Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1910-02-12
LINCOLN DAY
is OBSERVED
PLACE WHERE MARTYRED PRES.
IDENT DIED ATTRACTS
MANY PEOPLE.
President Taft to Address Club at
Lincoln Dinner.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Feb. ~
There is one place in the national
capital where the 18th of February
is an anniversary of great import
ance. In the little house on Tenth
street, Northwest, where Lincoln was
carried after the Ford theatre trag-
edy, and where he died, fitting COM
memoration of the presidents birth
day.
The Tenth street house, directly
across the street from what former
ly was Ford's theatre, is now owned
by the government under authority
of an act of congress which created
a commission to preserve the most
noteworthy houses here that have
made historic by the residence of
the nations most prominent men.
Chief Justice Fuller is president of
this commission.
Since 1893 the Lincoln house in
Washington has been occupied by o.
H. Oldroyd, who has a large collec-
ton of Lincoln relics. When the
government came into possession of
the house 1t was decided to permit
Mr.. Oldroyd to continue his residence
there free of charge. He makes his
living by charging small admission
to those who desire to see the relics.
This admission fee was waived today,
as usual. On Lincoln's birthday last
year 1911 persons visited the Lin
coin house. The number has been
increasing every year
Mr.. Oldroyd is an encyclopedia of
information on the life andswork of
Lincoln. He has made this his life
work, and for nearly SO years has
been searching the country over for
relics and trophies to add to his col
lection. This collection now en-
braces over 5000 articles, and is be-
ing increased every year.
Oldroyd was ruIhing a newsstand
at Mt. Vernon, Ohio, before the war.
In 1860 he came across a pamphlet
dealing with the life of Lincoln. This
so impressed him that he became a
warm admirer of Lincoln and he be-
gan collecting souvenirs of the polit-
ical campaign. The work fascinated
him, and he has continued it to this
day. From 1883 to 1898, Mr.. Old
royd kept his collection in the house
in Springfield, ILL.,, formerly occu-
pied by Mr.. Lincoln. When that
property was presented to the state
of Illinois by Robert T. Lincoln, the
collector moved to Washington and
took up his quarters in the Tenth
street house. The old collector has
had a hard time of it here. Many
years he has run behind in his f.
nances, and even people are not
scrambling over each other in their
haste to pay 20 cents to view the
room where Lincoln died.
War Veterans Observe Day.
WASHINGTON. D. c., Feb. "a
Veterans of both the Spanish and
civil wars, congressman and govern
ment officials and the citizens of the
city generally observed the birthday
of Lincoln today. A special program
has been arranged by the Spanish
American war veterans, and it is un-
derstood that their organization will
observe the day in all the cities OF
the country.
Lineoln's birthday is a legal holt
day in California, Colorado, Connect.
ieut, Delaware Florida, Illinois
Iowa, Indiana, Kansas. Michigan
Minnesota, Montana. Nevada. New
Jersey. New York. North Dakota
Pennsylvania, South Dakota. Utah
Washington. West Virginia and Wy,
oming.
Day I'm Pittsburg.
PIrSBURG. Pa, Feb. 12-Con-
gresham Samuel w. Mccall of Mas
sachusaffs ana aavoral ofhar nnfef