The evening times., 1899-07-28
WHERE LINCOLN EXPIRED
The Tenth Street House Being
Thoroughly 0verhauled.
Repairs Made Necessary by the De-
teratiOns 10 BE Avoided-The Room
Where the Great Emnncipator
Died Is Not TO Be Disturbed.

The house in which Abraham Lincoln
from Ford's Theatre, where he was shot
by John Wilkes Booth, located at No. 516
Tenth Street, between and r Streets
northwest, is to be put in frst-class re-
pair The work of overhauling is already
in progress under the supervision of Col.
Theodore Bingham, the Superintendent Of
Public Buildings and Grounds. The work
was commenced July and IL is expected
10 be completed ONE time in September.
The last Congress appropriated SS,SSS for
the purpose, and it is expected that all of
it will be used in carrying out the pro-
posed alterations.
The building is to be thoroughly over
hauled and placed in good condition. Two
or three rooms will not be touched. The
room in which Lincoln died, on the first
floor at the end of the hall, will not be
changed in any way. The entire building,
with the exception of the rooms mentioned,
will be newly papered and painted and the
floors repaired where necessary.
The most extensive alterations wi be
made in the basement, where, owing TO
dampness the floors and their supporting
timbers have become decayed- The old
joists have been torn out and new ones
put in their place, and new floors will be
laid. In many places the plaster had fall
len from the walls, and this viii be re-
newed. In the rear room OF the main
building in the basement, a neg steam
heating apparatus will be install ed and
radiators will be placed in all paris OF the
house.
In the extreme rear OF the building,
facing the alley between Tenth and Elev-
enth Streets new brick addition has al
ready been constructed. The ground floor
OF this will be used for storing coal aud
the upper floor for exhibiting relics for
which there is no room in the front por-
tion OF the house.
A course OF slate will be placed around
the walls OF the building beneath the
ground in order to keep the water and
dempness from coming through and injur-
ing the floors and woodwork of the inte-
rior. The yard in the rear will be paved
with cement. The old plumbing will also
be torn out and replaced by modern fixt-
ures. At present there is only an old
bathtub in the building. This will be re-
moved and replaced by new one and, in
addition, a layatory and washstands will
be installed. Many of the old window
silIs have become decayed and these will
be renewed. Galvanized iron window caps
will be placed over all the windows in
OTCer 10 prevent as IluC1 dS pOSSlDl6 Iu6
rotting away of the timbers in the cas-
ings.
1t is the desire Of the authorities TO make
all the necessary repairs and at the same
time-chRnse the structure as little as pos
sible. The repairs now being made are Of
such character that il is hoped nothing
more will have TO be done TO the building
for years to come AS far as possible no
radical changes in the character of the
A part of the work is being done by con-
tract Bids have been awarded TO a firm
of paper hangers for the papering and the
painting will also be done under contract.
The remainder OF the work is being con-
Quoted under the direct supervision of the
Office of public buildings and grounds.
The house is one of the principal places
OF interest TO tourists who visit the City
and thousands go there and pass through
II every year. In il is collection of relics
Of the incidents with which Abraham Lin
coin was connected which is the most val
liable IN existence,