Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1907-03-09
BIG LAND DEALS NOW ON
Berkeley County the Scene Of
Great Activity In This Line,
ABOUT 1000 ACRES INVOLVED
Price Of Land Said to Aggregate
$3.50, ooo-Several Options Have
Been Recorded.

seen Recoroed.
Many rumors OF big deals In lime
stone and cement shale lands are cur
rent on the streets and business
houses here, and those In position
to know declare that several impor-
tant transactions in this line may be
expected within the next few months.
Already several options on valuable
tracts OF limestone and shale lands
have been filed for record at the Office
of County Clerk Bender. and 1t is stat
ed that several other options on big
tracts of land are held by outside cap
italists. who have preserved such Sc.
crecy about the matter that the details
are not obtainabIe.
Enough, however, is known to state
definitely that land aggregating about
| 1000 acres in extent and involving an
aggregate amount of about $500 is
held under options by syndicates from
lother sections, and II is rumored that
! still other tracts of land are being in
yestigated by either the parties al.
/ ready holding options or others who
are entirely new to the local field
The largest tract ON which an op.
/ ton has been filed for record is that
of Mr.. Lee NJ Bender, located west of
+, the city along the Baltimore & Ohio
railroad. and containing about 225
acres. much of which contains rich
i limestone and shale deposits. Mr. Ben.
der recently gave an option on this
tract to Charles A. Matcham, of Allen
town. Pa, who represents a syndicate
iof Pennsylvania capitalists, and II the
deal is consummated Mr. Bender will
receive the sum of $50, 900 for the land.
1t is also stated that Mr. J. William
Stewart has given an option on tract
of very rich limestone land, located
near the Aspen Hall property, and that
the amount involved Is large one, but
this deal has been SO quietly handled
that the details are not known, al
though 1t is said that the parties who
hold the option on the Bender tract
also control the Stewart land
i Recently the Berkeley Limestone Co
became active In this line and secured
an optiin on two tracts of land ada
cent to the Bessemer quariies, north
of the city, the amount involved being
$4,000. One option was given by Mrs
Sallie Gerling on 100 acres for $50,
600. and the other was given by John
II. Myers on so acres for $4,000. The
Berkeley Limestone Co. has controlled
the Gerling tract, having purchased
the rights of Neal Bros, who paid a
fixed sum TO the owner each year for
the past ten years. 1t Is stated that
the deal for these two tracts will be
completed within the next six months
Biggest Deal Kept Secret.
BY far the largest deal now pending
in Berkeley county, however, is be
ing kept a profound secret by those
interested. who have steadily refused
to divulge anything for publication. II
was learned definitely, however, that
several tracts of land. aggregating
about 500 acres, and owned by mum.
Der of Martinsburg gentlemen, have
been held for the past 80 days under
an option by syndicate of foreign
capitalists and that there is every
prospect of the deal being consummat.
ed within reasonable time. One of
the parties interested In the deal al
lowed it to be understood that the
price of the land under the option will
be in the neighborhood of $150,00O,
and that the capitalists who hold the
option are paying $1,000 per month
for the privilege of investigating the
property.
This gentleman is also authority for
the statement that the most important
deals now pending will very probably
be closed. and he further declares
that Berkeley county is nov ON the
verge of the biggest development ever
witnessed in any county in West vir-
ginia. AS he is in a position to know
practically everything that is going on
in this particular line, and has hereto
fore been somewhat skeptical of many
proposed deals, his statement Is all the
more noteworthy and weighty.
Returned FROM cHARI ESTQN