During her visit to Loma Linda in April, 1911, sister White inquired about the Hazen Kelly tract on the east side of pepper drive, especially that portion lying east of the cottages of the sanitarium, and said that we ought to get control of the land, if possible. Before leaving, she suggested that we interest some one to secure the place and hold it for the sanitarium, if possible. An effort was made to do this, but in the meantime it was sold to an outside party for $35,000, who planned to lay out the vacant land into lots and sell them, retaining the orange orchard. It was also planned to put up a packing house for packing oranges at Loma Linda. This we regretted very much. It was the very thing we had feared.
(SpTB17b 17.1)
We interviewed the parties purchasing the land, and did what we could to discourage laying out any town site. When they found we were opposed to such an effort they finally let the option on the land pass. Mr. Kelly then approached us about purchasing the land. While the matter was pending, we received the following, written August 29, 1911:
(SpTB17b 17.2)