The Washington times., 1903-07-27
ALEXANDRIA TOWN
OVER I54 YEARS OLD
Part of Old City Surveyed
by George Washington.
HISTORIC STREET NAMES
First Attempt to Pave Streets Made a
Little Over One Hundred Years
Ago-Bids for CSbblestones.

On the 18th of July, 1903. our little
sister Of Alexandria reached her 154th
birthday.
On that dav in 1149 the town was
established under a charter which had
been granted by the General Assembly
of Virginia the previous year, and the
sale of lots was begun at the tobacco
warehouse. which stood on the first
fresh" run north OF Hunting Creek.
being, in fact a hill above what is now
known as the Fish Wharf, on the north
eastern extremity Of that city. The sur
veys had been previously made by John
West, the county surveyor OF Fairfax
who had among his employees a young
surveyor about seventeen years old
named George Washington.
The late pr. Toner. Of Washington.
discovered, some twenty years ago, the
notes OF survey made by young Wash
ington, and they are now in the Toner
collection in the Library of Congress.
WashingtOn's part or the survey was the
, river si5s of what is now the Second
ward of alexandria. The lots were sold
at auction and their price rated in
Spanish plstoles.
Naming the Streets.
The little town--for as then laid out
ii was not one-fifth its present size
has all its streets dedicated to either
the family name OF Lord Fairfax or to
the royal family. The central street
was Cameron, which was crossed by
Fairfax. named in honor of Thomas,
Lord Fairfax. Baron Of Cameron. The
other streets to the north CT Cameron
were Queen. Princess and Duchess. and
to the south King, Prince and Duke,
while the companion street of Fairfax
running north and south was called
Royal. These streets still remain, sur
rounded by Revolutionary and other
names, coming down as late in modern
days to Custis and Lee. Several propo-
sitions for numerical and alphabetical
named streets have been made without
success. although there is on the map
new section OF the town, north OF the
old canal. which has six numbered
streets, but the streets contain nothing
but numbers, for there are no houses
upon them.
Cobblestone Pavements
1t Was not until February, 1893, that
any attempt to pave the streets was
made. Then eobbIestone, gathered from
the neighborhood streams and stream
lets, was carted into town to the market
square and paving begun. The fake that
cobolessone streets we're made by Hes
sian prisoners is many years outside the
truth, for the last Hessian prisoners had
left America in 1888. The commissioners
notified the public that they will give
half dollar for every ton of stones
suitable for that purpose delivered in
the town of Alexandria. The stone best
calculated for paving is OF en- oval kind
weighing from fifteen pounds to sixteen
or upward. The money will be paid as
soon as the stone is landed"
The first pavement was laid on Queen
Street. from Fairfax to Pitt, and then Ia
the next sixty-fve years about ten miles
of cobblestone streets yere laid. King
Street was three zines repaved with
cobblestones.
! ing was done by Gen. John T. Slough,
military governor of Alexandria, during
the war for the Union. He had collected
$50 900 OF fines for the sale OF liquor IN
the town, his lowest fine being 81 900
and his highest $4,000. This money was
spent Dy MN IN the repaVlng and 10
scme extent the regarding of King Street
He also extended the sidewalk two feet.
The last street Improvement OF Alex
andria is the repaving Of King Street
with Vitrif1ed brick on a siX-inch con
crete base throughout its entire extent
III the populated portion OF the city.
This work is just now completed and Is
followed by the laying OF granolithic
sidewalks at the expense OF the private
property holders.