Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-03-03

ratings on It's platform are long ago
gone. All the compnr menis and
sumpiuous interior furnishings and
decorations have been removed, and
1t stands like barren, decsying hut
OF lite once proud self. From Its former
prom ne nj asst oiati with President
Lincoln, both during the later years
OF his life and then after bis death, n
would eeem the car deserves bet,ei
ate than to rot in neglect and obscuIi'
ty. This car was built ~ eclally for
Mr.. Lincoln in the United Blatvs
military car shops at Alexandria, W.,
in 1864, by Is. z. Limaaou, master car
builder, snG was certainly one OF The
abandonment private railway coaches in
lie day. IL was used by Tue President
repeatedly In his visits 10 the army OF
the Potomac Jown In Virginis, anu
also to New York and PhiIGdelphia.
The LiLolin cur Ia ~ feet long by 81
feet wide, anu uuriuE The time MI.
Lincoln used 1t was 0ivlled int
three com baftmen,s. II WINS entered
by door In the corner, which opened
into narrow passage wEy, extenuiDg
the entire length OF the car along one
sitT. Pt'bf ih'b "HJ hpS'o
opened into each one OF the three
private rooms. The room In one end
u the car was considerably larger
than the others, ind wss urnished
with u largo soia and reclining ohair..
The small rooms were aleo provided
with sofa anu reclining chairs,
although somewhat III erior TO those
in the large loom. This larger com.
partment co instituted President LIN
cgln's Office and study, and IL where
he entertained his guests mud trans.
acted business with officials OF the
government and generals OF tue army.
Tho sofa is q combination affair aud
was made OF unusual length TO ac-
commodate the Elongated form OF the
President. IL was used as sofa or
lounge during tho day and at nj .ht
could be ADJ listed into q dou Die bed.
The car was considered III that day
triumph OF the car builiei's arr. The
walls OF each of the compartments
were padded With ricn, corded Grim.
aon elk upholstery, reaching half way
to tho ceiling, ana the iriezo OF the
Presidents ro0m was decorated with
painted panels of the c0ste.oi.arms OF
the different states OF the U MON. Toe
car was ironclsd, urmor being set in
between the inner and outer walls,
rendering 1t bullet proof. Tina s1deu
considerably to Its weight, 10 much 90
that Its bulldete thought IT necessary
to mount 1t ON slx.wheeled trucks.
Juet alter the close OF the war the
government put a great amount of Its
railway material that mad been uie in
the prosecution OF the war iutO the
hands Of an auction firm In Cincln-
natl, and among 1t was the Lincoln
car. Sidney Dillon, VINO was then at
The head OF the UniOn Pacific nflaiTo,
was directly responsible iOr Its lur.
chase. For long time after It's arrival
In Omaha the Car was q great curiosity
both on account OF Its con deoliOn with
the martyr President aud also Tor tn.
reason that it WAS then cousi Tered the
finest railway coach that haue ever been
constructed, anu mHpy thousands OF
people Visited the shop for the bur.
pose OF seeing 1t.
Lale IN 1892 q company OF men
rom New York sent an egent to
Omaha with view OF negotiating d
PURCHASE OF the Car, intending 10
exhibit 1t at III, Worlu'. Fair. salts
factory terms Win tho UGion Pacific
people could not be made, however,
nnd the projt OF was abandoned.
The agenI dssireu TO have proof Of
the authenticity OF the car from the
| railway tfiicIals, and Mr.. /. II. Cong.
uop, for m ny yoaiB master mechanic
OF the Uni II P.citio railway, in u
lengthy 10 on tne subject 10 Mr.. e.
Il. Ljmbx, K ne q, Passenger agent vi
the road, all:
"rhe lam us car was brought to
Omaha In 1866, AM was putchgsei for
the Union Pacific by +. U. Durrant.
Sidney Dlllon manifested great iu-
lerest in the car in the early days OF
the road. L was In charge OF the
locomotive department OF The Great
Western railroad OF Illinois, at Spring
field during the war, aRd WAS there
at the time President LiBcoln'a
remains were brought there. The oar
had oeen us, Il as the funeral car, ana
stood In the taIiTUAu yards during the
time that LlncOln's body lay Ia state
at the Capitol building anu we haJ an
opportunity OF mining 1t clUsely.
L remember Identifying 1t US the
same car when 1t came here Ia 1866
When fret brought to Omaha 1t wac
used as u private ,ar y lne direc tors,
but ON account OF lis extreme weight
I
mounted. II rode 10 poorly that they
soon abandoned It. have been over
the roau with Mr.. Dillon In ths Lin.
coin car, anu heard him speak of II st
being the one that the President usol
during the war, and In which his re-
mains were brought 10 Spring fisid.
MIR. 3. ii. ii. Clark, now president Of
the,U MON Pacific, stated to me gooJ
many years ago that Mr.. Dillon lie.
tired some OF the furniture OF the cal
taken out and sent to New York, aud
! saw that his request WAS carried out
Toe car was built as nearly as possible
10 suit MIR. Lincolu'S ideas, anu was ct
peculiar in lis construction a. to give
1t individual characteristics"
| This famous old car will form the
central figure OF the TrauRpoItatior
Exhibit OF the 1rIusmi,sissippi snl
international Exposition Vi 1895 a
Omaha.