Evening star., 1902-01-04
To Commemorate the Centenary Of
Settlement of Virginia.
WHY ALEXANDRIA SHOULD Be CHOSEN
Celebration in Many WaysA p
propriate to Our Neighbor.
OLDEST CITY IN STATE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
| ALEXANDRIA, Va, January 4, 1902.
Nearly three hundred years ago a party
or Cavaliers sailed away from England out
into the almost unknown deep to seek fame
| fortune and home in the western Ell Dorado
under charter granted by the king to the
London Company. After long, tiresome
and dangerous journey they sailed in be-
tween two capes which they named Charles
and Henry after the two sons of their
| King, and later into the smooth water of a
wide and lovely river up which they pro-
ceeded until they reached a beautiful island
When they ceased from their journey and
| landing named the island and the river
after their royal master James.
Here was established the first English
colony in America. In 1907 the American
people will be called upon to celebrate the
| centennial of the landing at jamestown and
| the whole nation should participate in that
| celebration.
Steps have already been taken looking to
| the rebuilding of the old church at James
| town ana a movement is on foot to hold in
| that year yorldS exposition In commemo-
| ratlon or that most momentous event. No
| event, save the Declaration of Independ-
ence, in our history is Of as great national
| Importance.
| The Virginia legislature, which meets
| FEBRUARY 70 viii be called upon to charter
| the centennial Association and select a To-
cation for the great worlds show
| Nlthout encouragement to either of the
| great cities of the old dominion that are
seeking the honor of the location, L am
| constrained for the following reasons to
suggest that no place within the state can
| present better claims or more thorough
business reasons for locating the exposi-
| tl oion "itnin It's borders than the good old
| city Of Alexandria.
IN selecting location for such a ceIe-
| pration the chief considerations are:
Nal me opportunity Of the location to en-
b) The transportation facilities.
(c) The proximity of the ground to the To-
| cation of the guests.
(d) The cost.
money needed.
% The advantages of location SO far as
otner attractions are concerned.
tg) Inc proximity and number of people
from whom to draw visitors.
u) ana IN the case of world exhibit,
the propaole Willingness of the nations of
the earth to attend.
Worthy Of Serious CONFEDERATION,
l am willing to admit that at first blush
the proposition to hold a worlds fair at
Alexandria may seem to emanate from
diseased brain, but when the above items
are considered, and calmly weighed it will
be seen that Alexandria presents many
more attractions than can any other city
in the state OF Virginia.
To enumerate as briefly as possible:
(a) While Alexandria is only a city of
about 1900 inhabitants, we have almost
al our doors, connected by electricity,
steam and water. the great capital city of
this great nation, with it's magnificent ho-
tells and flats and its unprecedented means
for accommodating any crowd that could
be brought to attend the exposition, All
Of which can be reached in twenty
twenty-five minutes by water. Unques-
tionably then Alexandria can easily enter
tain five times the crowd that either of the
other Virginia cities can.
CD The transportation facilities offered
by Alexandra are unequaled by any Vir-
g1nia city. In addition to the Southern,
Chesapeake and Ohio. the Norfolf and
Western, the Seaboard Air Line, and the
Coast line. all Of which reach Alexandria
as well as the other cities, we have the
great Pennsylvania and the Baltimore and
Ohio systems. Besides the electric rail-
road that will before 1907 be completed to
Baltimore. These facts settle the Ques-
tion of the best transportation facilities.
(c) Ii the exposition was held directly on
the outskirts Of Alexandria, it would be
nearer the Capitol building than the expo
sltion grounds were to the center of the
cities of Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta or
Buffalo and can be reached much more
easily and quickly. This of itself is most
important item in locating the site of such
an exposition.
I'd, and f. Now as to the cost It may
be true that Alexandria cannot contribute
as large sum as either Of the other cities
named, but in proportion to population it
will do more. The old city has never yet
been found unable to perform satisfactor-
lily anything 1t has undertaken, and then
Alexandria has Washington to help her;
besides 1t will be necessary to spend much
less money If the exposition is held in
Alexandria than If elsewhere in the state.
Exceptional Advantages.
I. The national exhibits that would have
to be secured elsewhere at a large cost,
would be much more extensive and better
shown in the various government depart
ments, the Smithsonian, the museum, the
navy yard, the arsenal and other publicq
buildings and the money usually thus ex-
pended would be saved and could be used
for other purposes.
2 We have the further attractions of
Arlington, Mount Vernon and all the points
OF historic interest that are to be found
IN the old city itself. These things COM
blned make up an exhibition that thou
sands of visitors seek to see every year
and will materially lessen the expense.
B.. Governor Tyler in recommending action
on the matter in his late message very
wisely took the grounds that 1t is useless
to expend SO much money in ornamental
buildings, and the buildings if erected at
Alexandria could and should be made of
duce the charges against the exposition.
4. One of the essentials of a successful
exposition Is the opportunity to draw
crowd; there can be no doubt that many
more people would attend the exposition in
Alexandria than anywhere else in the state
for the reason of its proximity to Washing
ton, Arlington and Mount Vernon. Besides
this, IL we draw a circle Of fifty miles
around Alexandra and the other cities it
will be found that there Is a population
ten times as great to draw from in the
Alexandria circle than can be found in the
Others or If we make the circle 100 miles |
we will have twenty-f1 times the popu-
lation to draw upon.
5. If the exposition is held at Alexandria |
it's proximity to Washington city will make |
1t appear to the world Gust what 1t should |
be) a national exposition, and no one can
deny that foreigners. to say nothing of |
home exhibitors, will much more readily |
send their exhibits to Washington city than |
anywhere else in America.
These are but a few Of the reasons why |
Alexandria should be selected.
The Memorial Bridge.
1t may be taken for granted that by the |
year 1907 the Memorial bridge will span the |
Potomac as well as the handsome railroad |