Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1914-12-25
WHERE LINCOLN DIED
BY j. f. Jones.

DlICCIly dCIOoo L Oheh oeA WV AAO---
the old Ford theater building, in
Washington, is a dull colored four
story building, wedged in between
surrounding structures that might
have been pretentious in the days of
the Civi. war. There are number
of restaurants in the block at the
rear, and once an oil supply house
did business close at hand. On two
occasions there have been fires in the
neighborhood. The dull colored
brick building is decorated with q
sign and an American flag always
floats from one of the upper win
dows.
1t is the building in which Abra-
ham Lincoln died.
When the great emancipation was
taken out of Ford's theater his condi-
ton was SO critical that it was not
deemed wise to take him to the
White House, though that was only
half a dozen blocks away. Instead
he was hurried to the first house,
Immediately across the street, which
served as a lodging house. There
apparently was not even time to Sc
lect the best room, for at the end Of
the hall entrance there opened long
and narrow bedroom. In this room
Lincoln died nine hours after J..
Wilkes Booth had committed one of
the most dastardly deeds recorded in
history.
The government Of the United
States purchased this building in
1897, paying $4,000 for the prop
erty. Mr.. o. H. Oldroyd was induced
to bring his Lincoln collection from
the Lincoln home in Springfield and
install it in the building. For about
a year the government paid him a
salary, and then for some peculiar in
applicable reason the stipend was
dropped from the appropriation bill.
Mr.. Oldroyd was permitted to charge
an admittance to the building, but
for many years it was insufficient to
keep up the expense. but by mort
gaging the priceless relics, and by
"hook or crook" he kept the wolf
from the door. He has over three
thousand articles in his memorial
collection pertaining to the martyred
president and many of these are al
most priceless, but instead of parting
with any of these when dark clouds
hung low. he has added to the num-
Der of articles.
The superintendent Of public build
ings and grounds keeps the old build
ing in repair, but nevertheless it is a
neglected, melancholy looking sort of
place. Mr.. Oldroyd has for years urg-
ed that the adjoining buildings be
purchased and torn down and that
the old house be enclosed in a new
fireproof structure. He offers to sell
, his own priceless collection to the
government at it's own price, but
there is no evidence that anyone is
paying any attention, and while
great politicians, including the presi-
dent and secretary of state, are wor-
rying themselves about the former
home of Thomas jefferson, which has
been splendidly preserved under pri-
vate ownership, they have evidently
overlooked the fact that within half
! dozen squares of the executive man
sion priceless reflector such is this
house where Lincoln died--is kept
up by patriotic Lincoln enthusiast
entirely on his own initiative and
responsibility.
To add insult to injury the local
government of the District of Column
bia exacts a tax Of $3.50 a year on
the Oldroyd Lincoln Memorial Col
lection-a collection valuable because
it contains 1O1 original varieties OF
photographs of Lincoln, the last piece
of handwriting by the martyred pres
ident, brief note hastily scrubbed
as Lincoln started for Ford's theatel
that fateful aight Of April IA, 1865
There are books Lincoln used, arti
cles of household furitnure, carica
lures of his administration. 255 fun
eral sermons and addresses and eu
logies, an original black locust raj
split by Lincoln in 1880 with affida