Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1917-05-01
AN ECHO OF LONG AGO.

AN ESf1o of LO4Nu SAuos
A Richmond contemporary which
publishes daily extracts from its files
of half century ago, printed the
following yesterday:
"The stockholders Of the Orange
and Alexandria and the Manassas
Gap Railroads held joint meeting
in Alexandria last week and agreed
upon terms of consolidation"
The above is a small paragraph,
but it brings to mind hopes and
disappointments experienced by
Alexandria since the early ffties.
The organization of the Manassas
Gap Railroad, shortly after the re-
PROCESSION of this city from the
District of Columbia to Virginia in
spired many hopes among us. 1t
was given out that Alexandria was
to be coal depot. it being the
purpose, it was said, of the railroad
company to extend the road to the
Moorfield coal fields. This dream
proved a fallacy, as after the road
had been constructed to Strasburg
and the Valley Pike tapped, instead
of pushing the road to the coal dis
trict, it was extended to Harrison
burg. Visions of coal depot soon
vanished. and Alexandria, which had
subscribed $25O,00O to the Manassas
Road, found her public debt in
creased that much. We are still
paying interest on that obligation.
While we did not obtain the coal
depot, the Manassas Road was
nevertheless an important adjunct to
this city, as produce from the Valley
of Virginia was brought here daily.
But the war came on, the track of
the road was torn up first by Confed-
crates, then by federals, and at the
close of the conflict the road had
been practically ruined, most of the
rails having been removed, heated
in the centre and bent around trees.
Some of the older people may re-
member seeing huge piles of twisted
rails on the river front in the south
eastern section of the city where
government workmen attempted to
straighten then.
About the first Of November, 1864,
a Manassas train was derailed by
Mosby's men, and among those killed
was Superintendent McCrickett, then
in charge Of the Orange and Alex
andria Railroad, now the Washing
ton Division of the Southern Rail-
way The federal authorities in
this city were so incensed at the act
that they arrested a number of
prominent Alexandrians and placing
them in box cars ran then between
this city and Strasburg daily as host
ages. Mosby was as determined as
a German submarine commander of
today, and he gave notice that he
would attack all trains he could. no
matter who was aboard. Hence the
hostages spent many anxious hours
in these forced railroad trips.
A lady recently asked US if we
had list of the Alexandrians who
were placed upon those trains. We
could remember but few. Edgar
Snowden. Jr., one of the editors of
the Gazette at that time, was of
the number.
But to come back to the old Ma
nassas Road. After the war ended
the company found itself in this
plight: It had no money nor had
the original stockholders, and the
road was offered as gift to the
Orange and Alexandria Company.
The latter soon relaid the rails re-
built bridges and trains resumed
their schedules.
Alexandria's commerce. however,
was. destined to receive another
blow. The Orange land Alexandria
Company subsequently,; leased to the
Baltimore and Ohio Road that part
Of the Manassas Road running from
to Harrisonburg, and the