Evening star., 1952-07-19
County Receives ;
MacPhaiI Bids 10 Buy
Land for Bowie Track

in a $2.5 million renovation of
Bowie race track are in the hands
of the Prince Georges County
Commissioners.
The bids were submitted to the
county by Larry MacPhail. former
baseball magnate, who heads the
Southern Maryland Agricultural
Association, owner of the racing
plant. ~
Seven persons whose properties
adjoin the tracks back stretch
are scheduled to discuss the pro-
posals Tuesday with the county
heads and track officials. The
meeting will be held in the tracks
Offices.
/ In letter read to the commits
sioners at Hyattsville yesterday.
Mr.. MacPhail said the track is
willing to buy. for $1,000 an acre.
and donate to the county 70-foot
strip needed to widen the plants
main access road. The offer,
which includes free relocation of
buildings. was condition, upon
the owners approval of land
scaping on the south side of the
road.
In one Of two alternate offers,
Mr.. MacPhail said the track would
pay $500 an acre to owners will
ing to sell.
August / Deadline.
The third bid agrees to give the
seven landholders equal acreage
opposite the Perry property on
proposed Jesuit road. The asso-
citation further offered to furnish
facilities for water and electricity
without cost to the owners. In
addition, the track said it is willing
to pay a 81 $1,000-an-acre bonus.
/ Mr.. MacPhaf set August / as
the deadline for acceptance.
/ A previous request that the
county commissioners condemn
the land has been misunderstood,
MI. MacFnau SalQ.
1--WE have not been trying" he
asserted, ito force any property
owner to sell his property or move,
nor have we any intention of doing
so. We have been willing to buy
the property along the backstrecth
because it would then be possible,
not only to widen the road, but
also to beautify the entire area. -
On Jericho Park Road.
The properties are on Jericho
Park road, which the track wants
to widen to 100 feet at its own
expense.
In other business, the commits
sionerS granted the Washington
Gas Light Co. of Maryland request
for transfer Of it's facilities to the
Washington Gas Light Co.
! Attorney Adrian p. Fisher, who
presented the plan. described ap-
proval as necessary formality in
merging the two utilities. No
service or rate changes are con-
templated, he said. Mr.. Fisher
added that all Of the county's II
municipalities who have gas serv-
ice have given their official
consent.
The company's county tax bill
has zoomed from $1,000 to more
than $135, 900 in the last 20 years.
Beall Reports on Bill.
/ A letter from Representative
Beah. Republican, Maryland, in
formed the commissioners that a
bill designed to authorize a probe
lof District area transportation
facilities was not acted on by the
last Congress.
Representative Beall predicted
that similar legislation will be in
troduced in the 83d Congress.
Commissioner Edward j. Waters,
who attended hearings on the
matter, said he has been assured
a new measure will be given local
priority.
I Two clergymen were named to
fill vacancies on the county's Ju-
venile Court Advisory Committee.
They are the Rev. Jerome A. Mil
Ter. pastor of st. John the Baptist
Catholic Church, Chillum, and the
Rev. w. Curtis Draper, rector of
Trinity Episcopal Church. Upper