The Arvada enterprise., 1919-02-13
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partment paper surgeons rendered unavailable.
Az labor Of love and appreciation for the his
torical value Of the document nnd Its famous
author. the library Of congrNss finally volunteered
to send Its most expert manuscript reparer down
to Fairfax to make the repairs and put the -
pages into condition that would Insure them
against further destruction. This entailed the
shipping to Fairfax Of considerable equipment.
including heavy press.
To put the battered paper In good condition
quired 10 days Of the most painstaking work on
the part Of William Berwick, the librnrys skilled
manuscript mender who made daily trips to the
quaint old courthouse. The hrst step toward
restoration after he had photographed every one
OF the ragged pages was setting the Ink. This
was done by liquid process bath designed to
prevent further fading. Then each one Of the
sheets was backed or mounted upon crepeline. .
sort of transparent durable silk gauxe which al.
lowed any reasonable amount OF handling. Then
came an endless amount Of scraping. patching.
pasting and cutting which only the deftest. most
expert fingers could do. and the results would not
have been Sc remarkably satisfactory but for q
most fortunate circumstance.
When 1t came to grating new material into the
old manuscript to replace the old which had been
worn away. the great problem lay In finding new
material that would match In texture and color
that upon which the will written. Mr.. Ber.
wick was In despair us to where to find paper for
the patches which would make the will look 40
good AZ new. when BY lucky chance In q second.
hand book store In Washington a number of blank
sheets Of the writing paper which George Wash.
ington had made especially for his personal use
were discovered. This exactly what was
wanted and now. unless one holds the sheets Of
the restored will In such position that the bright
light will shine through them, there Ii NO way Of
telling where the old part. rather the original
part. leaves on and the grated sections begin.
When Mr.. Berwick completed his insk which
cost the Fairfax authorities nothing. the sheets
nj tps1
In the form Of q book mounted with a handsome
red evant cover. were placed In steel hreprOOf
and burglnrproof safe constructed especially for
the purpose. In accordance with the specifications
Of the government Oficials
The will. which has been called the most val.
liable relic Of any left to pOsterity by the father
Of his country-inore valuable than the swords
books furniture china. In view Of the fact that
II more faithfully p0rtrays the mind Of the man
himself. rejecting his personality as nothing else
could do NO perfectly. opens follows:
l. George Washington. Of Mount Vernon = c,,is~n Of
the United States and lately president Of tho sass
make. ordain and dsciars THIS instrument which "
written with my hand and every page thereof
subscribed with my name to b. my last will and tss-
lament. revoking all others
IN II ne directs thnt:
TO my beloved wife Martha Washington, ! xiv. and
SeGra,h the and beneht OF entire estate. real
and p~rsonn FOR tho term of nrr natural hfs except
such parts thereof arr rtecincally disposed Of
He also ordered thnt his body he Inferred '1n q
quiet manner, without parade or funeral Grafton"
One clause. which hns been extensively quoted
liz AZ follows:
Upon tn. decsase of my w'f. I, in my viii ana de.
,,rc that Nil the slaves which hold In right
shall rcc9v. their freedom.
Concerning the disposition Of his slaves. the
General gave more explicit directions thnn to any
n,h.r purt Of his cstntc md he especially directed
,,nt non. Of them should be- sold outside Of vir-
gInn.
lie directed that his debts. which he snid were
"f.w md none of grcnt magnitude he "punctunl.
Iy and speedily paid" lie also called intention
10 the fnct thnt mnny Of the young men of IN.
United Stn,cs were being sent abroad 10 foreign
Countries TO be- cducntcd nnd were contracting
habits Of dissipation md principles mnfrlcndly "a
r.DublIcnn government. To MD In stopping this
M. pnyc 20 shnrcs In the Potomac company Ia
wnrd tn. endowment Of n university within the
District OF Columbia under the auspices of tho
ycncrpI government. He niso innd" provision IN
his Will for the construction Of family vault
nj Mount Vernon In which might h" pnccd III"
,,,nnips uf himself and hs near relatives
I'll" viii may be seen through the glass side Of
III. vault In which II Ia deposited, before which
hang heavy green curtains 10 exclude the light.
Tnirfna Court HOUSE In dOubly rich In view 0f
the fuct TINT II nav nis0 treasures the will Of
Martin Washington. nlso returned TO II mftcr
,pnpy ynnrs of wnndcrtng. Il WAS signed on Sep.