Evening star., 1955-07-03
iR llZz8Fs Accuse,
On Lond Deal This Week

The commission had to pay
$4,000 for q little more thar
four acres Of land at Falls anc
Seven Locks roads on the south
west edge Of Rockville. where ar
interchange on 240 Is to be built
Only eight months before the
State purchase. a real estate
operator had bought the foul
acres. plus 81 more, for a tota
of $4,000.
Land records in Montgomery
County Circuit Court clerks Of.
fee show that:
On March IL. 1854, Robert j
Rosenfeld, whose address is LISTED
In county assessment records a.
5000 Connecticut avenue, Chevy
Chase. bought IS acres Of lane
| at Falls and Seven Locks road.
from its longtime owner, william
H. Trail of Rockville, now de.
ceased, for $4,000, according tt
Federal tax stamps on the deed
Sold Half the Tract
On March 16, 1854, Mr.. Rosen-
field sold half the tract to Jerry
Goldberg, whose address is LISTED
as 815 Fifteenth street NV, fol
$28,500. according to the ia,
stamps.
On July /. 1854, the road.
commission filed plats with the
Circuit Court in Rockville, show.
ing the exact location of the new
Route 240 IN the Rockville area
On November II. 1854, Mr.
Goldberg sold 3.08 acres to the
roads commission for $28, 900
leaving almost 9.5 acres for him.
self.
Alsoson November II, 1854, Mr.
Rosenfeld sold lis acres to the
roads commission for $40, 900
leaving about lis acres of his
tract still in his name.
The Baltimore Evening Sur
said these transactions were en-.
gineered by Max Gutenberg, re.
tired Washington businessman
who was quoted as saying hi
often bought land in the path ol
proposed roads. but didn't always
make a profit at it.
Mr.. Mccain said Maryland's
I12-year. multi-million dollar
roads building program begun
last year has offered many op-
lportunities for land Spectators
In 1858. the roads commission
published and gave wide circula-
tion to a large yellow book, com.
tplete with maps. describing the
many roads the State planned tt
build under the program.
Maps Told Story
Mr.. Mccain said it is entirely
possible for smart operators
with the information that ha.
been published about our pro.
gram, to look over the lay of lane
in certain sectors and buy ur
property in the path of new
roads,"
He said the maps in the IL.
year program book gave the 10.
cation Of proposed new roads tt
within a 100 or $50 feet.
Mr.. Moser. who maintained
that the $4,000 paid for the
Rosenfeld and Goldberg prop.
critics was close to estimate.
given by independent appraisers
said his department does all il
can to stop speculation but. 81
dont know the answer to It,"
He said the commission does
not have the right of excess con.
demnation, which would allow
Tito buy an entire piece Of prop
Ierty and sell what IT. does not
need.
He said SPECTATORS also are
helped by the wide distribution
to county and city planning Of
Iflcials Of detailed. accurate maps
showing the location of new roads
long before the routes actually
should be public knowledge ano
long before the State has bought
the necessary right-of-way.
The 240 project has been ar
unusually good prospect for spec
Iulators. State officials pointed
iout, because it has been under
construction since early 1850
The commission started the prof.
|ect before the big money from
the 12-year program was avail
able and was able to build only
"a comparatively small section of
the road each year.