New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-03
THE PRESIDENTS PURCHASE.
CAUSING A FLOOD OF EXPLANATION.
STATEMENTS FROM THE DISTRICT RING NOT BORNE
.I-ra
: fsr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNR.l

4
WASHINGTON, Des2-The District Ring is aroused.
Whether owing to pressure exerted from the White
House or to anxiety 10 propitiate the appropriation
committees of Congress- the newspaper market today
wes fairly flooded with explanations about the fresi-
dents purchase of Red Top" ana the various
schemes OF improvement in that vicinity since ne
became the possessor OF that property Although 'no
explanations seem have been prearranged ,ney w
not doyetail nicely in all respects ana none Oh 'o'
ran be regarded as complete or satisfactory Ch'eu
st,tes Marshal Wilson's story of the negotiations
which resulted in the purchase of Red Top IL IN
complete in that he does not explain why the properly
was decided to him before 1t was transferred 10 fres-
dent Cleveland nor how 1t happened that Dorsey
Clagett received only onehnlf of the regular commas
sion on the sale Who received the balance is a per-
tnent ouestion since Marshal Wilson has begun to ex
nlain He says too that Mr.. Clagett who was then
in nrivae life was his personal friend from whom
! he knew the President would be IN no danger ol TN
noyanccr The property was transferred 10 VT, Ne.H
land on Nav 20 AT that time Mr. Clagett va, , h
nrvate life but about August i, two months later ne
nccte Iiy appointed TO the lucrative oihce OF
Register OF wills OF the District OF Colombia vi
course that does not explain why he threw on one
half nj the commits sion which he Has entitled on the
transaction of May 20-and so the question VINO got
the other $500 still remains to be answered. ,;o,,
Marshal Wilson dwells on the annoyance TO Wnich
the President was subjected by men who were ANXIOUS
to sell him property and by the discovery that MI me
land in the vicinity OF place when ne was pent On
buyipg" had been bought for speculative purposes.
Of course if the President had bought that place mere
wonl have been chance for the Clagett Syndicate
Not word does the Marshal say to indicate That the
owner of Red Top was kept in the dark as to its
real purchaser. Mr. Green, who made the sale in be-
halt OF his brother however, says that Marshal wilson
did not disclose the OF the pul chaser ana told
him afterw ard that the why he kept the name
concealed was, that il would have been impossible for
him to have bought place for the President AT iar
figure if it known Tor whom he vas dealing as
prices would have been put up right away Inc
shrewd Mr. Wilson, who would be clearly Justified IN
adding 70 his selfas sumed title of Mars bal OF the
limited States that of Real Estate Agent of the
President OF the United States by Executive Appoint
ment is certainly entitled to patent for bis dis;
coverv of that res SON." There is not suburban real
estate owner or dealer IN Washington who would not
cheerfully throw of not only the whole OF hs com
mission but snug percentage OF his eening price IN
order TO secure the President of the United States as
customer tor part OF his property with assurance
that he would make it place OF residence. Mr..
Green at rate was not so verdant as nor 10 unue
stand that to have President for neghbor would
ore atv enhance the value OF the adjacent property
IN which he interested. He says that he is mem
per of the Clagett Syndicate which bought 1Oo
acres in the vicinity of Red Top for come $3O OOO
and now holds it at 100000. This advance of 90 per
cent in the short space of five months is not wholly
due, however, the Dearness OF the property 70 MT
CleveIand's country seat. Respecting the Clagett
Syndicate of which he is member, Mr.. Green says
that its property" has frontage of only 600 feet
on the Tenayto road and runs back Oooo
feet the greater portion OF 1t being entirely mac
cessbe" and therefore, that ii was worth less per
than Red TIRE Red S' Sen w SAYS VINCENT
@Clagett still private citizen" HRed Top
changed hands on May 26; the Clagett purchase was
consummated July 3 and it is asserted that an
opton on it was obtained much earler.
