Merion's Early Timeline

[Bryan Izatt]

Good morning.

Bryan,

On the map I posted last night, my east west dimensions match yours perfectly, by my NS dimension along Haverford is 3565 vs your measurement of 3265.  Just checking to make sure yours isn't a typo before re-scaling any maps. Its not unusual for stretch to occur in drawings and we deal with that all the time.

Thanks for the newest graphic. I really didn't understand the mirror road theory.  Its still pre-coffee, but my first take is that while the acreages work out fine, there is no evidence that this was ever considered. Is that correct?

As I said last night, I have some real world stuff to get out today, so I am not trying to add drama to this (or add to the Merion Time Line) but I will try to scale it in CAD quickly when I get the chance.

Good afternoon.  (Man, this civility has got to stop. I was getting used to being called a brainfart      )  

I rechecked - Google Earth makes it 3265 from College to Ardmore NS along Haverford Road.  Where are you getting 3565 from?

I don't understand the mirror road theory either, other than as one of Mike's flights of fancy about where the road might have been meant to be.  I think he felt that it would make artistic sense for the two roads to mirror each other on a marketing land plan.  No there is no evidence that this configuration was ever considered.  I liked it for my speculation because it excluded the northern part of the Joihnson Farm from the golf course acreage.  That created the possibility that Francis could have been right when he said that he needed to swap for the 130 x 190 yard area up there to fit in the last five holes.

The problem we all have is that either the so-called Land Plan is wrong about where the boundary road was  or  Francis misstated in 1950 when he said that he swapped for 130 x 190 yards, and we read that in the literal sense.

Just remember when you rescale the maps, that all we're proving in your measurement of the delta between the "approximate" road and the as-built road is that the difference in area between the two tracts is 3 acres (from 122 to 120.01).  

[Bryan Izatt]

Bryan,

Hey, I thought you didn't like my "doppelganger" road idea!  

Very creative effort there....although I think you might agree that the odds of Jeff's theory being the correct one here is about a 90% greater chance than either of our attempts.      Perhaps you could summarize Jeff's theory for us.  If it is that there was no real boundary and they routed the course as best they could within the 161 acres (less the 21.1 acres) I'm OK with that, but it does make Franis' land swap story nonsensical.  I'm trying to find a theory that preserves as much of the written record as possible.

In either case, it's nice to know we're on the home stretch here.

Jeff/Bryan,

I wouldn't worry too much about the fact that only a few of us are left here civilly working this problem to conclusion.  

There are a lot of eyes on this thread.

[Mike_Cirba]

Thanks Mike,

Interestingly, the Cuyler words about no definite course yet or something similar clearly implies what we've agreed verbally...these guys were tinkering prior to the official dates on deeds and such, agreed?

Jim,

While I think we would both agree that if you and I were prominent golfing members of Merion in 1910 we would certainly both be out there on the land trying to envision holes and I can't imagine that guys like Wilson and Griscom who were top golfers for the club wouldn't have been out there checking it out and offering opinions and playing with routings.    As I said earlier, I do not believe that Wilson had zero involvement one day only to become Chairman of the committee the next.    I think that's absurd, and I think the date in February is simply the date that things got formalized in terms of structure, although even that seems unclear from the evidence I know.  

In any case, I think Cuyler as Merion's lawyer was talking strictly about "definite" boundaries for the golf course.   In fact, the definition of the world is "Having Distinct Limits".   And if you think about the context of what he was proposing...that Lloyd take title for the very purpose of making it easy to adjust these boundaries as necessary for the golf course routing, I have no doubt that is what he meant.

I also think we have to watch the way they used the term "course".   In our modern parlance, we think of "course" as finished and completed yet Hugh Wilson wrote Piper in February 1911 before construction started and also referred to the "course".    If we look at the Land Plan from November 1910 it doesn't say "Proposed Golf Course"...it simply says "Golf Course", even though there are no holes drawn on it.

To me, it was simply shorthand parlance of the time for the land on which they were building the golf course.  

[Dan Herrmann]

Guys - Could somebody write a paragraph or two about:
1 - What's accepted as fact now
2 - What's still being researched

Thanks!

(Not trying to stir up anything - just trying to get myself up-to-date!)

[Mike_Cirba]

Rather than me trying to summarize Jeff Brauer's theory from late last night, let me just repeat here what he wrote.   I certainly don't want to misrepresent what I think is a brilliant and elegant solution.


Mike,

I am going to make one more try to simplify this thing.

