Evening star., 1931-06-12
COL. PIERCE BUYS
HUGE old ESTATE
$460,000 House and Race
Track Being Constructed on
Tract Near Warrenton.

Col. Albert E. Peirce Of Chicago,
found by Government Investigators to
be the controlling interest in the own
ership Of the local and suburban gas
companies and also the head of the
! Central Public Service Corporation, has
purchased the Cosden estate, near War
renton, Va. and is building a palatial
residence there, 1t was revealed today
Those close to Col. Peirce. state
! that he was attracted to this area
! for residential purposes only, rather
than by any desire to keep in closer
touch with his utilities interests here.
! AS to the ownership of the local gas
compa nies. the Public Utilities Commits
sion is expected Monday to decide upon
date for a hearing designed to un-
ravel the intricacies of the ownership
! of these corporations.
viii Include Race Track.
The estate being developed by Col.
Peirce carries wide interest of itself.
The house alone is costing about $400.-
600 to build. The estate consists of
about $500 acres and will include a
private race track.
Col. Peirce bought the estate last Oc-
tober, some time after he and his asso-
| GATES became ulIeCJlN III tAlS
operation of the local gas companies.
The large frame house built by the
late j. Temple Gwathmey. afterward
owned bv j. S. Cosden, one-time oil
/ king of Wall Street, was virtually de-
| strOyed bv fire. The new Peirce home
is being built on the same site.
House Of Colonial Style.
The house is of Colonial style, with
huge porticos on both the front and
rear facades. The house is of brick,
! from old structures raZed in Alexandria.
The size of the structure Is indicated
by the fact that it contains eight bed
room suites of three rooms each. The
library occupies one whole wing OF the
| building. measuring So feet in length.
| 1t is paneled in English oak
! A small army of men has been at
work for month"; planting. grading and
making outside improvements as con-
struction of the house and race track
proceeded. Numerous carloads of shrubs
trees and costly lockwood have been
shipped to the place.
| Avenue of Elms Planned.
There is being developed an "avenue
! Of large elmS" beginning at the main
| road and running more than 1,ile ur
! to the house Another avenue" of ap-
pie trees. backed by brick walls, runs
up to very old cottage.
There is being developed holly
hedge. 500 feet long, along the main
axis of the building, leading to the ten
mis- courts and tennis club house.
On another axis of the plan is a de-
velopment leading to the huge swim
ming pool, having capacity of 100000
gallons of water.
! In addition to the race track and its
accompanying stables for his horses,
| there is being developed elaborate dog
! kennels for English hounds. on the Gull
peper side of the estate. Here there is
! a farm house and many cattle are
| grazed in the nearby fields. Sam
O'Sullivan, former agricultural county
agent, is farm manager
The house was designed by Walcott
& Walsh of Chicago and Ferruccio
Vitale, New York landscape architect,
was in charge of landscape planning.
! being executed under the direction of
/ l.. G. Linnard.
| r. W. Boiling of Washington has the
| general contract for the residence.