Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-05-30
OF
CITY LAID OVER
200 YEARS AGO


lowing the example Of Romulus and
Rcnus by building city. In their
prospecting tour it. is said they pas
sed over the present site of Ccrstan-
tinoplc. After they had began to
build their city their attention was
called by some parties to the fact
that they had ignored one Of the
most suitable spots in the world.
They saw. their mistake when it was
tee late to remedy it, and several
centuries later others, more saga
cious, founded the present city, and
Byzantium, Stamboul, CONSTANT
ncrle, New Rome, or whatever we
nay be pleased to call it, to9k its
place among the great cities of the
world.
We propose in this imperfect
a1t:cie en- Alexandria to show that
che of the most suitable places II
the country for manufacturing o.
ether purposes has long been neg
lected and to presage a time when
many will find Themselves in the
notifying position Of the stupid city
builders referred to, when Alexandria
shall have taken her proper place
in the ccuntry's history
That Alexandria is surely to be-
ccme the chief city in Virginia is
conceded now by all disinterested
persons. Some towns which a few
years ago were bocnrcd are now
growing up in weeds, while Alexan-
dria Is steadily forging ahead and
growing daily in Importance. Sit
rated at the confluence CT the great
railroads Of the country, with q
splendid ha1bor, TIE best water
transportation in the shape Of mod
crr steamers ard sailing craft, it
would Re singular if the city didn't
grow.
The city Of Alexandria from its
ruclcus, in 1869, to the present day,
has Justly been regarded by resi-
dents as we'll as visitors % ole Of
The NEST centrally situated spots
for a city of commercial Importance
in the United States, and that this is
no idle beast we propose to show
in the description Of the city, its eli
g;ble situation, It's nearneas to large
cities and commercial nia.ts, to
rethcr with the very superior facili-
tors which naturally belong to it.
That the great grar&iathers Of the
present generation entertained the
same views is evidenced by the fact
that ever century before, the sits
of the city Of Washington was laid
cut TIE present location Of AleXan-
die lad been fixed upor fer a city.
and later, when the British yoke had
been thrown off ard our forcfathers
were casting their eyes around the
country fer q suitable sDot upon
Hh:cl? to locate the capital city they
showed their wisdom By agreeing
that lie tract Of land extending
from tie south side Of the Potomac
near where the Lcng Bridge is sit
uatad southwark to Hunting creek
Il ((which would necessarily have alb
sorbed what is now Alexandrial was
the most favored in every particular
fer tie scat Of government CT tha
naticn. Had the plan. ard It was a
gccd ere. Eccn carried cut, instead
of the Episcopal Theological Semi
nary and High School which are now
en- picturesque Shutters Hill, the cap
tel Of the United States would have
adorned that am;nence, AMI it would
today lave been the Acropcl:s Of
this great and growing nation. The
massive buildings which adorn the
capital city would new be elistcning
| in thu rising sun n AleSandria's
| BACKGROUND had it rot been for the
moGexty Of that greatest CT all
Americans, George Washington, who
while recognizing the fact that
Alexandria WAS the proper place for
the capitol wss aversc TO hero wor-
ship ard urged The abandonment of
the plan upon the ground that the
proposed site was too near tc his
Noun. Vernon home and the plac-
ing Of the capital city SO close to
him might be criticised unfavorabiy.
Had the intentions CT his cotempar-
les been carried out, however, a
city of colossal proportions extend
:r?g six mile north and south and
doubtless to Fairfax C. H. on the
west would have been the picturs
for the rising generation TO behold.
But we had no intention at tha
outset 10 draw pictures Of what
might have been, but what has, IS,
i