Evening star., 1909-05-12
Washington the Convention City.

steam and energy for the boom Will be
| supplied by its competent chamber Of
commerce.
Washington the Convention City.
1--WE Alexandrians," Mr.. Preston con-
tinued. "also desire to see Washington be-
come the convention city Of the United
States. with great modern hotels and in
stitutions of art, education and science.
bAnd then when the conventions come
there we want the delegates to run over
to our city and see the many advantages
we offer for the location in our precincts
Of manufacturing interests. We have no
restriction, like the District smoke law,
that would impose any hardships on fac
tory owners, knowing as we do that the
along manufacturing lines. We do not
critieise the restrictive regulations in
force in Washington, for. we realize that
a city cannot have beauty and art in
combination with smoky, grimy manufac-
tories"
Alexandria's business men are concerned
deeply in the project Of making Wash
ington the" convention city, and they
agree with the statement OF Mr.. Preston
that while other great American cities
| strangers In from one to three days,
Washington has points and places of
interest that viii entertain them six
months.
Advantages for Making Things.
And then" as business man ex-
planned. letting a cat out Of the bag.
| after they have seen Washington they
may drift over to Alexandria, see our
quaint places that are related SO inti-
mately and Interestingly with American
history. and. incidentally. observe our
special advantages for making things"
The business men OF Alexandria are
proud OF the fact that within the past
year they have succeeded in locating here
eight industries. and that. too. in the
face Of financial depression. They hope
to multiply the number several times
over in the coming two years. and with
that end in view the chamber OF COM
merce Is sounding its slogan-"A greater
and more beautiful Washington and
Alexandria big manufacturing center"
In this connection the chamber Of COM
merce. through its busy secretary, is fur
manufacturing plants and the projectors
of prospective ones with facts and figures
that cannot be gainsaid. AS to the avail
able labor. 1t is explained that I'VE have
| an abundant supply, and men. boys and
girls can be drawn from the surrounding
country" There are plenty Of dwellings
for the workers and more are being
erected in the pretty nearby suburban
places. the rents being moderate.
Railroad and Steamboat Lines.
The population of the city Is 10000. and
| seven railroad lines diverge here from
points north, south and west, while six
| steamer lines give direct connection be-
tween Alexandria. Norfolk and Baltimore.
where freight is transferred to coast and
transatlantic lines.
There are five national and state banks
here with resources of about IS OOO, 900.
There are already seventy-six manufac-
tories in operation, with others soon to
open. Seventy-four wholesale and 342
$50. .O00, 900. so 1t may be seen that old
Alexandria Is going some. and Is shifting
more prosperity in the Greater Alexandra
| boom that has been launched.
Added to the facilities already enumer-
ated, Mr.. Preston says both electric and
| steam power are available: coal Is cheap
and plentiful and the water pure and
soft. is the equal Of any supplied to any
city in the world
Report by Maj. Cosby.
| In a report submitted to Congress Maj
Spencer Cosby, Corps Of Engineers, United
States Army, says some things that have
greatly pleased the citizens of this city.
The report states that Alexandria "is one
| of the oldest cities in the United States,
and has long been port Of entry. Bills
Of lading dating back to 1882 are in ex-
istence but 1t had been established as a
port prior to that.
'"rhe river front OF Alexandria Is solidly
built" the report continues, for length
of nearly a mile. with wharves that are
generally in good repair and much used,
though a few have been abandoned and
are in dilapidated condition. Railroad
tracks skirt the wharf front. forming the
only direct rail and water connections of
any importance on the Potomac No
such connections exist at Washington,
save a coal tipple recently established on
the Anacostia (or Eastern) branch Of the
Potomac. The former railroad terminals
at Popes creek, Quantico creek and
Acquia creek have been abandoned. AS
| a result it Is claimed that most of the
j MN fer-rail shinnnentx a& Washinxfas ro