New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-24
LINCOLN.
HIS EXPERIENCES AS POSTMASTER AMI
SURVEYOR.

Fyou Advance sheets OF The December Century.
In the spring this year. 1898 be was appointed post
1s smoournts were slender anu Its duties light, but
thr.s all probability no CITIZEN OF tue Yii~ke VINO
scany that ssid TO carry them IN us nt, ana
Is also reported to have read every ,er per sad
ing cnnt ut 10 his king the Office Ills ncumbency
lasted until Nevsaem ceased 10 pe opncus rUr
n aud the ID all went by 10 PETERSBURG Dr
Holland relates sequel to this Official experience when
illustrates quaint honesty OF tue man eeversl years
later wnen he was practising lawyer agent OF the
Posi-ofice Department calrd upon him. ana asked Ior
teen dollars Lincoln and opening little trunk
which lay in corner OF tue room TOOK IRON ~ COTTON
rag in which was tied up the exact sum required.
never use any mans money but my own. he quietly
rcmsrked When we cons der the pnonins poverty IN
winch had been passed we may appreciate
tho had kept hun from makins even
temporar, of this little sum OF Ooverbnent money.
John Calhoun, the Surveyor OF sangamOn County, was
at tine tine with work The princral III
course wanted his farn surveyed aud marked out Tor
him. and every community had It's synlicate OF esdns
ciflzens who cherished scnvme of Laying out city
somewhere. In many cases the city was plotted, .he
sites of principal bulC nss, Including court mouse
aud a university determined, and sonorous name
was seeced out of Pluarch before ls location was sven
comsIered For tins latter Office intervention OF
onical surveyor was necessary, aud ibeiofore Mr..
Calhoun had more hdsiuess than he could attend 10
witnou. assistance Looking about for youns man OF
cool utsgent enough 10 learn surveying AT
short notice. his attention was soon attracted 10 Lincoln
He offered Young Abraham nook con, a,Ns tno e1e ~
mems of art, aud told him when he MAJ mastered IL
one and LueO n, with that steady sefreian.e o. his,
aoc~I ted and armed with his D0ok went OUT 20 the
(MentOn Gralaul, III VEGAS o4oSo
appIcatiOn made himself u surveyor.
1t Will be rcmrmDerei that Washington In RS youth
adopted the same ofeson but there we're lew points
q SIMILARITY IN the lives OF the TWO greatest ol our
denis, III youth later manhood Iho Nllslllah hdd
man OF more Unfit and greater sagaclty in Douey
matt He used thu knowledge gained III tho practice
ms ly tuaf lie became rdthtr early
In lie large Ian AhoGer. and CONTINUALLY iucrc BIS
possessions until his death Lincoil with allIo Il ui
bounued opportunities for the selection ani purchase OF
valuable tracts, male no use whatever or them. he
employed his Kill and knowledge merely ae a bread
vi and made 81
when Mr. Van Bergen, who had purchased the h nora
yeyug iahen 10 tns debt ana ONLY
by the intervention OF airend was ne a"e 10
redeem these inv .iuanls means of living. He was
nevertheless an excellent surveyor His portion of the
public work executed under tue directions OF mr.. oaI-
aud founo his time pretty we'll empIO!e WIN
private business which came to hn from o"nga on anu
ind him appointed OF thee viewers 10 locate
road FROM salt Creek 10 the county uhe ~ e oa
mauly OF Its charndn AS Lincoln maue Tue uoposil VI
money required ny law surveyed the route, pottei the
Though i. is evident that the postolct and the
yeyor's not making rich Ian OF b; ~ they
we're sufficient enable to live decontly and curing
the year he groay Increased his acquaintance anu us
naturally; every acqu iintance he made became hls
friend and before the en- OF his unsuccessful eau
pociaDs Of the district that he was a man whom 1t
not do to leave out OF their calc ulaons There
seemed be no ut 10 his popularity nor 10 ms apt
tndes opinion OF his admirers He was continually
ca led on ia the most incongruous capacities
OLD residents say no best Judge horserace
the county afforded; he was occasionally second IN
due of sIcs though he usually coDtriyed 10 reconcile
the advers.ies on the ri before damage was done
he was the arbiier all contrOverted D0hs OF tura
tnre science, or woodcrait among the disputs:ous
aepzens Of Clarys Grove and his decisions were never
appealed from. His native tact aud nunor were n'al-
abie his work aker aud bis enormous phy
steal strength. which he always used with Inagns-
min among giants placed his onband DEGREES he
yond reach OF contemptuous question lie COMPOSED
differences among friends and equals with eoOdna III Oh
ralcry but rough as need be when his WRATH
was reused Ivy meauuess aud cruelty. We hardly KNOW
whether 10 crcdlt OF the stories, apparently well
sttests1 by living witnesses OF bis pr0dgous muscular
powers He ia ead TO nave lifted at kutledeos mill
box u stones weighing hall ton IL Is also related
that he barrel OF whiskey from the ground
ana drink from the bungbut the adds that he
never swallowed wniskcy Whether hesc traditions
strictly not they evidently founded on
the current reputation hs enjoyed among his fellows for
extraordinary strength, and tbis was an important
OF handling almost man be net yet lie never sought
quarrel lie was every boys friend, and yet used no
liquor tobacco lie vas poor and had scarcely ever
been school, yet lie the best informed young
In tho village. He had grown up on tue frontier the
utmost rings OF civilization, yet lie was gentle
clean OF speecn innocent OF basphemy or scandal His
GOOD qualities might nave excited resentment II dis
I,ayed BIZ wedre ssed from an Eastern etate
6ut tho most uneouth ruans OF New Salem took sort
of reary and pride In the decency and the
and learning OF tLeir friend al eomfsdc'
he ia sOlQ.