The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-10-12
VI | |
 EG

washington, October u.-(Special.)- Modern westernsideas and'a modern west ern man are to transform one of the old est and most historic tracts of land in the United States into a modern metro politan suburb.
 A development company has just pur- chased almost all that remains of the old Alexander homestead just across the Potomac river from Washington near AL exandria and is laying it out for subur- ban homes.
 The old Alexander property was granted to the original Alexander family by King George " of England in early colonial days and the main part of the grant has never changed hands from the family and its Iineal descendants until the recent transfer to the development company.
 The last owner, a descendant of the family, Mrs. Nellie S. IThler, has retained few acres on which still stands the cabin built by the colonial settlers of the place This cabin has been preserved in its original form. The grand old manor house, the early home of the Alexanders, which early took the place of the cabin,
 
 S. Groves, one of the new purchasers of the property. The development will be made on 132 acres. MT. Groves will keep the old manor intact with a few acres surrounding it for his home.
 This fine old mansion with massive doors, huge locks and keys is one of the landmarks of old Virginia. Every brick and other piece of material was brought from England. The house now is one of the best Georgian houses in the vicinity of Washington.
 It was renewed by MT. Groves, but none of the original features were sacrificed or marred It stands amid towering oaks on the brow of hill overlooking the sweeping Potomac. It has six large rooms on each of the two floors.
 The house occupied by General Braddock during his army's investment of the American capital.
 The patriotic citizens of the District of Columbia are out gunning for Ben John- son, chairman of the District committee of the House of Representatives It is all about Chairman Johnson's threat to dis continue the "half-and-half system of Congress footing the bills of the Districts administration.
 Johnson is not talking back. But the people of the District are talking great deal. Nobody seems to have paused long enough to figure out that Johnson has any white feathers that may show up. Indeed there is a tradition that Johnson is not afraid of the devil or any other citizen of this country.
 Shortly after the adjournment of the special session of Congress Ben Johnson made trip in the air with an army avia- tor out at College park. The winds were treacherous and Johnson was warned that the trip would be dangerous, but he only smiled and stepped into the machine
 After pitching and bucking over the hills of Maryland until practiced avia- tors on the ground closed their eyes anG held their breath, Johnson came dowT smiling and delighted
 This incident should have been hint enough to the people of the District thai Johnson is not afraid, but they seem tc have forgotten it. Then it is recalled tha Johnson has had a most exciting caree all along the line from his Kentucky boy hood up.
 He began to bloom as a true gun sol Of Kentucky while serving as collecto of internal revenue in one of the section of Kentucky where collectors have to pa, mighty high premiums for life insurance Later he was speaker of the house 0 representatives of Kentucky and it wa while serving in this capacity that h made his real life record a patrioti Kentuckian.
 As speaker he was the storm center O bitter factional fight. He kept a gu close at hand while on duty. The ele ment that he was fighting had severa men that had already won their spur as gun men. The climax came when i was seen that Johnson would have to rul against his enemies and would probabl rule hard.
 Four of the bad men" took 1t upo