Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-11-02
THE sTRoLLER's COLUMN.
Facts and Faucies Picked up Here
:fo1There and Elsewhere.

:ffuI There and EaSeWheie-
Yesterday while passing the
grounds surrounding Christ Church
on Washington street the Stroller
CHANGED to fall in conversation with
stranger who was looking about
the old churchyard. After making
few INQUIRIES concerning the city, our
stranger-friend dropped into rem
Iiuiscent mood and said: ) I
.Carry me Back to Old Virginia"
is song that appealed to me great
" before first and last was II the
Old Dominion, 81 years ago. ever
since then I have wished to be Car
ried back" here. ] am now Oh the
ground in the good old city OF AL
exandria, where I am being treated
! in the kind, hospitahle southern style
that was my happy lot here 81 years
gone by.
A stranger notices favorable and
unfavorable conditions in a city al
most instantly; first Of all the c1ndl-
tons of streets and sidewalks -Flex-
andria's are better than many large
and small cities l have visited within
tRe last four months 1t is mistake
for anv city to allow its 'lec!ing
+boroughfares to stay rough and rltty
as some do. This condition creates
prejudice against the town, il IN
clines farmers and suburbanitci to
come in to trade only when uney
can't stay out, and makes life .Iust
! that much more unsatisfactory to
permanent residents. What ! say
about a city's streets is true C all
public institutions and utilities.
Am glad to notice that house Ii@!m-
bers, both on business buildings and
residences, are plentiful here, lager
and easier to read by visitors thcn in
MANY cities-for instance, Washing
ton. that is very wanting in This
matter in many sections, which IS an
absolute injustice and Inconvenience
to strangers.
But one thing lacking in Alc:an-
dria, well supplied in some small cities
and needed in ali, little and big. is
q public, rest room, for men, women
and children. This is particularly ac-
ceptable to and necessary for farm
people while firing themselves spend
| ing their money, walking tc End
standing about III business places.
Champaign, H., has a rest room
whose sign says, "Rest Room for
ALL" and visitors and country peo-
pie delight to be in that little city.
| l am told that this city needs more
factories. They 60 to places that
offer special advantages. 1t IS a
great mistake for city TO lie a
"tight-wad," in this important di
rection. Factories give employment
TO working people, who must always
be the majority Of the citizens; the
money which comes in to the factor
les and is distributed all over the
community, is help to the whole
! population always.
/ have tried particularly to observe
how the incoming of the dry era in
Alexandria is received by the Eeo-
pie. have heard no one growl about
the liquor being shut off; people
seem to take it as an inevitable, con-
! dition that has arrived and are good
! natured concerning it. Let me say
/ IN great kindness and good will to
drlnxing men who will for awhile be
greatly tried by absence Of their ae-
customed beer and whisky, that l
sympathize with them; I have had
the same experience; [ am glad |
quit the bowl" There is grand con-
ISOLATION for them, rs there was for
me; it IS this: no drinking" is safety
for the health. and the money they
save will do so much good and give
SO much harmless pleasure used in
a.