St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-10-23
LiNcOLN'S FUNERAL GAR,
NOW used by tho section-Men OF I RAN.
road Company In the Far west,

NOW Used by tho sectlon-M Men Of 4 RAil.
road Company in the Far west.
There is on the Marysville & Blue
Valley branch of the Union Pacific road
an old dilapidated car. Its exterior il.
IN sad need Of the painters brush. 1ts
Interior is rough and dirty. 1t is fitted
up with rough hunks, and is used to
transport section hands from point to
point. A close inspection, however. OF
its present condition will reveal features
which would puzzle one who had Seen
it years ago. Here and there will be
discovered a trace of gliding. The
woodwork, if you scratch off the SCOT
ana dirt, will lie found to be of solid
mahogany and black walnut.
In short, it is a relic of faded gentil-
ity. Although it now takes in lodg.
ers,' like the traditional landlady, 1t
has ''seen better days" This poor.
old, shabby-genteel common carrier
was once considered the finest car ever
built in the Tn ted States. Mechanics
from all parts of the country, who were
master workmen, were secured to work
IN its construction. 1t once shOne re-
splendent in red velvet and gliding. 1t
Is, in short, the famous car Abraham
Lincoln"
This car was built in Alexandria,
Va, in 1864. 1t was intended for a
directors car, to run on the military
railroads; that is, the roads which ran
into the section of the country where
the heavy fighting was going on.
These roads had either been seized
from the Sccessionists or appropriated
by the Federals. rs the case might be,
and this car was used BY the directors
of the roads and by the military Off
Gals.
1t was at the time considered par ex-
cellence. 1t wore all the trappings
belonging to wealth and rank. 1t
shone Respondent in scarlet and gold.
Soft turkey carpets covered its floor.
velvet couches and chairs adorned its
central reception-room. At one end
were state-rooms for sleeping purposes.
AT the other was a dining-rOom and
kitchen, over which presided a chief Of
supreme attainments in his profession.
Statesmen, famous over the civilized
world. reclined on its upholstered
touches and dined at its tables. The
original cost of this car was something
over thirty thousand dollars. When
Lincoln was assasinated, to this car. his
namesakc, was entailed the duty of
conveying his remains to Springfield.
From the performance of this duty
the car attained National reputation,
and Spectators began at once to make
bids for it, with 4 view to putting it on
exhibition i'm dime museums. To pre-
vent this the car was bought up by Mr..
Lincoln's old law partner, Mr.. Ward
II. Lamon, now resident of Denver.
He purchased it at a Government sale
at Alexandria in 1865. Shortly after
Mr.. Lamon had bought it Secretary
Stanton wrote him . letter begging
that the car be kept out of the hands
Of exhibitors. This Mr.. Lamon as
sured him was his intention.
In 1866 the car was sold by Mr..
Lamon to MIR. Henry s. McComb, of
Delaware, one of the directors of the
Union Pacific. for that road. 1t then
was used to bring out from New York
Mr.. T.. c. Durant and party who
made trip to what was then the west
ern terminus of the road. At that
time the different tribes of Indians
along the line were throwing obstruc-
tons in the way of the further prog
ress of the road. and in this car the
officials met Representatives of the
various tribes to discuss the matter.
On the return of the car to Omaha it
was held there, and was used as an
officers car up to $50. 1t was then, on
orders from S ydney Dillon, changed to
an cmigrant car. and remained in that
service up to 1874. 1t was then sold
to the Colorado Central for three thou
sand dollars, and marked Colorado
Central No. A." 1t was used by the
road as chief engineers car.
The old car has been knocked around
from place to place. at every move
descending lower and lower from its
exalted height, until now, in its bat
tered old age. it transfers the section
hands from point to point over the
road.-Denrcr Tribune Republican