The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-08-26
THE MANCHESTER SIDE PARK

A committee of gentlemen from Man
chester visited what is known as the "Moss
Tract' of land, about two miles from
Mayo's bridge, on Friday last, with view
of reporting upon its eligibility and desira-
bleness for a public park. This tract of
land, which is situated on the Broad Rock
road, from and south of the point where
the old abandoned railroad crosses it, con-
tains five hundred and twenty-five acres Of
land, which, added to fifty acres lying near
the junction of the two roads, known as
McDaniel's land, would make tract Of
| five hundred and seventy-five acres in one
body, admirably suited in every respect for
park purposes. This land is heavily wood
ed for more than one-half its extent, and
sufficiently wooded for the purposes of
general park landscaping to the entire ex-
tent of the tract. Its surface is handsomely
diversified or rolling, and at many points
commands a fine view of Richmond and
the river banks. It affords even now, in
its rude and unimproyed state, some Of the
finest and most romantic drives in the viciu-
ity of our city-one road running partially
through it and beautifully shaded, with the
Broad Rock road on the east the old
abandoned railroad track extending fo1 the
distance of mile on the north, and capable
of being made, at small expense, into
magnificent road-bed; a county road ad-
joining the Broad Rock estate upon the
southeast, and the Warwick road on the
south-thus leaving but a short distance to
be road-bedded in order to enclose the
whole tract with a beautifully shaded
drive.
This entire tract of land can be had for
about thirty dollars an acre, and we know
of no similar tract within the distance of
three miles of Richmond this is within two
miles, which can be purchased for anything
like the money this is now offered for. The
main street through Manchester would, if
extended, pass directly through the park to
the Warwick road, and horse railroad
from the city would land passengers there
inside of thirty minutes, while the road
itself would be most valuable franchise.
For with large and beautifully Handicapped
and wooded park at one end of the road
city of sixty thousand inhabitants at the
other end, and large population along the
entire route, there would be no question
but that the road would be handsomely
paying investment from the start. More
than this, the Park itself, if secured by the
city of Manchester or Richmond, could be
made, inside of ten years, to net the city
return more than sufficient to cover the
whole expense Of purchase, together with
the outlay of landscaping, adjoining, and
otherwise improving the grounds. A COM
potent landscape artist should be employed
to lay out and improve the grounds, and
he could locate not less than fifty or sixty
acre-lots inside the Park and contiguous to
its main drives, which could be sold for pri-
vate residences, the Park Commissioners
determining upon the style and character of
the residences to be erected thereon, so that
the generalp plan of adornment fixed upon by
the artist should be carried out in the erection
of these private residences. Every dollar
expended in the adornment of the Park
would add to the value and desireableness
of these lots, so that at the expiration of
ten years, they would command higher
price than any single lots in the city for
the erection of private residences, no matter
how beautifully or eligibly they might be
situated, or how centrally located. These
residences could be so interspersed through
out the Park grounds, and of such diversi-
fled character and beauty architecturally. as
to constitute one of its chief attractions,
and the owner of each lot would have, in
common with the public, the benefit of the
entire expenditure in the Park as part and
parcel of his palatial surroundings. With
fifty or sixty beautiful residences thus erect !