There is a 11-10-1910 plan. According to Bryan, the MCC portion measures 123 acres =/-

In December 1910 the land transfers to Lloyd for the express purpose of allowing golf boundaries to move.

I am reproducing a map drawn by David Moriarity sometime in the first Merion thread.  It contains the flat version of the November MCC plan and his blue lines which look to be very accurate rendtions of the roads as built.

I would need you or Bryan to get me some exact dimension so I can scale the map perfectly, but as you can see from the parcels given and take between HDC and MCC, the parcels given back to HDC are about twice what MCC has taken.

I conclude the following:

11-10-1910 MCC Acreage - 123 Acres
Swapped to HDC - about 6 acres
Taken by MCC - about 3 Acres

Net final acreage to MCC - 120 Acres

Merion had only agreed to buy a net of 117 acres, generally as described in the Novemeber 1910 map, but it had not been delineated, as per the Culyer letter in December.  Once more, there is no specific land swap, or if there is it is as shown on the map I enclose along GHR.

There is no need to find the 117 acres that "MCC must have been working with" because they were never working with anything other than that November land plan and a mandate to reduce from that road line as much as possible.  That they couldn't get it below 120 is reflected in the "purchase" of 3 more net acres, not specific acres.

I don't think it can be any clearer.  We have all the documents there are.  They were working off the November 10, 1910 land plan which contained more than 117 acres, perfectly logical when you consider they had the privilege of moving around at their will.

EDIT: As I said, I need the scale to make this accurate. My text says 6 and 3 acres and the CAD drawing above says 5.3 and 2.53.  The ratio would remain the same when the drawing is scaled out.  I don't have it exactly, but I did color in the parcels traded on plan vs. as built as "Given" and "Taken" by MCC.  As you can see, the parcels transferred to HDC from the Nov road alignment are just over twice as big as ones taken by MCC.  With the actual acreage of that road alignment over the MCC "allotment" of 117, again, we can see they HAD to give HDC some land, and still managed to end up buying more acreage as above.

[Bryan Izatt]

Now this feels like actual progress...thanks Jeff and Bryan for some real and helpful stuff...and you to Mike for figuring this thing out so many times thus far...

So a couple of thoughts
1) We're going to assume the comments identifying 117 acres meant nothing in November 1910? But that the "approximate road" meant everything...
2) We're also going to assume that no routing work was done between an option on the land and the actual purchase of it?

Jim,

Me too??  

In answer to your questions....and I hesitate to speak for Jeff, but this is my understanding.

1) No, it meant that they secured 117 acres and that was the goal.   But to Jeff's point, they didn't restrict the designers to some tight 117 acres on the Land Plan or draw the "approximate road" that tight.   They drew the line a little more liberally (122 acres, according to Brian) and then would work from the goal of trying to reach the magic number as things became finalized.   He's surmising they were able to give back around 5 acres along the length of it, but also had to purchase another 3 they didn't expect.

So, in this theory, the road was "approximate", and the 117 acres stated in the letter to the members was also "approximate", and Francis' recollection of wanting 130 x 190 yards was made up, because they could have whatever they needed along the movable  approximate boundary.

But, they had to "purchase" an extra 3 acres in addition to the RR land?  There is no evidence that they ever bought 3 extra acres.  And how could they have bought it, when it was already owned (or optioned) by HDC or Lloyd and was part of the movable boundary that they were given to play with in the routing exercise.

In other words, they couldn't make the 117 acres work.   They needed 120.    Actually, they needed 123 because they also used the 3 acres of leased Railroad land.

When you read what Francis wrote about fitting the first 13 but not being able to fit the final five holes it takes on a bit of a different meaning and I think Jeff has nailed it.   What is it specifically that you think Jeff has nailed?

2) Not necessarily, although I think we also know that the original "almost 120 acres" being optioned in July 1910 and the 161 acres Lloyd took title to in December was not the same land overall.   Even if we want to assume that it was all inclusive, or that they figured they'd use the Dallas Estate back in July when it wasn't under HDC control until October, there is no evidence of any routing taking place over that time period.   That might not seem logical in some ways but we do know for certain that as of Nov/Dec 1910 there was no routing completed and much routing work and many different routing plans took place after that time.    I think what we're concluding here is that without some further evidence of actual routing work by anyone during those months in 1910, anything else is highly speculative.

[JESII]

Mike,

Also interestin gto me about the Cuyler letter...or more specifically, what can be derived from it...is that only one boundary move during this time from Dec. 1910 to July 1911.

