Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-01-08

speculated in Washington real estate and
pect to become enormously rich from the pro-
ceeds of lots in the city, purchased-iargely
on promises to pay on the installment plan
from the District Commissioners, will doubt
less result in endless litigation, cloudng the
titles Of District property and destroying the
confidence of many persons in the financlal
prospect of the new city.
The collapse of the syndicate has been
complete
james Greenleaf of Boston who came here
highly recommended, with letters from Presi-
dent Washington and others, became assocl-
ated in his real estate ventures with Robert
Morris of Philadelphia. famous fnancier and
friend of President Washington, and with John
Nicholson. formerly controller general of Penn
sylvania, and, ike Mr.. Morris, one of the
wealthy men of the country about 10 years
ago
"The affairs Of the syndicate did not progress
satisfactorily. The sale of lots was not
rapid as expected. 1t was difficult for the SYM
dictate to float loans elsewhere to finance the
plan. Soon personal differences arose between
the three fnanciers. Four years ago a large
number of city lots was advertised for sale be-
cause OF default of payment of the third in
stallment of the purchase money The final
crash of the great speculative scheme came in
June, 1877. in an assignment by Morris Green
leaf and Nicholson of their property interests
In Washington to trustees
by October of that year, Greenleaf was in
debtors prison in Philadelphia, and soon
Morris and Nicholson, after maintaining in that
city siege of several months in their houses
against hest of conStables who were trying to
serve processes, joined Greenleaf in prison.
Greenleaf about year later managed through
bankruptcy proceedings to get a release from
the debtors prison. Nicholson died in prison
last december Morris is still in prison, but
hopes to regain his liberty this Summer
William Kitty, native of England, but long
prominent as a lawyer in Maryland with a
good record as a surgeon in the Revolutionary
War, has been appointed chief Judge Of the
new Circuit Court by President jefferson
THE history of Buzzard Point as a settlement
or a proposed settlement precedes the
signing Of the Declaration of independence by
six years, for it was during the latter part OF
ITO that subdivision of the proposed town
OF Carrollsburg was filed at Upper Marlboro,
then, as now. the county seat Of Prince Georges
County. Md, in which the town site was To-
Gated
In 1874, when the authors of Washington in
Embryo" wrote to Henry Brooke at Marlboro
for information regarding Carrollsburg, they
received the following in reply:
THE property in Carrollsburg was subdivided
~,
part of TITO, by virtue and authority Of a deed
OF trust dated the I'd day of November, ITO,
from Charles Carroll, jr.. to Henry Rozer Dan
lei Carroll and Motley Young. The conveyance
authorizes the grantees to subdivide budding
ton Manor and 'Duddington Pasture contain
ing on the aggregate 100 acres of land, more
or less, into 268 lots, to sell the same Except
six lots to be selected by the grantor his heirs
or assigns. for his their own proper use) ana
to draw or cause to be drawn for by ballot or
lottery This deed is recorded on November
~. ITO and the plat courses and distances
OF the town are also of record in the Land and
Special Record. Immediately following are in
Vulnerable deeds from the above grantees to
different parties for lots in Carrollsburg which
the deeds recite having been drawn BY the
grantees respectively in lottery of the same.
IL was custom, apparently, in those days, to
dispose of property by lottery in my researches
OF the old records have found several SUCH
including the st. Elizabeth Asylum Of your city,
which was drawn by old sea captain In
the Elizabeth matter, in this the owner con-
veyed the property to the trustees who sold
the tickets. attended the drawing and decided
the prize to the lucky owner There is no men,
ton whatever in any of the conveyances of this
Carrollsburg property of any contemplated ces-
sion to the United States
The title to Carrollsburg was in Rozer. Car
roll and Young, who decided the same to the
paites drawing the lots, BY deeds duly
ecuted an -~---1@I ,----
The plat ca CAfGoiLsDl--s -llOwS eight streets
running east and west, they being desig-
mated by numbers to 30. or the five streets
running north and south. the one closest to
James Creek is named St. James street ana
the others in order, going east are Middle
Union, North and South streets. The lots we're
numbered to 268, the last one including
whole block. Lot No was at the river end
and was smaller than the rest and was of
triangular shape