Evening star., 1869-12-04
Mount ycrHS8.

GI.s Gso,,ads-I.,diiiefGi o. Refics- JYaa, n. Cos.
s.st kGs Dcaf-WsGt he Ltsiisg cf t!e -H31gt
'cTHo.s fssoc55+iois are u sEJ.
At the last session Oh Congress petition was
preser,t j from tlic ladies' of the Mount Vernon
Association setting forth tha: 10 preserve the
buildings OF. the estate it WAS necessary imme-
Giately to repair IT, and also representing the
Teccssity ct Improving the grounds; and an ap-
placed at the disposal of Gen. AIichler Com
| missioner of Public Buildings, &c, for the pur-
pose and the repairs have been made under the
personal supervision of Mr.. L. T.. Fo,iluSh.e of
Gen. Ms department.. Although mach rem lins
20 lie Gone the work under Mr.. Follansbee has
PLACED the buildings nearly in their former con-
,iiton and viii prevent the mansion from gci Q
to pieces for some years to come at least. "a
the mansion the floors, which have srttl~,
owing to the decay OF the timbers have
been taken up and reiaid; the walls
have been newly plastered, (mOre than half of
the old plastering having fallen off, the dining
hall and east and west parlors have been painted
and the walls colored rs they were originally.
In place OF the Ladder leading from the upper
story TO the cupola, spiral stairway has been
erected The sash and window shutters have
also been rehung. The Superintendept's house,
CONNECTED. With the mansion by collonade,) }
used IN the olCen time as the servants hall, has
been pl&stered. painted, and placed in good
repair. Green houses have been erected on the
foundation walls of those destroyed by fire some
thirty or forty year since, the mar one being
~ by % feet, and the others making a total
length Of % feet 20 feet wide. and these have
improved vehtilatOrs, are furnished with lattice
work for grape vines, and are heated by steam.
While this work has been i'm progress the Regents
TIE association have not been idle aud they
ave also been at work expending in repairs,
&c. about 500, without including donations OF
material, &C. The exteriors OF the buildings
have been painted and sanded, in imitation OF
s.cne as originally, the library and upper rooms
painted, ard the walls colored, and in some cases
Papered. the patterns being OF old STYLES.
For the purpose of raising funds for this work
during the past fall, the Regents appealed to the
public, and liberal subscriptions and donations
were made, particularly in New York and New
Jersey, rot only in money and material. but in
reLc of the past. Among them n suit of clothes
WON by Washington-brOwn coat and knee
bTeeches and white silk stockings-on which ap-
pears the name sc. Washington, 2, 'g7 from
Mr.. w. ID. MeCregor, OF Hudson city, n. j.; two
mirror frames, $50 years DID, from Mrs. Gratis
\ an Eensallaer; black walnut bureau, from
Mr.. Criah Allen, OF New Jersey; half the value
of carpet ordered for the Lafayette room; chairs
in imitation of those used by Washington, by
Gen. Halstead, OF New Jersey. Mr.. ID. Shana-
glass and paints; Mr. 4. Wilson gave fine stair
carpet, and a splendid Oilcloth was contributed
in part by Mr.. Brashier. A fine oil engraving of
Lafayette was given by Mrs. LathroP.
are retained Tor the use OF the Regent, Miss Ann
PaTmelia Cunningham; but the large hall and
four other rooms are open to the public, viz
coutrements and portions Of the camp equipage
of the ''Fafher of his Country; the west parlor
in which are a terrestrial globe formerly be-
presented by General Halstead; the dining hall.
in which has been placed a fine oilclOth, and i'm
which are the harpsichord and surveyors tripod
of Washington, as also very old painting of a
naval scene; and the library, which is bare, with
the exception Of busts Of the First President
and Of Lafayette. On the second floor are the
bedrooms and nursery, all OF which are bare of
furniture, excepting that known as the La
fayette room, which is carpeted and furnished
with bed and bureau, and the suit of Washing
toms clothes presented by Mr.. McGregor is kept
in tls room for the present. but it is the intsIi-
ton o. Of the regents to place them in glass
In the attic above is the room to which Mrs
Washington. after the death of her husband.