Maybe this area contained the only "fat" to move around, just an interesting thought as far as the evolution of a routing within a larger real estate development...

[Mike_Cirba]

Bryan,

Again, I'm hesitant to speak for Jeff, but my understanding is as follows.

In November 1910 Merion members were asked to support an effort to "secure" 117 acres for a golf course.   That was obviously approved.   The solicitation includes a copy of the Land Plan which although the letter says represents 117 acres, measures at 122 and is labelled "approximate", which means that someone purposefully left that language in.   Why not just put the final boundary on the map if it had been already finalized??

At that point they didn't "purchase" anything.

In December 1910, after Merion's counsel Cuyler recommended Lloyd take 161 acres (140 of Johnson Farm and 21 of Dallas Estate) under his name for HDC so that he can move around that "approximate" boundary as necessary to support the demands of the golf course.

Francis did have his brainstorm.

However, it involved having to work outside the lines!   What he came up with involved moving  portions of holes even further west of that approximate boundary, which is why he needed Lloyd's permission and counsel, and which is the area that falls outside of your overlay past the western border.   THAT is the swap.

The goal all along was to work within the limits of the 117 acres that the club had approved.

When it came down to it, they couldn't, although they gave back a number of acres of land along that boundary from the 122 or so it was drawn as.   In the end, it worked out to 120 acres which is why they needed the club to authorize the purchase of 3 additional acres in April 1911, for the same purchase price per acre as the rest of the HDC land.   That alone should tell us that they weren't referring to the Railroad land.

They needed approval to move from 117 to 120 acres.

In the end, it didn't matter because with Lloyd in control on both sides they still only paid the originally agreed price of $85,000.   It's just that they first needed to get approval from the club to "purchase" the extra 3 acres that took them from the originally approved 117 to the new 120 acres.

And Mr. Francis did indeed have his brainstorm.

[JESII]

Mike,

Is part of that theory a re-figured cost per acre? Or do you think Lloyd just paid the $7,500?

[Mike_Cirba]

Jim,

I think they just settled on the original amount of 85,000, which Merion mortgaged in July 1911.

Someone ate the cost but there is no record of who;  We know Merion's Board approved the additional expenditure in April 1911 but ended up paying the original amount.

[Jeff_Brauer]

Jim,

Not agreed. 

I believe they rushed to get the land deal done. MCC may have balked because they hadn't finalized or even started a routing, which is when the "Flexible Boundary Concept" came into play.  They transferred it to Lloyd (perhaps because both parties trusted him?) and finalized the deal.  Why was there a rush?  Well, maybe there wasn't, or maybe someone had some tax advantages to take advantage of before the end of the calendar year.

In any event, its funny how the same words can be read differently by two different people. I take Culyers words to mean "Start routing within that land boundary and tell me when its done" while you think it means "We are close, tinker some more, and tell me when its done."

I think the land committee (or whatever it was called) wrapped up there work on Dec. 10, 1910.

I think Lloyd commissioned Pugh and Hubbard or others to prepare a topo map upon acquistion of the property.  This today even takes several weeks.  I believe it was delivered to MCC in late January 1911, mostly because Wilson's first letter on 2--1-11 to Oakley says he is "sending our topo maps immediately."  He does not say "We are sending our routing" so (while speculating a bit) I believe the maps are new and the routing has just begun.

I really doubt these important men did a lot the weeks between XMas and New Year.  When they returned in January, they found that Hugh Wilson ahd asked Santa for the chairmanship of the Construction Committee and they made his wish come true on their first meeting of January 11, 1911.  They start to work, and await the topo maps, which because of the Xmas break, show the 11-10-1910 approximate road as their boundary.

After a month of work on it, they take their 5 plans to CBM at NGLA in March.  He/they approve 1 of those plans.

CBM returns on April 6 to declare the last 7 holes among the finest inland holes anywhere.  I doubt he would do this if they hadn't been shaped into their final form.  Thus, I conclude that the land swap was merely a part of the routing process and probably occurred between Feb 1 and March ? when they went to NGLA.  CBM "approved" one of the five re-routed plans that they made AFTER noodling on how to best realign the road..

Or, CBM approved some other plan, and they chose it, Francis realized his idea in the middle of the night sometime after the March NGLA visit.  This would narrow the land swap down to March-April 19, 1911 when the final property is approved in the minutes.

