Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-10-08
Washington Manuscripts.

Very few people have ever had the
temerity to charge George Washington
with having written poetry, but II Mr..
James III. Sanderson, of San Jose, Cal,
writes that he Is In possession of an old
crap-book, inherited from his father,
George Sanderson, who lived and died
in Wytheville, Va, which contains a
manuscript poem of hexameter verse in
the veIjtable handwriting of Washing
ton, and entitled "An Ode to Fame"
On the subject OF Washington manu-
scripts the most valuable find of recent
date has been made by Zimmerman, q
dealer in antique furniture in this city.
They have been in the possession of q
poor family near Alexandria for the
last seventy-hve years. They consist
OF several manuscript letters of George
Washington, and memorandum in his
own handwriting, which latter doubt
less possesses considerable value, as il
supplies q missing link In the records
of the First Auditors Office III the
Treasury Department. 1t comprises o
list of furniture and fittings bought for
the Executive Mansion between 1889
and 1896, the period of the Presidential
residence in New York. The memoir
andum shows the first purchases ever
made for the mansion, of which none Of
the departments contain record. The
chirography is unquestionably Wash
ington's 1t is headed "Sundries bot
on acct of G.. W." The first item is
"A large writing desk for Presidents
Office, $121." 1t takes three closely
written pages of foolscap to set forth all
the articles. Among them are Farmer
Bassett, dogs, weight 30 pounds, to
guard Presidents house," A Franklin
stove for Mrs. Washington's dressing
ROOM" "An eight-plate stove for the
Presidents room" Crimson damask
to enlarge the state dining-room win
dows;" "13 patent lamps to illuminate
the Presidents house," Cotton to
cover parlor and state furniture;" "One
lot of furniture from Cragin;" ID foot
stoves to be placed under the state din
ing-table."
The most astonishing purchases are
in the line OF mirrors, the various lots
aggregating l22. There is an extraordi.
nary frequency OF "lrstres" in the item
lied bill-these being bright beads Of
glass to suspend from chandeliers
One item records the amount paid for
duties and freight on ornaments pre-
sented to French officers;' another for
zone box imported ivory chess" NJ.
merous household implements are
charged, such as "half dozen pair and
irons" zone cooking stove," zone cop
per-plated kettle for Kitchen" lone
brass wash KETTLE" "two large wash
boilers" zone dozen kitchen knives and
forks" Tapestry, carpets, curtains,
and stoves appear in great profusion.
According to this paper there must
have been purchased during that period
at least 1000 patent lamps for the
Presidents house. mainly intended, no
doubt, for illumination purposes.
Among the other manuscript recov.
cred by Zimmerman is paper marked
LANDS owned by G.. w." showing
that the Father of his Country had six
farms. ranging In extent from seventy
Two to 620 acres. Some of these tracts
are marked SANDY" and others "bot-
tom" or SANDY and hummock."
There is also letter from Washing
ton to Samuel Lawson, ESQ.," offer
ing to purchase certain negro man.
Washington explains that he wants the
negro not so much to work himself but
to "look after the other hands" In
other words he was in need of "nigger
driver Washington letter.