ABSTRACT
The growth of Alexandria was a consequence of those booms, though the city's superb harbor and commercial facilities also helped to make the booms possible. According to Roger Owen, the Civil War boom affected the organization of commerce, with simultaneous trends toward horizontal integration within the trade and specialization in marketing and services. The entire incident reflects the seriousness of the strain imposed on Alexandria's physical facilities and administration by the growth of commerce during the boom years. The effects of the explosive commercial growth on the city of Alexandria were profound. The fact that growth was founded almost entirely on export earnings, of which Alexandria was the conduit, entailed an expansion in a wide variety of local businesses. The government remained a major employer, as it undertook a variety of public works and military projects in and around Alexandria, and contributed further to the local economy through its award of contracts and concessions.