The last possibility is that CBM approved a plan on March ? (sorry, forgot the exact date) and they even started building to it, using the November property line.  AFTER he leaves on April 6, but before July 11, 1911 when the deed was finalized, Francis has his idea and the holes 14-17 are altered and blasted away immediately, as he said.  And at that point, it is a mere swap of land along the road.

I am still awaiting some dimensions from Bryan to make sure my map is correctly scaled in CAD but thought I would jump in.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike,

You wrote:

When you read what Francis wrote about fitting the first 13 but not being able to fit the final five holes it takes on a bit of a different meaning and I think Jeff has nailed it.

   

Bryan then asked:

What is it specifically that you think Jeff has nailed?

[/color]

Could you answer Bryan's question ?

Thanks

[Jeff_Brauer]

Mike,

You wrote:

When you read what Francis wrote about fitting the first 13 but not being able to fit the final five holes it takes on a bit of a different meaning and I think Jeff has nailed it.

   

Bryan then asked:

What is it specifically that you think Jeff has nailed?

[/color]

Could you answer Bryan's question ?

Thanks

Pat,

I think I nailed that there was no different western boundary than what was shown on the Nov 15- 1910 plan and that no routing took place prior to that.

[Tony_Chapman]

Mike -- I think so. I hate referring to it as a "swap" because no land really exchanged hands. We know Lloyd was under control of 161 acres at the time, but could only use 120 (or, maybe, even 117). I believe when they proposed the idea to members that they had a very rough plan which shows in green on the proposed map plan. I think some on here had estimated that at 117 acres. What Lloyd and company failed to get (at the time they issued the plan) is that they couldn't fit golf holes all they up to College Ave. However, Lloyd (in looking at his entire 161 acres) knew he could get the holes in a bit wider area if he eliminated the "golf course land" next to the McFadden property.

So, he widened that area to fit 15 and 16. I do think its possible that the "proposed" course on the November 1910 plan was 117 acres and that by widening the corridor of the 15th and 16th, Merion ended up having to buy 120.1. I've got no facts to go on other than Bryan already told us that Merion took title to 120.1 acres in July 1911 based on the recorded deed.

Mike, do you know if there are anything in the minutes where the board approved the purchase of the land between April 1911 and July 1911 when the deed was recorded?

Geez, I've been trying to say there was no real swap a week ago. Obvioulsy I can't articulate myself like that Jeff Brauer fella! 

[JESII]

Jeff,

You think the flexible boundary concept came into play AFTER they labeled the road "approximate"?

[Patrick_Mucci]

Mike,

You wrote:

When you read what Francis wrote about fitting the first 13 but not being able to fit the final five holes it takes on a bit of a different meaning and I think Jeff has nailed it.

   

Bryan then asked:

What is it specifically that you think Jeff has nailed?

[/color]

Could you answer Bryan's question ?

Thanks

Pat,

I think I nailed that there was no different western boundary than what was shown on the Nov 15- 1910 plan and that no routing took place prior to that.

Jeff,

How do you make the quantum leap to the conclusion that NO routing existed ?

Does it seem highly unlikely that a club so determined to produce a championship course would secure the land in June 1910 and NOT begin the routing process until seven (7) months later ?

Does it seem likely that these "movers and shakers" would do NOTHING for seven (7) months ?

Why invite M&W to view the site in June and then do NOTHING with it for seven (7) months ?

It's an extremely unlikely scenario.

[Mike_Cirba]

Patrick.

Connell's formal offer to Merion of 117 acres at 85K didn't even get sent to the club until Nov 1910 and they asked for an answer by early Dec.

Merion didn't respond formally...they just had Lloyd take title to the 161 acres of which Merion had agreed in principle to purchase 117.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick.

Connell's formal offer to Merion of 117 acres at 85K didn't even get sent to the club until Nov 1910 and they asked for an answer by early Dec.

Merion didn't respond formally...they just had Lloyd take title to the 161 acres of which Merion had agreed in principle to purchase 117.

Mike,

No routing ?

What about the routing Barker produced in June 1910 that was attached to the November 15 report?

Is that a fabrication ?

[Mike_Cirba]

Patrick,

What's an extremely unlikely sceario is that anyone would spend all of the time necessary to properly route a golf course on land that was still under negotiation.

We know that Big Mac spent over five months routing NGLA with Travis, Emmett, and the boys; it's absolutely preposterous to think he would even consider doing a Dark Ages of Design single-day routing on his only visit to the property in all of 1910.

There is also not a single shred of evidence that anyone did any routing in 1910 and even tons of evidence against it, not the least being the months of routing and design activity done by Hugh Wilsons committee documented in the Apr 1911 minutes.

