The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-09


intention to present the collection
to the Government when he pro-
posed to purchase the collection.
To Await Congress- Action.
81 merely know Ford told me he
would pay me $4,000 for the col
lection which he further stated he
would ship to Detroit. informed
him I would hold the offer under
consideration until Congress con.
vened and had an opportunity to
purchase and save the collection as
part of the national possessions,
which feel it properly should be.
come"
Captain oldroyd started the col.
lection sixty.three years ago when
he came into possession Of q hook
issued In 1860 by Rudd and Carl.
ton, Of New York, which sold for
Is cents. The story Of Lincoln so
impressed him that he began col.
lecting Lincoln mementos. Even
before the assassination Of Lincoln
he possessed respectable Lincoln
collection. Following the tragedy
In Ford,s theater he decided to
devote his .li6e to the accumulation
OF q Lincoln Memorial collection,
purpose he has consistently adhered
to through the past sixty years.
The result OF his effort speaks for
itself.
Thousands Of persons from all
sections Of the world have visited
the collection. In recent years
foreign visitors have invariably ex-
pressed surprise that q collection Of
this character should be permitted
tEA IN
private hands. In particular, have
being housed in q building liable to
expressing such opinions WAS a
secretary OF the British Historical
Society who declared that II his
government could come into pos
session Of such q collection as.
ISOLATED with any Of his country's
great men It would promptly be
taken over and provided with a
suitable building.
While unquestionably part Of the
collection has relatively little value,
other than as It is q part Of the
whole, the collection 10 conceded to
be one of the most valuable in the
world, with an interest little less
than worldwide. Appraisers com
petent to pass on its value place it
at approximately S125.000 without
taking into consideration the high
price many of the articles would
bring under competitive bidding.
A Fitting Memorial.
An appreciation of the collection
lately expressed follows:
1.-THE 18th day of February, 1924,
will be the 18th anniversary of the
birth of Abraham Lincoln. Much
has been said and written In the
past as to a suitable memorial to
be offered to the people to com
memorate the life of the man who
literally hewed his own pathway to
the head Of the nation, a man whose
memory must ever be held IL. love
rev erence and veneration.
ut would seem that no more fit
ting memorial could be offered t.
| preserve his memory in an init
mate sense than the house from
which his soul took flight and will
it the thousands OF souvenirs, all o.
which speak 30 highly and elo
quently Of his life. The collection
tells the simple yet Incompatible
story of his life with such eloquenct
that ito influence upon the youngeI
generation who visit 1t will hngeI
with them forever as an inspiration
and assist the mind in forming
proper conceptions of his charac
ter.''
A bill looking toward the pur
chase Of the collection by the Gov
eminent wfil be introduced wheI
Congress meets In December. It ii
understood that favorable consider
alton of the bill will be urged b.
organizations in all sections of tn,
country: Washington. 1t IL declared