when watch hill lots sold from $55 up
[as appeared in seaside topics, 1921, vol. 11]
In July, 1886, a syndicate of capitalists from Cincinnati purchased from Charles J. Everett of Tenafly,
N.J., the tract of land known as the E. F. Vose or the Foster Farm. Originally three years before this
Mr.Everett had purchased the land, and after selling several cottage lots, had had the property
surveyed preparatory to cutting it up to the best advantage.
The purchase made by the syndicate, of which Mr. Anthony D. Bullock was president, included
the entire farm, extending from the river to the ocean, about half a mile wide on the river side and
three quarters of a mile on the ocean side. Immediately after, this land was divided into building sites
for cottages with the result that in two years' time, fourteen cottages were added to the summer
colony.
Two years later on August 14, 1890, the unsold building lots owned by this syndicate were sold at auction,
the sale being largely attended. "On Meadow Lane, a street on the bay side near Foster's Point, a lot
was sold to Mr. Lawson and one to Mr. Joseph Anderson for $360 and $180 respectively, and two
at $550 and $440 to Mr. A. D. Bullock, all of Cincinnati. Henry M. Barber and Robert Drysdale, of
Westerly, also purchased lots in this vicinity for $400 and $140. On Pawcatuck Avenue, a street running
nearly parallel with the river, the lots were sold for $55, $205, $175, $190, and $350, to Mr. Knevals,
Robert Drysdale, Mr. Raferty of Mystic, T. H. Catlin of Hartford, and F. B. Allen. Sunset Hill was bid on
by W. P. Anderson, of the syndicate, for $2800; the hill in the rear of the Catlin property by C. S.
Holmes for $2000; Money Hill by F. J. Jones, for $1250; and the surrounding lots by Joseph Anderson
at $700 and $400, F. B. Allen $250, and J. S. Burnett $165 and $300. Three lots on Aquidneck Avenue,
near the ocean, were bought by Mr. Lawson for $65, Mr. Norton for $150, and F. J. Jones for $365,
the latter named purchasers being members of the syndicate."
Before the Everett farm was divided into building sites it was assessed for $12,000. With the
division of the farm and the consequent improvements the assessment in four years' time had increased over
a hundred thousand dollars. This total is now [1921] tripled.