Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-11
FINANCIAL.
oc11-3lu.1S

employment in assisting in surveying and
laying out Alexandria. There are still ex
tant some of the field notes mad$Sby him
of this survey, copied by DIR. j. NJ. Toner
from a memoran dunn book of the young
Washingtons. They are as follows:
The course Of the town of Alexandria:
The meanders of the river: s. S4ls ct. 3
chains; 8. 81 ct II L.: S. "a E.: 5 f. 8 s..
to point at a small hickory standing
above the landing place; S. 20 E. C. p L.;
8. As E. 3 c. 1S L.
So surveyed by George Washington the
town came into existence and was incor-
porated by an act OF the general assembly
in 1749. 1t lay then within what is now
but small portion of the city: bounded by
ROYAL street on the west and Oronoco and
Duke on the north and south, and through
1t ran streets named In honor of the royal
family of England. as King. Prince. Duke.
Queen and Princess: and in honor of the
Fairfax family, as Fairfax and Cameron
Through the French and Indian war and
the revolution Alexandria bore her part
bravely. and grew and prospered until
peace had returned. In 17Sa when the city
of Washington was begun and the ceSsion
made by Virginia and Maryland. to the
government, of the District of Columbia.
Alexandria was given to the national au-
thorlt1es also, as part of the District. and
In February, 1902. Congress extended its
jurisdiction over the town, and though as
the people held, unfairly treated, and its
progress very much tmpeded, so much SO
that from 1920 to 1880 it's population in
creased but forty-flve, Alexandria remained
in the District forty-four years. The retro
cession of Alexandria to Virginia final
ly secured in 1916. when professions bon
fires and illumnations gave evidence of
the delight of the People at once more be-
iEg part of the old dominion.
The prosperity that came to Alexandria
with her return into Virginia was not of
long duration. The war between the states
came on. and Alexandria men sprang to
arms ready to fight for their rights as Vir
ginians, as they had been to fight for their
just privileges as British subjects, or their
prerogatives as American citizens. 1t was
at Alexandria that the federal troops first
invaded southern soil, the few troops there
rapidly evacuating. when May "a. 1861,
the federals in large numbers took pos
session The tragedy of that memorable
day is well known. when Col. Elmer Els
worth and James Jackson mingled their
blood at the historic Marshall House, at
the corner of Pitt and King streets. when
the former endeavored to remove there
from the confederate flag. which the lat
ter. its owner. had raised above It Alex
andria became during the civil war, as dur
ing the revolution, a hospital town. in pos
session of the federals and a center of
army supplies for the Union troops.
Natural Advantages.
Nature mas given Alexandria advantages
for commerce and manufactures excelled
by few places in the United States. Water
power is available within short distance
of the CITY, and by use OF newiy-devised
machinery for transmitting electric power
the waters Of the high lands near by can be
used to advantage. Sites for steam mills
near the railroad tracks and along the
river front, with six to eight fathoms of
water, to be found for a mile or more
along the eastern margin of the city.
Alexandria has not been advertised. Less
than thirty years ago the United States,
which had occupied all the warehouses and
wharves along the river front for military
purposes. retired from business in AleXaI-
dria, leaving the river front a deserted har-
Dor and the big warehouses abandoned
property. 1t was ten years before business
resumed its sway over this great strip of
real estate. Within the past twelve years,
however, all that land has been fully cccu-
poses and large and steadily expanding
trade is now being done.
City of Homes.
Alexandria has especial value as a city
of homes.
Visitors to the city during the sesqui-
centennial celebration will be particularly
interested in Christ Church. one of the old
est edifces in the Union. Anglican serv-
ices were begun in a chapel as early as
1850. The present church was begun IN
1853 and. completed and occupied in 1871.
Rev. Bergman Greene is the present rec
tor. The church is annually visited by b.
600 more people. Memorial tablets to
George Washington and Robert Edward
Lee among the historic relicsein the
church.
The oldest landmark in Alexandria, how
ever, is the Carlyle House, on North Fair
fax street, in the of the Braddock
House. 1t was occupied for a time lay
General Paddock a