The Washington herald., 1919-10-27
By OLGA b. sTILwELL.

New York, Oct. S-The spirit of
Theodore Roosevelt fairly permeates
New York. In the shop windows are
the books he wrote. his letters to his
children. his biographies and various
photographs from the time he was a
little boy living with his parents at
q East Twentieth street to the end
of his distinguished career.
The Photograph which attracts most
attention is the one of three genera
tions Of Theodore Roosevelts. The
grandfather holds in his arms a most
adorable baby who smilingly displays
two teeth which have a strong racial
tendency. The baby's father, T. r..
jr., is shown in profile. At the initial
mass meeting of the men and women
Roosevelt memorial committee to ar
ford opportunity for raising funds for
the S.0oo.0oO memorial. Gen. Leonard
Wood eulogized Roosevelt and Mrs.
Douglas Robinson. the coloners sis
ter. read an original poem entitled
Sycamore The proceeds. amount
ing to more than 5000, went to the
Women's Roosevelt Memorial Com
mittee to conclude the purchase of the
| Twentieth street.
Quick Work by the Women.
the women only began the project
six monthsN ago, yet they have paid
$4,000 for the site of the birthplace
and the property adjoining at IS East
Twentieth street. which was occupied
during Rooseyelt's boyhood by other
members of the Roosevelt family. OF
the birthplace only the original walls
up to the second story remain, but
Fate intervened before the walls we're
torn down and the shadow they cast
OIL the walls to the east and the SCOT
which the wind blew that way have
defined their original architecture so
clearly that wall restoration will be
exact.
A wholesale business has long since
occupied the modern building on this
site. but as No. IS was a duplicate
house 1t Is interesting to visit now;
all the more so as II is among the
last links between commercial New
York and the fashionable old resi-
dence district OF the early sos.
Varied Businesses In House.
Originally the house had a basement
and three and one-half stories con.
structed of brown sandstone. In its
present ramshackle state of architec-
ture the first floor Is occupied by
Grubman & Eisman. silk and woolen
Offices. The stairway leads off the
street to Bleiner's Hungarian Restau.
rant on the second floor. where sliced
radIshes and turnips are ever ready
o serve with black bread. The origi-
nal family staircase. winding and mar
row. leads from there to the drawing
room on what was the original second
hoor. Now " is a small machine
shop. with pulley and belt and lathe
hummins there all day. buryine in
dust the old fireplace and faded m
terror decorations of the drawing-room
at the end OF which is raised dais,
two steps up. Continuing the last
hight of shaky stairs on to the fourth
moor you arrive In q narrow hall OF
which leads five dusty bedroom doors.
creaking on rusty hinges.
Old Woman Is Only Tenant.
There is a single tenant, a very
old woman. who slips in and out
TRANQUILITY finishing out her days like
the dingy old house itself. all un-
mindful of the commercial stress
which is crowding them both out Of
existence. October q. Roosevelt's
Birthday. will be celebrated here.
and the flag which the Rough Riders
presented to the women's committee
will forever after fly from the house
of his birth. A tablet already marks
the house.
II Is the intention to restore the