Mr. Green explains how it happened that District
Commissioners directed the building OF bridge
across Rock Creek and road lengthwlse through the
property of the Clogett Syndicate winch has front
age of only 600 feet on Tenalytown road and runs
back 5000 feet the greater portion OF II beng entirely
inaccessible" As ths action of the Commissioners will
be the subject oil inquiry by the Appropriations CON-
mttee and as 1t was sharply criticised iii TIE TRIB
UNI of October 90 Mr.. Green's explanation Is here
given lie says:
q 1t was necessary in order to make road through
the los acres bought by This syndicate IRON the
Tenallyown road to Klingle Ford to carry the road
through Mr. Kiinge's property and IN a manner that
was advantageous 10 him. the two roads cut mp
his land in somewhat undesirable Way. MI, MI
KlingIe however, finally consented on condition That
the bridge should be built. He made this sine qua
NON. l then urged the matter before Commissioner
Ludlow reminded him of the promise made by Cap
TO put the bridge there. understand THAT the Whole
cost of the bridge including the abutment Will be less
| than So 500. In urging that the road be opened
did what hal right to do, and asked no more than
believe the propety there entitled to- for OF
the suburban improvements made by the District Gov
eminent have been made i'll that locality cnnl
very few years ago even the Ienaytown road was
toll road. and little has been done there by the DIS
tret Government to benefit the property IN any way;
although il has paid taxes for years at very GOOD
rate This road, too, for which ground mas Deen
dedicated by the owners will be pubic convenience,
if YOU look at the map of the District you VIII see
that opens short and direct route across the Ten
allytown road to the Soldiers Home and vicinity.
Now any one who wanted TO 20 from one of these
points to the other would have to into the city and
out again AS to the syndicate that bought this loS
acres II is composed of tour menMr Claget, presi-
dert of one of the city banks well-known lawyer
and myself Not of the District Commissioners.
and no one in any way connected win the Dlslrlct
Gov eminent has one cents interest IN the properly,
directly indirectly. When the purchase was made,
Mr.. Clagett was not in office"
So Mr. Kingle would not consent to have road Duit
for the benefit OF the Clagett syndicate which would
njure his property unless he could be recGmpensed oy
the building OF bridge across Rock Creek Therefore
the syndicate vent to the Commissoners and got an
order for bridge. IRE bridge will cost less than
| So S0O" says Mr.. Green The contracts for the
abumen.s and snperstructure call for $3773 ana the
approaches will cost at least 900 The new road VIII
divide property of the Clage Syndicate engthwse
two strips each of which viii be from 500 TO 500
Inaccessible" It is estimated that this road will
the $4,000 that The total expenditure by the
Syndicate this year wifoot up pretty OF 81 600
But Mr. Green says that this road will be public CON
yenence" because any one who wants to go from the
Tenalyt town road to Soldier Home aud vicinity must
90 into the city and ont again For anything 10 DC
publc convenience there must be public to enjoy IT,
Tne road leads through legion which is unnhabited
except by single family Mr.. Green's statement that
soldiers' Home is sinsulary inaccurate Mr.. Green
ok Ss seors valuation or
| prop ety, which cannot be changed until 1882 Is
| SI7,I7I, and the annual taxes are Sl7l "a.
In shor Mr. Green's explanation goes far toward bear
ing out the charge made IN THE tribune that the Dis
rict Commissioners building the Klinge Ford bridge
and the Caeett road are expanding public money Ier
hs bcpent of priv spectators He asserts that only
one member OF the present syndicate District Official
He mentions TWO other besides himself and Claset
mt doe. not give their Why Are the four men
whom no enumefatos ali who have ever been In THIS
| " deal 7"
NO POLITICS IN THE NAVY YARDS, OH NO!
WASHINGTON Dec. 2-Touching the order relating to
the watchmen and shpkeepers issued by him yeSter-
| day. Secretary Whitney to-day said
"The order relating to the watchmen and shpkeepers
contemplated reduction in force that has been for many
wears permanent at the yards. 1t an attempt to
use the marines for the property at the yards and
save the expense OF civilian watchmen and shpkeepers
rs far AS possible Wherever there Increase of
emnoyes I'm the yards sixty days of the election, it
uon the certificate from the commandants OF the yards
lin what Increase was required and the specific work