The Washington times., 1906-05-06
BUILDING OPERATIONS MOVE BRISKLY ALONG IN CAPTTAL CT
Capital VIII Become
Manufacturing Center
SENATOR ELKLNS
tons of Future Greatness as CONNER
Cial Depot for the South.

Senator ElI1ins Of West Virginia, whose
home for many years has been In this
city. and who is largely interested i.
the development OF Washington inter-
ests in many different ways, is a strons
believer that the location of the city
and its many advantages is destined 10
make it commercial rival of Baltim,re
ana Philadelphia. and will in time trar s.
form it into a great manufacturing cen
ter. In the course of a recent inta-
view he expressed himself enthusIas-
tically, saying:
Washington IS destined 10 become a
great manufacturing and commercial
city, rivaling Philadelphia aud BaIti-
more, and reaping more than either OF
them the advantages growing out Of
the development Of the great South"
But" suggested the interviewer
what advantage is possessed by Wash
ington N a commercial way? II is sup
posed TO be lacking all the elements
that go 10 make up a business center"
That is mistake" quickly replied
the West Virginia Senator. Washing
ton is peculiarly located. It is a funnel
between the North ard the South. The
entire travel between North and South.
from Cincinnati to the Atlantic, passes
through this funnel here on the PotO-
mac. The Potomac is a natural barrier
dividing the railroads OF the North and
South. The Southern Railway, with its
6,000-mlie system, the Chesapeake and
Ohio. the SeabOard Air Line. the Norfolk
and Western, and other railroads that
VIII be built 10 develop the South and
Southwest. find their natural terminus
at the Potomac river While they all
come into Washington over the South
ern tracks. and reach New York over
I the Pennsylvania. they terminate at
Alexandria Here are twenty or thirty
I thousand miles of railroad terminating
at the Potopac.
! Channel Is Twenry-six Feet.
There is twenty-six feet Of water at
! alexandria and Georgetown. The Poto-
mac is being improved by the Govern
ment- AT the present depth Of tide
water, all kinds Of coastwise commerce
can be carried on. and even trans-Atlan-
/ tic commerce will spring up. Fruit YES
/ sells from Italy and the West Indies can
! discharge cargOes at Washington and
I carry away coal and manufactured prod
/ ucts.
There is no reason why Washington
should not become a greater coal dis
/ tributing center than Baltimore both
/ by water and rail As for manufactur-
/ ing. the advantages on the south side
/ Of the Potomac, adjacent 10 this city,
: are unexceiIed- All kinds Of raw ma
| terials may be laid down there as cheap
lly as at any other point on the Atlantic
! seaboard- The products OF the entire
/ South can be drawn there, 10 be worked
| into manufacturers. Coal. lumber. and
/ cotton can be laid down there 10 the
! greatest advantage
Why Send Cotton to New England7
why should Southern cotton be sent
| 10 New England TO be manufactured
( into cloth?' asked Senator Elkins- do
I you suppose such conditions viii long
! continue? Look at the rapid growth OF
manufacturing cotton in Georgia. North
and South Carolina, and Alabama. Look
/ az the iobbing business Of Richmond.
/ Washington. the junction Of great rail-
road systems radiating 10 al. parts of
the South. vii! eventually become the
manufacturing. jobbing. and banking
! headquarters Of the South.
The country between Rosslyn and
Alexandria, a stretch Of about six miles
viii be one of the busiest places in
the United States There the railroads
OF the South have their termIni. and
there they will have their roundhouses.
storage yards. repair shops. switches
and all that No better place for great
manufacturing plants could be found.
Consider the advantages of this climate
the accessibility of raw materials. and
the ease Of distribution, both by raj