Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-10-12

Is now Duke and Wolfe streets, 10 point
midway between what is row Royal and Pits
streets. thence north by that line 10 polht
just northeast OF The present city jail, ana
thence by line GO E to the river. on
the east front the river had bend from
Point Lumley to West Point. and covered
mos. of the intermediate space now occuplei
by Lee and Union streets, and on the nortn
Oronoco Creek made its way from a point
near the American coal wharf through the
gap no tn OF the Washington & Western b;
Z. depot, across north Fairfax and hoyh
streets rs is ow b. an original survey.
dated July 1S, 1749, by John ". ST. jr,
deputy surveyor of Fairfax County, in which
the town of Alexandria was then located
Fairfax County having been formed hom
Prince William in LAP. The town was or.
ganized on the 18th day OF July, l719, with
John West jr., as clerk. It's first Board OF
Trustees was composed of the following
gentlemen Thomas Lord Fairfax, william
Fairfax, George EsiIfaz, Eichsrd Osborne,
Lawrence Washington, William Ramsiy
John Carl,ie Jim Pagan. Gerard Aie1an'
der Hugh West and Philip Alexander. In
1853 George Washington was chosen one OF
tn, Trustees III 1779 it was incorporated
br the General A semhly Of Virginia as
town, with the authority to elect Nayof'
Aldermen and Councilmen, and to ho'd
Hastings Court; and in March, 1ISo, Kooelt
T. Hooe was chosen its first Mayor.
The above is about as concise history
of the conception and formation OF
Alexandria as needs be given.
Nearly everythingin connection with
today's event have been about antlclpa
ted BY all who have read the Gazette
during the past few months, and the
programme has been carried out
10 its entirety. The Gazette has from
time to time published what would
lake place; hence all readers were
fa miliar with the purposes OF the varl'
Gus committees.
The morning dawned upon joyous
community, and ss the day advanced,
as has been anticipated, soma appre
hension was felt as to the weather, the
heavens at times becoming threat
ening. During the early morning
hours there was an incessant run
ming to and fro OF those having the
affair in charge to make the final
| arrangements, while all who purposed
participating were equally alive to the
occasion. The gunooat Machiaa and
the dispatch boat Dolphin were
lying off the city ready to belch
| forth a fitting salute while at noon the
various organizations which were to
participate 10 the celebration were
arriving every hour. Numbers OF
other visitors were being disgorged
from both trains and boats, while
vehicles from the adjoining country
loaded with sightseers were gliding
into the city through the different
streets. King street presented daz-
J cling appearance. There was sea oil
| bunting, and the mild breeze kept il
swaying and surging in gorgeous
vari.colored waves, while on other
thoroughfares, many houses were
/ also becomingly bedecked. In many
cases strings of flags were stretched
across pavements, producing beautl
full effect. II would be q difficult
task to say which buildings attracted
most attention. The work on all is
commendable and Indicative OF the best
taste. The City Hall has been made very
attractive, and over the front entrance
on Royal street large portrait OF
George Washington has been placed,
and for the past forty. light hours it has
been looking down upon the present
generation of Alexandriane and visitors
to the city. A century and more ago
the Father OF his Country was famil
| lar figure in this identical locality.
The market court, the City Hotel OPP
posite and the Braddock House were as
familiar to him as to US. Most of his
acuuaintances were AexandriaDs, and
the beaming countenaDce portrayed in
the picture suggested to all who beheld
| it that though absent in the flesh he
vas present in spirit in the city in
whose welfare he took so much interest.
AS has been stated above, King
street was wrapped in bunting, while
gu our widest tnoroughfare, Washing
ton street, electric light bulbs, bunting,
flags. shields, Virginia's coat of arms,
streamers, vari-colored lanterns, &C.,
were profuse. On all the other streets
through which the parade was to pass
decorations in many cases were strik-
ing, while nearly every one made some
attempt at bedeckiug stores and
residences. Nearly everybody wore
medals and centennial buttons. On
Tuesday and last night electric lights
which had been put in for the occasion
flashed and glistened 10 every dlrec-
tien, and King street never presented
such an appearance in the city's his
tory. While pains had been taken Oh
all buildings, the larger structures were
rendered dazzling by hundreds of cleo
trio bulbs. 1t was literally necessary
TO force oneself through the crowds OF
humanity, which surged up and down
the sidewalks. In fact the tide OF hui
man beings and the glare from the
lights were suggestive of a nights stroll
through the Bowerv in New York or
the Strand in London.
The enthusiasm of last night exceed
ed anything ever wi messed in Alexan-
dria. There was large number OF
strangers here, and King street from
early in the night until nearly bedtime
was literally packed with humanity,
| while Washington street swarmed with
pedestrians. The gunboat Machias had
cen added to the fotilla in the river
during the day, and it being generally
known that there was to be an electrl-
cal display at seven o'clock, the
wharves at that hour were crowded.
At the appointed hour the Dolphin,
which lay between Duke and Wolfe
streets, flashed into the most beautiful
fixed electrical picture ever beheld
hereabouts. The current extended all
auar tho .1aslal and illuminatld auero