retired, and this is not furnished. The nc antei
pieces now are covered by wire screens to pre-
vent their heing cut to pieces and carried cfi by
relic hunters, which class of persons have made
II necessary to keep the rooms i'm which there is
anything OF value closed, except when some of
the employees can accompany them, and thus
the many are Inconvenience because of the
vandalism of a few. Owing to the limited num-
cessity for those employed to keep close to their
wCTk on TIC place, in order to prevent il going
TO sGin, visitors do not find as many attendant
atcrt the premises to give information as they
VISA; but the few employees are quite courteous
to all strangers.
The vault in which the remains of George and
Martha Washington repose is well kept, the
grass being trimmed and the underground cut
down. and in front OF the mansion the trees
have been thinned ont, giving better view of
the river uan formerly. The roads are kept in
appearance OF the grounds, as also the green
house, where there is choice collection Of
plants, reflects credit on Mr.. James Craig, who
has the care of and superintends the estate OF
2r0 acres, 30of which are under cultivation.
The work noticed above was done by Wash-
ington mNcharics-the bricklaying by John
Neinyer, plastering by Dove & Burch painting
by James Nalley, steam-titting by Thos Thomr,
son, and paper-hanging by Kidwell & Hender-
sOn.
The association finished paving for the estate
only year ago, and notwithstanding the fact
that they receive per capita for everv visitor
landed at the wharf, the treasury is nearly. II
not quite, empty, and they find it extremely diff
cult TO pay the current expenses, there being ten
or twelve persons employed on the place and
they are forced to look to Congress for further
aid, or through the Vice Regents in each State
TO appea, to the public. 1t is the inte ntion of
the management, however, to continue the i'm
prOvements, and, il possible. to place in the
rooms now bare, furniture of the same material
and style as that used in the days of the owner:
but to do this they will require money. Should
however, each Vice Regent be as successful as
the Vice Regent of New Jersey (Mrs. Halstead)
mas been during the past season, q sufficient
The steamer Arrow, of which the well-known
and popular Tom Stackpole is captain, plies
daily from eth street wharf to Mt. Vernon, Ieav-
ing at 10 O'Clock and arriving about noon, and
touching again on her return trip, about
o'clock, giving visitors fully two hours to look
over tnc mouse anu grounds. Last spring the
number Of visitors averaged over forty per day,
but during the summer the number decreased
At this time, however, when strangers are COM
mencing to arrive the number is on the increase,
and for young couples on their honey moon tour
il seems to be a favOrite trip-the bride usually
returning with boquet, and the groom with a
cane, as souvenirs.
RIVER FRONT.-Hdrrey's Whdrf.-Arrived-
Sehr. Lawrence, Hicks. from Havre-de- Grace,
with 120 tons Of coal for Harvey, Clarke &
Given.
Carter's Whdrf.-Arrived-Schr Cumberland,
Wiley, with wood for Harvey, Clarke 4 Given.
Forier's Wharf-Sailed-Schoon Pawnee
Weaver, for Hayre-de-Grace, light.
Brorn's Whdrf-Arrived-Sc Clara, Geoge-
han, from Havre-de-Grace, with 12o tons coal
for Brown & Son.
GGlrs WhaT-The steamer Arrow, Stackpole,
left this morning with her usual compliment of
passengers for Mount Vernon.
MARROW ESCAPE OF CHICKEN THIEVES
This morning, aeOut 4 clock, two cOlored men
were noticed by Sergeant SeibOld of the second
precinct, TO enter the yard of Dabney Brooks,
col0red, on 5 street, between 18th and 18th
streets, and he Immediately stopped TO creep up
on them, but before he got to the yard Brooks
had fired at one Of the parties, who made good
his escape By running of, carrying a rooster
from the coop. Sergeant s. made his appear
ance just in time TO save the life Of the other,
Brooks having then a dead aim On hi with a
rife. The thief gave his name as Isaiah Bate
man. and was this morning dismissed.
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