Evening star., 1909-06-09
SITE FOR W0RKH0USE
Recommended by District
Commissioner Judson.
ON THE OCCOQUAN RIVER
Opposite Historic Village of That
Name in Virginia.
CONTAINS ABOUT 1,125 ACRES
Believed to Have Many Advantages
to COMMUNICATIONS Loca-
ton Not Selected.
CONTAINS ABOUT 1,125 ACRES

That the new workhouse for the Dis
| trct he located on what is known as the
| Dawson tract. on the Occoquan river. OPP
posite the village of Occoauan. Va. and
that this site be purchased by the Dis
trct, are the recommendations made to
| the Commissioners today by Engineer
| Commissioner Judson.
| The site for the reformatory has not
yet been selected; but. in accordance
! with the provisions of the appropriation
act for the purchase of the sites for the
new penal institutions for the District. 1t
must be at some distance from the woN<-
house. 1t is expected to be in Maryland,
near or fronting on the Potomac river.
The Commissioners have planned trip
of inspection over the several sites Of
fered the District on the Maryland side
of the river tomorrow. but the bad
weather may compel postponement.
The site chosen for the workhouse is
believed to have many advantages which
commend its selection. The other two
Commissioners have looked it over and
know its advantages. and it is expected
that they will approve the recommends
tion for it's purchase
offered for $18 Per Acre.
The Dawson tract contains about 1.125
acres of land and has been offered to the
District for SIS per acre, or total of
$o0.2jU for the tract. 1t is about one and
a half miles from the Potomac river: but
as it fronts on Occoquan river, and as
that is navigable to that point. the site
can be reached by boats. Supplies and
prisoners can both be transported to the
site from the District by water. In ad-
dition, a railroad runs within half a mile
of one side of the tract
In speaking of the further advantages
of the site. Engineer Commissioner Jud
son explained this morning that 1t has a
considerable amount of timber standing
upon it. is high and healthful and has
stone quarry of good proportions. From
the quarry stone can be obtained for
roadmaking and other similar purposes.
experts from the Department of Agricul-
ture and they gave favorable report.
Therefore the site furnishes means of
keeping the prisoners working. either at
cutting down the timber, quarrying the
stone or tilling the SOIL
AS soon all three of the Commits
sioners have given their approval Of the
site recommended by the Engineer Com
taken to have the property transferred
to the District. Although the title is in
several parties. the negotiations have all
been transacted with J. L. Dawson. and
the transfer will be officially made by
him to the District.
Prisoners to Do Work.
The appropriation for the purchase Of
the two sites Of 1000 acres each and for
the erection of temporary buildings is
100000. If the other site is secured as
cheaply as the first site. there will be
between $4,000 and $780, 900 available for
the erection OF the temporary buildings
1t is contemplated that prisoners camps
will be established on the two sites, sim
liar to the convict camps in Virginia, and
the prisoners themselves will do most
of the work in the erection of the tenn
porary structures.
The second site will be chosen more
with view to securing land that can
be highly cultivated. The reformatory is
to be placed on it. and the inmates OF
that institution are not required to do
the hard work expected of the men sent
to the Workhouse.