Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-12

have been made by various llileItS'S ~
use 1t for one purpose or another. Many
schemes have been suggested from time
to time but none of them has borne any
large national significance flnaliS III
190, II was advertised that ION August
2s the Lincoln farm was to be sold be
tween the hours of ten and two from
the courthouse steps at pubic oulcrH
and to the highest bidder.
Farm Bought by Collier.
Robert J. Collier of New York city had
been negotiating for the property and
upon the appearance of this notice ne
dispatched Richard Lloyd Jones to
place If possible.
The day set for the bidding was Monday
and as the laws forbade Sunday railway
operation in this neighborhood. Eliza
BEETHOVEN. twelve miles away, was as near
as Mr.. Jones could come by rail- before
Monday noon. At the little hotel III
Eliza bethtown Mr. Jones met two indiVi-
duals who he learned were sent on the
same mission as himself. One represented
a prominent eastern merchant, the other
a distilling concern which recognized the
commercial value of the pure water from
the rock spring and the bottle label bear
ing the inscription Lincoln Birthplace
Whiskey" Both had come with the in
structions to bid it in and the sentiment
which they displayed about their mission
was intense. 1T eventually "oihS tiSii
ruin for before evening their patriotic
enthusiasm had been stimulated to a high
degree and by midnight both were peace
ably abed
Mr. Jones came here by buggy early
the next morning and sought out the
commissioner who was to conduct the
sale. With the thought of the two gentle
men who were still resting in Elizabeth
town he tried to persuade the commits
sioner to start the sale promptly at 10
~ p,,f fI,ot i11 having
Ii in the afternoon. Finally 12:.;0
was agreed upon as a compromise. y
horse auction the same day excited more
interest among the citizens of the village
and it was but a small crowd that gath
cred about the courthouse when Com
missioner Handley announced that he was
ready to sell the Rock Spring farm. The
bidding was started at $3.50 and was
gradually worked up to $500 at which
price it was sold to Mr.. Golfers represent
ative After the papers had ben prop
erly drawn and recorded Mr.. Jones start
ed to drive back to EliZabethtown and
encountered one Of the belated bidders
who was mercilessly hurrying his horse To
reach the auction in time to bid. An
indignant salutation greeted Mr.. Jones
announcement that the Lincoln farm was
in his pocket
What am l to say when I get back >"
the other shouted In diSmay. III give
you $40, 600 for it right now.
national ASSOCIATION & OIIueu.
But Mr.. Collier had better use for tie
place and it was not handed over. In
stead he interested group of representa-
tive American citizens in forming ma
tional association for the preservation of
this ground. This group of citizens Or
ganized the Lincoln Farm Association.
which was promptly incorporated under
the laws of the state of New York. The
title of the Lincoln birthplace was trans
ferred to this association. and the pro-
gram for enlarging the membership Of
the society was at once begun In order
to make the memorial to Lincoln repre-
sent the tributes OF all the people no con-
tribution of more than So has been
cepted, and any one contributing as small
a sum as % cents is entitled to member
ship in the organization.
Since this time about 10000 Subscrip
tions have been received. averaging
little less than LAO to a member. With
these funds the trustees bought the cabin
in which Lincoln was born and set it up
on it's original site; they have begun the
memorial building which Is to cover the
cabin, and they have made plans for de-
veloping the farm into d beautiful park.