The times., 1899-02-05

the effects of time and exposure to the
weather. The cabin has stood for thirty
five years in the park, exposed to the ele-
ments. and had it not been for the care
which has been taken of it up to the pres
ent time it would long since have fallen
into decay. AS it is. however. something
( will have to be done before long If the
people of Philadelphia wish to preserve a
memento of the great internecine struggle
and of the man whose memory will always
be indissoiubly associated with the preser-
vation of the Union.
The cabin served as CRAFTS headquarters
at Petersburg, and within its roughly hewn
walls were conceived and discussed the
plans by which the civil war was carried
to a successful termination. 1t was for
merly in the possession OF George II. Stu
| art of this city. to whom it was presented
by Grant. 1t was placed in Fairmount
Park some thirty-iive years ago, and dur
! ing all that time has been taken care of
by the estate of Mr.. Stuart On July OF
last year it was transferred to the park
commission with the understanding that 1t
should always be preserved as 4 memento
of Grant.
Some time ago number OF G. 4. r.
posts in this city started a movement by
which it was hoped the Grand Army OF the
Republic would secure the custody of the
| cabin, but for some reason the matter fell
| through.
The condition of the cabin at present
shows in many ways the aggressions OF
| time and decay. Many OF the logs of
which it is composed have been removed
| from time to time and others substituted.
| II is evident. however. that If this process
| of repair is permitted to continue very lit
| tie of the original cabin will be left, and
| equally evident that II it be permitted to
| remain exposed as it is at present it will
very quickly fall into decay. kind OF
dry rot seems to have taken hold of many
| of the timbers, and though it is denied
| that relic hunters have been at work on
the structure it is quite evident that it
has suffered somewhat from these vandals.
| The front and back doors Of the cabin are
| literally covered with the initials of Wis
| itors cut in the wood with penkniyes,
most of these inscriptions are SO carefully
and tastefuily done that it must have re-
quired from half an hour to an hour on the
work.
The front door of the cabin is within
plain view of Sedgeley Guard House, and
at distance of about 100 yards from it,
In view of the statement made that the
| best possible care is taken of the cabin
and OF the fact that it is an infringement
of the park rules to mutilate the building
in any way, it is rather strange that Wis
itors should have the opportunity to in
dulge their taste for inscription on such
| an extensive scale. Many of the initials
| have the appearance OF having been fresh
ly cut.
T. s. Martin, secretary of the park COM
mission. is of the opinion that some plan
will have to be devised before long to
protect the building. ITO construct a
shed over it," said Mr. Martin would
| undoubtedly detract much from the sp-
pearance OF the building. To build a
house over it or to remove it to Memo
rial Hall. as has been suggested. even il
there were room for it in Memorial Hall,
which there is not. plans open to the
same objections. In my opinion 1t would
seriously detract from the appearance OF
the cabin to place it indoors or to remove
it from the natural and beautiful sur
roundinss amid which it has always stood.
: The most feasible plan. il seems to me-
would be to coat the wood with some
preservative, but even this plan is open
to objections. Creosote. which is used
largely for preserving. wood. turns it
green. and coat OF tar would very ma
terially alter the appearance of the cabin.
1t is Il difficult problem to know just what
to do with ii. suppose to place il under
cover would be the, best, way to preserve it,
but once 1t is placed indoors 1t will Lack
| the charm of natural surroundings.
1T has been suggested that we should
keep the cabin open aud have man on
| guard all the time to prevent the depreda-
tons of relic hunters. This plan would
doubtless preserve 1t from the relic hunt
| ers, but not from the weather. which is
| its greatest enemy When one considers
the historic and fairi9tic interest which
| centres in the cabin ID must be admitted
that the relic hunters have been more than
usually consideratS in Eheir treatment of
! it. 1t is not certain. 6owever. that they
| will be so considerate-in the future. In
| any case. something should be done to
| hand down the cabin to future genera
| tions as nearly intact as possible. 1t is a
memento OF most critical period in the
country's history. which to;every patriotic
American is and ever will n of surprising
| interest
| Col. A. Loudon Snowden. the only MEM
| ber of the park commission who is also a
| veteran of the G. A. r.. says that steps
| will be taken at once to protect the cabin.
You can tell the readers of The En-
| quirer.' he said. yesterday. that the
| cabin will not be permitted to fall into de-
cay.