Evening star., 1903-07-27
Land Purchases Near Bailey's
Cross Roads
SHROUDED IN MYSTERY
RUMoRED LOCATION OF ELECTRIC
POWER PLANT
A Denial That Railroads Have Any
Thing to Do With the
Deal

a series of land purchases in the vicinity
of Railey's Cross Roads Va, which lies
between Falls Church and Alexandria, has
excited intense interest. not only In that
locality. but throughout the entire section.
1t is not so much for the fact that all at
once d market has been found for TINS
land and that a number OF sales have been
made but the mystery which surrounds
the entire TRANSACTION eXCites comment.
No one has the slightest idea who is buy
ing the land or for what purpose. 1t Is,
OF course known that the negotiations
for all the tract had been made through
Mr. David J Howell, who is a well-known
civil engineer and who has had an Office
in this city for number of years past.
But Mr.. Howell does not claim to be buy
ing the property for himself. and he de-
Cines to say who he is buying for or what
is the purpose of acquiring it.
IL il understood that the series OF pur-
-chases has been completed and altogether
1000 acres have been acquired. lying be-
tween Bailey's crossroads and Munsons
hill The prices agreed to have been pald
IN the options which have been given vary
from SO per acre to 500 per acre Some OF
those who have given options on their
- farms are Mrs. Amanda +. Gordon. Leroy
Tuttle: William Clark and II. Q. Munson
one of the conjtctures in regard to TINS
project is that those interested propose to
establish there water power for the man.
ufacture of electricity.
This supposition is apparently based upon
the fact that the land which is to be
Qured lies on both sides of eood-sized
creek, and the theory is that dam is to be
constructed and a great lake formed which
Will furnish the power for the electric
plant. 1t is also part of the theory of this
use of the property that the purchaser is
the PENNSYLVANIA railroad. and that 1t Is
designed to use the electric power in con-
ations
Another View
On the other hand 1t is asserted that
neither the Pennsylvania railroad or any
other railroad has any connection with the
scheme, nor is 1t part of the alleged plan
of the Wabash railroad to establish a con-
ncction IN this city. Mr.. Howell declines to
g>Se any explanation and therefore the
GIGfSlate uses of this property only be
cOIucctured until such time as the pro-
tect,rS OF the enterprise see fit to disclose
tEes purposes. 1t is quite possible, how
ever. that there may be nothing done with
the property In the near future. and that
1t may lay there for the present at least,
without being changed from its present
uses.
II is natural that the property owners OF
Alexandria county should suppose that this
IS part of the plan of the Pennsylvania
railroad. as that corporation has quite re-
gently been buying real estate lying to the
west and north of the town of Alexandria
and outside of the municipal limits. The
holdings of that company include the
DainSertield farm, and comprising that
property these holdings extend north from
III. limits of Alexandria to Four Mile Run.
The use of the land thuS secured by the
railrQad company about Alexandria can be
res. Oily understood when ii iS stated that
the company is engaged in double trac ckinG
Its road. The town authorities of Alex
andria have declined TO allow the company
To lay double tracks along the section of its
line through the city, and il is supposed 1t
n the intention to extend the tracks around
the city, and for this reason the necessary
real estate has been purchased