The times., 1899-03-12
REPAIRS TO THE
LINCOLN House
Public Funds to Preserve a
Historic Structure.
Congressional Action TO Save 1t
From Decay.
History OF the Tenth street Rest
dence Where the Nnrtyred
President Died.

short paragraph In the recently passed
Sundry Civil appropriation bill. providing
$3.SS33.50 '.for repairs to house No. 5l6
Tenth Street northwest. in the District
of Columbia is one OF the acts OF the
celebrated War Congress- which will be
chronicled by the historians pen in words
OF pathos. and Will inspire glow OF
warmth in the ever-increasing number OF
Americans who revere the name of Abra-
ham Lincoln. Situated at this number in
Tenth Street. opposite the old Ford Thea
ire. is the house in which Lincoln died The
tragic shot was fired few minutes past
10 O'Clock on the night OF. April IL. 1865.
Almost Immediately thereafter Mr. Lincoln
was carried across the street to this house.
in which he died at twenty-five minutes
past O'Clock the following morning
The house is an old-fashioned brick
structure, having been built in Is4S and
has been sadly neglected in the matter CT
REPAIRS, until at present its very founda-
tions are unsafe and every part of the
building needs attention. II was not until
two years ago that the Government reeog-
nized the fitting propriety Of securing this
, house, where the last hours CT the IN 3rt, rEd
! President were spent, and preserving it as
{
that time the title was transferred TO the
/ United States from Louis Schade for a con-
sideration OF $50 eco.
The Chief OF Engineers was ordered at
once 10 make an examination of the prem
ises and estimate for such repairs as were
| necessary. The present appropriation is
based on this estimate The foundations.
ioof, windows. and doors will be repaired,
the plumbing renewed, and steam heating
apparatus installed All this Will be done
without altering, TO any appreciable eX-
/ tent the appearance of the house. which
it is desired to preserve as nearly as pos
I sible as it was when it was given its sad
I historical Significance.
The inception OF the movement TO have
/ the Government acquire this property
I dates back for several years, and its ac-
/ complishment was the result of united
/ effort headed by Chief Justice Fuller. An
/ organization was formed consisting Oc
/ eighteen prominent men in national and
| civic life in this city, among which were
/ Secretary Hay, the Hon. John ". Foster.
7 General Schofield. and Rev. DR.. Hamlin
! The matter was persistently laid before
! Congress year after year until at length
/ their efforts were crowned with success,
/ and the property bought by the Govern
/ ment. 1t was through the efforts of this
association also that the present memorial
/ collection was brought here and placed in
I the house.
| This collection. which contains over
| three thousand articles, contains more in
/ tereSting mementos of the great Lincoln
/ than have been gathered together by any
/ person or society organized in his name.
/ The accumulation of these now precious
/ relies was begun over forty years ago by
/ Osborn II. Oldroyd, who is its pr5sznC
owner. Mementos OF the Lincoln cam
paign Of 1860 were the nucleus OF the col
| lection, and Mr.. Oldroyd says that at that
! time he had no intention Of going further
! with it. but after Mr. Lincoln's death new
! interest was revived in 1t and everything 3
I ottainabIe was gathered up. This work
was done in Ohio In 1888 Linco rs old
house in Springfield was rented by Mr..
Odroyd, who moved the collection there
/ and maintained it for five years free to
I the public. AT that time Robert Lincoln.
/ who had come into possession OF the prop
! erty through the death of Mrs Lincoln.
! gave the house 10 the State. Mr.. Oliroyd
was importuned to allow the collection to
remain and was paid a salary by ths state
as its custodian, remaining in this pos
! tion for another five years and until he
was removed by Governor Altge,d. in o.
! der to make room for a man OF his pO.iti-
/ cal preference.
/ During this time Mr.. OIdroyd had ben
! written TO b. the Washington association
/ spoken of above, and requested to bring
! his collection here offering him a salary
( until such time as the Government should
| see fit to purchase it.
| In acceptance of this offer the collection
/ was brought here in 1898. and opened with
( great ceremony. During the next two
/ years the association labored with Con-
| gress to get them to purchase the house.
but no attention was paid TO their aIpells.
/ and they finally gave up the rent OF the
/ house. Mr.. Oldroyd then assumed the rent
/ of the house. which he pad for over two
years at the rate OF $lJ0 per month. when
| Congress purchased the property.
| The house was originally owned by VIII
! liam Petersen. who lived in it at the time
I of Lincoln's death. Mr.. Petersen sold the
/ property to Louis Schade, who was the
( owner when the Government took posses
( sion. His price for the property was $S5.-
: 600. but only an appropriation of 100000
/ being made for its purchase, he decided
/ to accept that sum.
IL is the intention of those who are in
( terested in preserving this memorial TO
/ have the collection remain in the house
/ and open for free inspection. and TO this
I end an appropriation was asked for to pay
/ a custodian, Mr.. Oldroyd agreeing to let
| the collection remain indefinitely. but this
/ part OF the appropriation was eliminated
J from the bill.
! Mr.. Oldroyd is in possession of several
very handsome standing offers for his col
/ lection. The Lincoln Republican Club. OF
/ Chicago. is desirous OF obtaining the COW
| eted prize. as is also the Lincoln Univer
sity at Cumberland Gap, Tenn In the
/ mean time it is not expected any DISPOSE
| tion OF the relics will be made.
! The Reporters Idea.
| (From the Detroit Free Psess)