Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-05-20
THE GENESIS OF THE CITY.
Alexandria Had a Glorious Past-Its
Future is Most Inviting.

Future is Most Inviting.
Alexandria was originally known as
Hunting Greek Warehouse" from
building in which tobacco was stored.
This was in 1880. The land on which
the city stands was patented by the
authorities to Capt. Robert Howsen in
1863. John Smith, as early as 1908,
passed the site of the city on his way up
the river ending at the falls of the Po-
tomac. The Doag tribe of Indians oc-
cuped this section at that time In
1917 Capt. Howsen sold his patent to
John Alexander for 5000 pounds of to-
baccO. From the name of this owner
our city was named, although for
time the settlement around the tobacco
warehouse was called Bellhaven, and its
one street bore the name Of Oronoco,
so called from the tobacco brought
here
In 174S the Virginia House of Bur-
gesses appointed trustees to design.
build, carry on and maintain the town
OF Alexandria, on the site of the town
OF Bellhaven. The loyalty OF the set
tiers to English authority was shown in
the names of the streets of the original
town--King, Prince, Duke. Queen,
Princess, Royal. Fairfax and Cameron,
the latter from Lord Fairfax. Baron of
Cameron. Water street, now Lee,
frOnted the river, but since then two
additional streets. Union and the
strand, have been reclaimed by the fill- /
ing in of the river.
The first sale of lots was made on
June IS. 1749, from plats, the max
ing of which was participated In by
q young surveyor, George Washington. |
The town grew slowly. In 1867 a lot |
terry netted about $50 as the basis Of a
fund to build a school house. In the
same year a beginning was made to- |
ward the building of Christ Church. In
1879 the State Legislature authorized
the incorporation of Alexandra, and
Robert r. Hooe was chosen the first
mayor. In 1898 the first pavement in
the city was laid on King street, be-
tween Fairfax and Pitt, the cost being
betrayed from the proceeds or lot
terry and by private subscriptions. from
1889 to 1876 it was part of the Dis
trict of Columbia, and under the con-
troll of Congress. 1t was not until May
:, 1852, that the Legislature gave the
city a charter for local control. This
continued until Feb. 20, 1871, when the
present charter was approved. Whlle d
part of Alexandria County, the city is
entirely separate in the matter OF gov
eminent
Had it not been for the modesty of
George washington the National Capt.
tai would have been on the south side
of the Potomac and included what is
now the city of Alexandria. He OPP
criticism that he would profit thereby
in the enhancement Of the value of his
Mt Vernon estate His contemporaries
favored this side, but gave way to his
wishes in the matter. The name or
Washington is closely Identified with
Alexandria, concerning which the his
torian says:
''Au portions of Alexandria speak of
Washington In this city one may ind,
II he will blow aside the dust OF a cen
tury. footprints of the Father OF His
Country. that tell of his ways as he
moved round about home. Elsewhere
the great chief is on horseback, or sits
high in some chair of state, lofty and
removed from common men. but IN
Alexandria he is dismounted and afoot
"a townsman and neighbor."
Here Washington went to church
and lodge and visited and shopped.
Here he received a military commission
from Gen. Braddock. Here he made
one Of his first surveys in helping TO
plat the town. Here he took part in
dispute between Messrs. Fairfax ana
Payne. rival candidates for the Vir-
ginia House of Burgesses' ana was
knocked down by the latter. Later ne
set a good example by apologizlng TO
PAYNE for interfering in what did not
directly concern him.
In March 1885, commissioners from
Virginia and Maryland met In AleXan-
dria to discuss the commercial relations
of the two States They adjourned TO
Mount Vernon, and reached an agree
ment favoring the free navigation OF the
Potomac. The Maryland Legislature
ratified this in November, and proposed
a conference Of commissioners from all
the States to consider general CONNER
Cial relations. This resulted In the
Annapolis convention of 1886, which IN
turn, led to the calling of the Federal
Convention of 1887. What was a Water
ways Convention at Alexandria ended in
a Constitution being formulated at Phil
adelphia, which welded the confedera-
ton in union of States-a Nation.
The development Of Alexandria as a
city has had very serious setbacks. IT,
suffered during the Revolution, and later
by the French embargo. 1t paid $780,
OO0 then a large sum, to the British
fleet to prevent being looted during the
war of 1924, when Washington City
was sacked The financial stringency
was so great at the close of the
second war with Great Britain that the
town of Alexandria issued paper cur
rency as low as one cent. A specimen
OF this value is in possession of George
Wise This promise TO pay one cent on
demand bears the written signature OF
both the mayor and the city auditor.
Alexandria was an important point
when the civil war paralyzed It's career.
1t was long in recovering from this last
grasp of the mailed hand, but II is now
well on its feet. Previous to the last
war the activity Of the city was re-
markable. having given aid to the large
amount Of a million and half OF dol
lars to public enterprises, list OF