The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-09-22
DID ABE LINCOLN SPLIT RAILS !
An Indiana lconociast ncmolishcs An
other Pretty story.

An Indiana lconociast Dc,m0lishcs An
othcr Pretty story.
Lincoln City. a small village In Spencer
county, was for four years tho home of
Abraham Lineoln's parents when he was
growing ny. II was there that his mother
died In 1918. The log cabin, the home of
the Lincolns, was of rough oak logs, about
fift On by twenty feet in size. tho ~creyices
filled in with mud, the door Of split slabs,
with wooden hinges, and but one window
with no glass. says a Martinville corre-
spoudent of tho Indianapolis Journal.
There was no chimney, a large opening in
the roof being left for tho smoke to escape.
The roof was OF split slaves pegged down
by cross poles. The beds were "a few blank
OTIS on the dirt floor, while the table was
two split slabs act on skids. President
Lincoln's father was a river man and
worked on lat boats on trips down the
Ohio and Mississippi to New Orleans, and
was at home only part of the year. The
I.incolns moved, after three or four years,
to Illinois. The mother Of Abraham Lin
coin had previously died and was buried on
u hill near this cabin.
At the time he was II years old Lincoln
was an awkward. indolent, and apparently
unambitious boy. There was nothing in
his appearance that indicated more than
ordinary intelligence. The stories Of his
great industry, and particularly of the I'M
lbliS IuilDSE VI tlt6 AS bpllus ! ooAo
He did not split rails here. The Lincolns
had no fences, and had no need OF them
then, as the country was an R!most I'M
broken Wilderness. After Lincoln became
president a thriving business was done
in the manufacture of canes and various
other articles from rails said to have been
split by him. A log cabin said to be
the original home of the Lincolns, was
transported bodily to Illinois, when, in fact,
the original cabin had been torn down and
n Ill n~N - ! - IN xyn n ru hnFHpn Hhn l
burial ground on the hill was grown up with
briars and bushes. The identity of tho
graves was lost. No one living can posi-
lively say which was the grave of Nancy
Hanks Lincoln. One was selected which
was supposed to be her grave. The Stude-
erect a plain slab and placed an iron fence
about the lot. The much-heralded monu-
mont erected in memory of the mother OF
President Lincoln does not exist.
Twenty-Five years ago a company OF Bos-
ton capitalists conceived the idea of build
ing up a city on this historic spot. Five
acres of land, including the ground
on which the Lincoln cabin stood and the
on the hill, was laid out in lots, and
an artificial lake was made. Maps and
throughout the United States. Auction
sales we're held and hundreds of lots were
sold at high prices. Scores of cottages were
and most liberal inducements were
offered to attract people. A large num-
Der of families moved there and the scheme
7aded the town. No remunerative employ
nent was provided for the citizens, conse-
in a few years the town was de-
erted and the enterprise proved a failure.
For twenty years the town was virtually
abandoned. The lots and cottages reverted
o the company or or we're sold for taxes,
nd the land was again on the market at $40
o $40 an acre.