Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-03-21
EXTRA TRAINS ON THE MANASSAS
BRANCH

Last season, a mum yer Of citizens of
the towns situated on the Manassas branch
of the Southern Railway having at
heart 40 interest In the development of
their respective localities, a. well as 6
wish to secure to themselves improved
passenger service between strssburg and
Manassas ard Washington, started S
movement to briog these conditions to
pass,
It was recognized 10 the very begin
ming, that lack fscequs't pass niger SER
vice was to great extent responsible
for lack OF development Of communities
which naturally abounded In features
attractive 10 summer boarders. Here
within ride of an hour or so, were good
healthy localities, where the moderately
paid city man could send bis family,
away from the heat OF asphalt streets and
brick walls. sure that they could enjoy
pure milk and fresh air snd yet still be
we'll within the means of his pocket
book. No, there was uo'hiog like At.
lsntic City or Coney Island; nothing but
peace and quite and rest, and hes', Of oil,
he could live with them aud 60 back
and forth esch day to his work 10 Alex
andris or Washington If 1t we're not
possible to take leave Of absence. In.
yestors In timber lands, live stock and
farms are always more ready to 90 where
access Is msde easy by the running Of
numerous trains. BY adequate train
service, children could attend the ex-
cellent city schools and young men take
courses In business colleges, many OF
which offer summer courses. Men with
homes 10 the country, who wish to
go daily to the city TO work, could
return Nith the feeling that nothing can
compensate for "home," the wholesome
supper and cool night breezes. Try q
city boarding house. you who have never
done so, and be convinced.
Would extra trains on the branch pay
the railroad? Would development of
the localities actually take placer You
who are skeptica turn your gaze upon
the Bluemont branch Of the 5nuthern
Railway and harken to It's history.
Once upon time, the country through
which the Bl1emont branch ran was
much rs the Manassas branch country
is now. There we're few passenger
trains running on inconvenient SEIZED.
ules, simply enough to hold the charter
Of the road. A few spirited citizans ap-
p.aled to the railroad for better trsir.
service. 1t WAS discouraged on the sppar-
entity very good ground that IL would
not pay the road to furnish more traiDs
The citizens In question we're not salts
fed; they knew the country much better
than the railroad officials did and had
much keener foresight. They appealed
to their neighbors, they tried to induce
city capital to invest 10 their lands aud
summer boarders to promise to patronize
the extra trains In csse they were
granted. Again the railroad was peti.
toned and agreed to make trial and
give extra service, feeling no doubt that
It vas a wild venture. Gentlemen, In
less time than 1t takes TO tell 1t, the
country began to develop and build up
in spite of certain OF its skeptical citiz ms
who predicted complete failure OF the
railroad, and few other things. The
railroad HASN'T failed yet and ne under
stand considers the Bluemont branch a.
one Of Its beat paying short haul Invest
ments. DO you know of any citizens Of
the Manassas branch last summer, who.
instead Of helping build up tr-illc, spent
much time wsgging their heads and
stating that the extra tiains wouldn't
pay There are always few such in
every community. There we're, last sum.
mer, a number OF trains running 10 aud
out of Washington over the Bluemont
branch, among them, 1t is reported, was
q theater train. There are at this time
six week days trains out Of Washington
and Eve in. How many trains has the
Manassas Branch? Just two each way
on week days.
As lands oec0me moro valuable near
Washington 10 one direction, capital
sseks investment in another Isn't the
Manassas branch parallel case not ouly
10 theory but 10 actuality2 Cannot we
10 the same thing as our B uemont
branch neighbors and help ourselves and
| friends anu the railroad all at the same
lime? Can we again mske the railroad
see the wisdom of the move and give as
extra trains for the summer mouths?
II depends. List season SO appcals ! for
an extra train which would get Us into
Washington in time for Office; and a
late trsin to take us homo again. The
railroad did its part. gentlemen; they
gave Us the trains 10 question for three
months as test. DID we do our part ?
Did we patrOnizs them sufficiently TO
pay for the coal burned 10 the locomo-
tive? Some of US did, but many, msuy,
did not, but took other trains when they.
could just as we'll as not have patro.
q I'D the new ones. We will 5ot 20 ins
tie question OF Insufficient advertise.
ment," or mot run long enough TO get
people acquainted with them" or ''not
on time at Washington half the time"
aud many other such remarks as have
come to our ears; the fact q simply this
the Southern Railway did show dispo-
sition and did grant our request; now
whv didn't we DO ours?
Now this coming season we want these
trains again, don't We? but we are not
going 10 get them unless each and every
individual does his part; works for them
10 bis own quiet way, 10 his Own iodi-
vidusl way and thus shows the railroad
that there Is indeed real interest in