The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-06
RESCUED BY THE WOMEN
y,xor oy,s ord HOMESTEAD,
MOUNT VERNON.
,,va. Saved from Decay and Made an
Enduring Relic Of the American
Revolution.

We're | asked. What IS the most inter
estiug SPOT IN the United states? 1 shout,
answer. Mount Vernon" so less beau
uful than interesting. tnis historic snrin
owes its preservation - Il woman ia
! spirdtiOu.
Forty-Gour years JSO, IS. cunningham
Of South Carolina, seiied W ,fc tptCn a'
with her daughter, pamela. rs they pass
cd the home Of Washington. tne rlGei
woman mOuTned the dilupldated cOnil
lion Of d truly ideal cOuAfly mar sion
/ WHY cannot the women Jf thu SCDt.
raise money enough 90 huy Mount Yer
noa, and hold IL sacred tor tile nadout
asked Mrs. Cunningham. Inc srS- tstIOu
took firm root In the heart OF her daull-
tor VINO at once set to work 10 carry
out a noble purpose. The Washington as
/ tate was owned by collateral e., sCent-
ants of the first PRESIDENT. and In lsa5
/ six years after the inception OF ihe idea,
Nireinid's Legislature granted "a charter
for the desired purpose 90 L lew south
ern women. led by Hiss Cunningham.
! II soon became apparent tl1- the south
/ could not fulil the great mission single
/ handed Northern women came To ne
! rescue, and Edward Everett delivered his
/ lecture. "WashlngtOn,' iJr the benefit OF
/ the Mount Vernon fund. He contributed
! $500. out OF {1pOjJ. that was .dlsed IN
! TWO years With this money the man
/ sion and TWO hundred acres ~ the estate
were bought. Then second ANA better
| OF Virginia residuary legIte" ln me event
| of the demise of the Mo ant Vernon
/ Ladies Association OF the Cni)l.'
As the association exists today, II Is
controlled by regent, Mrs. Justine an
Rensselaer, Townsend. of Now lotN, and
twenty-eight vice regents. representing as
Mrs Alexander Mitchell, Jacksonville,
Fla.
Mrs Cornelius l.. King. Bellows Falls.
VI.
Mrs. A. r. Wlnder. Portsmouth. y. II.
Miss Comegys, Dover, Del
Mrs. Emma Il. Ball. Richmond. Va.
Mrs. Letita II. Walker, Lecksyille, y.
Mrs. Wilder. Savannah. Ga.
Mrs Jenny NJ Ward. Ottawa, Kan.
Airs. ". T.. Letter. Chicago.
Mrs. r. b. Flandrau. ~ Paul. MINI.
Mrs. Phoebe A. Hurst san Francisco
Mrs. Dundas Lippincott, Philadelphia
Miss Mary L. Pendleton. Cincinnati o.
Mrs benjamin Graham. ST. Louis, Mo.
Mrs T.. \. Rathhoue. Ann Aroor, Mich.
Mrs Margaret j. NJ Sweat, Portland,
Miss Alice NJ Longfellow, Cambridge.
Mrs. Susan L. ]. Hudson. stratford.
Mrs. Mary r. Barnes. Washington, D.
Mrs Ella r. Washington, Charleston,
Mrs. Lucy Pickeus. Edseneld. S. O..
Mrs. Ida s.. Richardson. New Orleans,
llrs. IT. Mitchell Milwaukee. Wis.
Mrs. Woodward Lexington. Ky.
Mrs. Baker. jacksonville. Fla.
Mrs. A. Hil. Denver. Col.
Mrs. g. r. Goldsboroush. Baltimore,
Nd
Mrs Francis $. Conner Princeton, y.
Mrs Philip Schuyler. New York city.
Miss Mary +. leatman, AshW Oh. Tenn.
Early in June these patriotic women
meet yearly at " urt Neru and remain !
there n week. holding lai y meeting
from I'D 4. ". 20 4.au l.. NJ. during viii b /
time they settle the business or the {
estate for twelve months. During their /
ahseu the entire charge % Mount Yer J
non devolves upon Harrison II. Dodge |
an admirable superintendent. ia love wien !
his work. whose Intelligence equals his
integrity.
1t is strange that such a combination /
OF WOman's wit and sentiment shpu'i /
have restored Mount Vernon not only . /
its original completeness. but should (,
have made it a most valuable museum
OF Washinetonilna? A. for the lrounls.
they are in hett ConIit on than ever.
Thanks 10 the late JAY Gould. thirty
three and one-half acres were added -
the estate in 1889. much 20 the JOY Ot
the regents. as they feared railroad en-
croacnment directly hortn or theiI prop
erty.
Michigan restored the tomb Of Wash
ington in 1857. and the old cOlchhous-
I'm 1893 Now the vico-regent. Mrs. r.. b.
A. Rathbone. and her fri nds are trying
TO get possession ~ Washington c.ann,
which was sold an Philadelphia auction
10 FOrepaughs circus for the enormous
sum ~ $-Ji Later. I'm told, B1rnum N
Bailey became It's owners. then tae
world fair MANAGERS tried % borrow The
relic. but failed. The last heard from IN
lid coach is that 10 was starring Atth .
circus that has since been wrecked on O.
railroad. II 10 has survived this shock .
Michigan IS bound 20 restore tho coach q
Miss Cunnueham's first ally was Geor-
.i1 Then came Virginia. Mr.. Anna Cora
,laWatt Richie being Vice-r'eenL Am Iag
be first OF the northern states 10 join
ne association was Maine. IFS Nice-rc-
cent. Mrs. Little. being succeeded IN 1868
,v Mrs L. D. ". Sweat If Portland, who
or fourteen years served as secretary OF
Doe council.
When Mrs. Sweat succeeded Mrs. Lit
o.. of Maine hut ore vacant room was
.ft in the whole mansion. am attic room
% the third story leading our ~
imuar room assigned 20 Sout1 Carolina.
lis States clamored FOR that one lncan-
s.. and the board n regents decided % :
I've IL % whichever most quickly raised r.
le money to furnish ~. One year being +
bee limit of time. Mrs. sweat secured 500 Il
six months aud won the prize. :
"Maine' looks Ike bit OF colonial d
STORY with frs Chilpend0les its four p
lstod lelstc9d and the rare old chair n
,longing 10 Samuel Chase. Of Maryland. 4
signcr OF the Declaration Of Indepeud- a.
lcc. and one II the associate Justices OF
.e United States. This relic was pre- C
uted by Mrs. Jean Davenport Lander. j
e well-ko1Wn actress. who is q resi- d
.ut Of Washington. $
ON the top floor are the spare cham Il
o." furnished by Connecticut. and the
om IN which Martha Washington died
boo latter belongs % Wisconsin. Almost
o first room to be- furnished. n COM
ms charming mahogany Washstaud , 81
80 was used by Washington. The first "a.
eStiOn ! asked on entering this bed "a.
On. WITH its ono window opening south I'm
is. why did Martha Washington NJ
Dose am attic 10 live in2' Dr.
Because IN was the only room from ID
ich she could see WashingtOn's tomb th
died the colored woman in attendance. of
tere is sentiment. ln the large room M
low Washington died. Evidently that b,
e shut IT'S door 20 her and sent her n
owe 10. next the roof. Dbl
he remaining attic rooms are given . &.
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