The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1905-02-22

the loving perpetuation OF its noblest
memory For one thing, II complete sys
tenn of hot wntcr heating has been in
troIuccl This not only warns the
mar IN but also the outbuildingS and
conscr43 tories The boiler room, which
Is nj least 400 feet from the house, is
entirely subterranenn, and 40 are the
pipes For the old mansion itself in
direct radiation is employed, The heat
being carried from the cellar through
grills In the iireplaccS to the rooms
above In this way the heating proc
ess AZ concealed, and there Is no sug-
gestion Of modern improvement to con
hict with the colonial atmosphere of
the spot.
few years ago the state OF Texas
erected handsome gateway and lodge
Mt the north entrance TO the estate. and
the condition of the park Is being i'm
proved constantly. one Of the most
Interesting rcstoratiOus of recent years
has been that of the old family kltch-
en-, which Is now precisely as II was
in the days when Mrs. Washington
maintained such n rigid oversight of its
management. 1t Is quaint apartment
with brick floor and upholstered
walls and ceiling and 1t is connected
with the mansion by Il covered colon
made The entire east side Of the room
IL occupied by n great fireplace which
IL fitted with an Anticipated revolving
spit which IL worked with chain and
windass Several pieces of kitchen
ware which were in service when Mrs.
Washington gave her famous dinners
| have been found in collections and re-
stored TO their former habitat
Az time has demonstrated. the most
fortunate thing that ever happened to
the precious old relic was the guardian
ship assumed by the Mount Vernon
Ladies association. 1t is not agreeable
TO speculate upon the fate which might
have befaIlcn the property had It's res
cue been delayed Lacking the thrift
and energy of their illustrious ancestor,
| Washlngton's descendants were per
hitting the estate to revert TO con
| ditIon OF primitive disorder. The land
was untitled, the mansion and other
buildings were falling into decay, and
the owner, John Augustine Washing
ton. gave all OF his time to the appar-
emily hopeless task of persuading con
press or the state of Virginia to pur-
chase the property and maintain II as
national or state museum. At this
present time ii is not easy to account
for the hesitation either Of congress or
OF the state of Virginia. 1t was GER
tainly not because either Of them was
ignorant OF the wretched state of neg
lect into which the property had been
suffered to fall for that was patent to
the entire country, ana distinguished
visitors from abroad were not sparing
In their criticism of American luke
warmneSs.
After the association obtained pos
session of Mount Vernon matters con
tinued to look very dark for awhile.
The civil war broke out, and it was
impossible to interest anybody in so
/ important subject even as the resto-
ration of Mount Vernon. The women
Of the association had raised the $780,
900 required to purchase the estate
with comparative facility, Edward Ev-
erett alone having contributed $4,000.
which he had earned by his pen and
lectures. To this generous gift Massa-
ehusetts added $4,000. making half of
the sum demanded, and the remainder