |
Stuart. The State, by purchasing at par
valueless bonds Of the Alexandria Canal |
held by the town, at once took of three
ffths OF the corporation debt. Thencefor- |
ward, with lavish hand, the resources Of /
the Commonwealth were expended in the /
gigantic effort TO make the town growing /
Virginia city.
The visit of Lafayette IN 1924 was not
able event IN The citys history.
A Revival of Trade.
Alexandra gradually recovered from her
serious reverses. and within a few years
the progressive inhabitants had raised |
from out the smolderlng embers commo-
dious warehouses, which at that time were
Necessary for the accommodation Of the /
extensive marine commerce of the city
Aided by Congress, the municipality made 4
large subscriptions TO the Chesapeake and /
Ohio canal, for the construction Of the |
Alexandra Canal and many other high /
ways Of commerce. which for q time /
brought prosperity to the city. That part /
OF the District Of Columbia lying south /
OF the Potomac river was retroceded in /
1886, the State Of Virginia as I
suming share OF the city's debt. The |
city aided IN building four railways. the /
Orange and Alexandria, to the southwest:
the Manassas Gap toward the Valley OF 1
Virginia; the Alexandra, Loudoun, and |
railway, to the northwest and /
q line to the south end Of the Long Bridge
Over Joe houses were built in a single 1
year. Many exceedingly large and fine 1
ones, including the Pioneer Mills, the /
Gotten factory. and large warehouses
along the river front, were erected In /
June. 1860, there we're Eeventy-seven man
ufacturing establishments in operation. |
employing 7s5 hands. and producing from |
raw material valued at S9l ,00o, manufac- |
turing articles worth $500, 600.
During the same year there came TO the |
port direct from foreign parts seventy ves-
sells, with q tonnage OF 1878 tons. Alex |
andria sent direct to foreign parts S25S,- |
SSe. and imported goods worth $z73, 92z, at /
custom house values. The actual value 1
was over Sl5e0. 600. Guano FOR instance |
' as rated al 81 per ton, when it was worth |
So per ton. In the two years, 1856 and |
1857, the town exported direct, s., ,225, ,0g5. 1
7 his, with the coast8ise trade IL coal and |
other articles, made the port busy.
In the first decade after Alexandria's re- |
turn 70 Virginia. the population Of the |
town increased from s 7g5 TO II 20s being |
an increase Of 2.4l1, or over twelve times |
the increase made IN the last full decade |
spent IN the District Of Columbia
This gratifying condition OF public affairs 1
was interrupted by the outbreak Of the |
Civil War, n 1861, when the city was |
practically converted into q hospital camp. |
Many cf her sons had left their homes to 1
take up arms zOr the cause OF the Con-
federaie States. The city was early oecu- /
pied by the Federal forces, and one Of the
most thrilling incidents which transpired 1
during the war was the killing OF Colonel 1
Ellsworth, Of the New York Zouaves by
James w Jackson. while Ellsworth was
lowering the Confederate flag from the
Marshall House, At King and Pitt Streets.
On the return CT peace, trade was re-
neWed, ana with an increased population