Do you have any facts...any at all at this point that tell us anyone was out there routing at the bequest of Merion in 1910?

[Mike_Cirba]

Pat,

Again, Barker did the routing for Connell and it was never mentioned again.  Not only that but there is no mention of it being attached to the Site Committees report to the Board on July 1, 1910.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Patrick,

What's an extremely unlikely sceario is that anyone would spend all of the time necessary to properly route a golf course on land that was still under negotiation.

Mike,

It WASN'T under negotiation, it was SECURED.

The RECORD is clear on that, it's on Merion's letterhead, in a report from the Board to the Membership.

We know that Big Mac spent over five months routing NGLA with Travis, Emmett, and the boys; it's absolutely preposterous to think he would even consider doing a Dark Ages of Design single-day routing on his only visit to the property in all of 1910.

Not at all.

Donald Ross did it without any visits to the site.

What's interesting about your argument is that it's all presumption.  You assume, presume and conclude, not on the facts, but upon the outcome that's desirous to you.

There is also not a single shred of evidence that anyone did any routing in 1910

That's a total lie.
There was a routing attached to the November 15th report, so how can you maintain that there's not a shred of evidence when the documents clearly prove you wrong ?

and even tons of evidence against it,

There's NOT AN IOTA OF EVIDENCE AGAINST IT, ONLY YOUR PRESUMPTIONS.

not the least being the months of routing and design activity done by Hugh Wilsons committee documented in the Apr 1911 minutes.

Do you have any facts...

Yes, I"ve presented them, but you refuse to acknowledge their documented existance.

You continue to be in denial of anything that doesn't share your opinion.

any at all at this point that tell us anyone was out there routing at the bequest of Merion in 1910?

What does the November 15th report say ?
Or, do you now deny its existance ?

[Mike_Cirba]

That's a total lie.
There was a routing attached to the November 15th report, so how can you maintain that there's not a shred of evidence when the documents clearly prove you wrong ?



There's NOT AN IOTA OF EVIDENCE AGAINST IT, ONLY YOUR PRESUMPTIONS.

not the least being the months of routing and design activity done by Hugh Wilsons committee documented in the Apr 1911 minutes.


What does the November 15th report say ?
Or, do you now deny its existance ?

Patrick,

I'm completely confused.  

What routing was attached to the November 15th, 1910 report?

I have already produced the July 1, 1910 Site Committee report to the Board, the November 15, 1910 Solicitation to membership...

I'll reproduce them again if you'd like....I'm very confused what exactly you're alluding to??  





Again, for posterity's sake, this is the contents of the  "Macdonald Letter" to the Site Committee;


New York, June 29, 1910
Horatio G. Lloyd, Esq.
c/o Messrs. Drexel and Co.
Philadelphia, Pa

Dear Mr. Lloyd:

Mr. Whigham and I discussed the various merits of the land you propose buying, and we think it has some very desirable features.  The quarry and the brooks can be made much of.  What it lacks in abrupt mounds can be largely rectified.

We both think that your soil will produce a firm and durable turf through the fair green quickly.  The putting greens of course will need special treatment, as the grasses are much finer.

The most difficult problem you have to contend with is to get in eighteen holes that will be first class in the acreage you propose buying.  So far as we can judge, without a contour map before us, we are of the opinion that it can be done, provided you get a little more land near where you propose making your Club House.  The opinon that a long course is always the best course has been exploded.  A 6000 yd. course can be made really first class, and to my mind it is more desirable than a 6300 or a 6400 yd. course, particularly where the roll of the ball will not be long, because you cannot help with the soil you have on that property having heavy turf.  Of course it would be very fast when the summer baked it well.

The following is my idea of a  6000 yard course:

One 130 yard hole
One 160    "
One 190    "
One 220 yard to 240 yard hole,
One 500 yard hole,
Six 300 to 340 yard holes,
Five 360 to 420    "
Two 440 to 480    "

As regards drainage and treatment of soil, I think it would be wise for your Committee to confer with the Baltusrol Committee.  They had a very difficult drainage problem.  You have a very simple one.  Their drainage opinions will be valuable to you.  Further, I think their soil is very similar to yours, and it might be wise to learn from them the grasses that have proved most satisfactory though the fair green.

In the meantime, it will do no harm to cut a sod or two and send it to Washington for anlaysis of the natural grasses, those indigenous to the soil.

We enjoyed our trip to Philadelphia very much, and were very pleased to meet your Committee.

With kindest regards to you all, believe me,

Yours very truly,

(signed)  Charles B. Macdonald

In soil analysis have the expert note particularly amount of carbonate of lime.

[paul cowley]

One again guys....I can't believe you are debating such minutia....this kind of stuff happens all the time.

[Bryan Izatt]

Bryan,

Again, I'm hesitant to speak for Jeff, but my understanding is as follows.

In November 1910 Merion members were asked to support an effort to "secure" 117 acres for a golf course.  That is incorrect.  The letter said the land was already "secured".  What they asked the members to support was the buying of bonds to pay for the purchase of the "secured" land.   That was obviously approved.  They didn't ask for approval, they stated it was already secured. The solicitation includes a copy of the Land Plan which although the letter says represents 117 acres, measures at 122 and is labelled "approximate", which means that someone purposefully left that language in.   Why not just put the final boundary on the map if it had been already finalized?? Why say the plan depicts the 117 acre property for the "Golf Course"?  Isn't the answer to both questions - we don't know?

At that point they didn't "purchase" anything.

In December 1910, after Merion's counsel Cuyler recommended Lloyd take 161 acres (140 of Johnson Farm and 21 of Dallas Estate) under his name for HDC so that he can move around that "approximate" boundary as necessary to support the demands of the golf course.  You've done excellent work producing the other reports and letters.  It sure would be nice if you could produce the Cuyler letter, so that we can judge for ourselves what it says in context.

Francis did have his brainstorm.

However, it involved having to work outside the lines!   What he came up with involved moving  portions of holes even further west of that approximate boundary, which is why he needed Lloyd's permission and counsel, and which is the area that falls outside of your overlay past the western border.   THAT is the swap.  If that is the swap, why did he specifically say only that it was 130 x 190?  You've said that it meant that that was the final size of that area, but that's an interpretation on your part, and a fairly large leap.  Keeping on repeating it doesn't make it true.  And, if he was going to be specific about final dimensions, why didn't he mention the final dimensions alonside the 14th fairway and green?

The goal all along was to work within the limits of the 117 acres that the club had approved.  The club hadn't approved them, they had secured them, but obviously in retrospect it was only a working number, not a final fixed target.

When it came down to it, they couldn't, although they gave back a number of acres of land along that boundary from the 122 or so it was drawn as.   In the end, it worked out to 120 acres which is why they needed the club to authorize the purchase of 3 additional acres in April 1911, for the same purchase price per acre as the rest of the HDC land.  That alone should tell us that they weren't referring to the Railroad land.  That is incorrect.  They approved the purchase of 3 acres that were not described in the snippet of Merion Board minutes that Tom revealed.  And they approved the purchase for $7,500 or $2,500 an acre, which bears no resemblance to the $825 an acre Connell originally offered, or the $726.50 an acre the board "secured" them for, or the $708.33 that they actually paid for them.  The $2,500 price per acre leads me to conclude that it is the RR land, supported by the fact they went out and leased 3 acres from the RR the next month.

They needed approval to move from 117 to 120 acres.  Approval from whom?  Lloyd had the 161 acres and was on the MCC side.

In the end, it didn't matter because with Lloyd in control on both sides they still only paid the originally agreed price of $85,000.   It's just that they first needed to get approval from the club to "purchase" the extra 3 acres that took them from the originally approved 117 to the new 120 acres.  This logic is so convoluted that I can't even respond to it.  They had to get approval to purchase something that Lloyd already owned on their behalf?  Did you put purchase in quotes because even you don't believe it was really a purchase in any normal understanding of the term.  The 3 acre purchase was intended to be of the RR property, IMHO.

And Mr. Francis did indeed have his brainstorm.

[Bryan Izatt]

Jim,

I think they just settled on the original amount of 85,000, which Merion mortgaged in July 1911.  Merion didn't mortgage it in July 1911.  James Rothwell mortgaged the tract to the Girard Trust Co. on July 19th 1911 on the day he held it while transferring it from Lloyd to himself and then from himself to MCCGA.  MCCGA assumed the mortgage from Rothwell.

Someone ate the cost but there is no record of who;  We know Merion's Board approved the additional expenditure in April 1911 but ended up paying the original amount.  So, the 3 acres, whatever it was, was never "purchased".  I'd bet that if you could see the Merion minutes, that there would be one in May 1911 saying that they approved entering into a lease with the RR and that they were going to use the money they'd allocated to the "purchase" to pay for it.