Evening star., 1935-03-24

fullest extent. He was the last to use
it. for when Cleveland became Presi-
dent he purchased a country estate on
Woodley lane and lived there in warm
weather during his two terms Since
then no President has occupied the
cottage.
Though it is said that President
Buchanan occupied the Anderson cot
tage during a part Of his administra-
ton. from 1857 to 1861. yet this state
ment is questioned. and the assertion
comes from authentic source that it
was the governors house, to the west
Of the cottage, that was used by Lin
coins predecessor.
7 INCOLN'S occupancy of the An
derson cottage. however. is what
has given to it the greatest historic
value. for 1t was here. in July, 1862.
that he prepared the original draft
Of the emancipation proclamation,
which he issued following the Battle
Of Antietam.
The accuracy of this statement is
vouched for by Mr. Lincoln in his own
words. when he says: Il put the draft
Of the proclamation aside, waiting for
q victory. Well, the next news We
had was Of Pope,s disaster at Bull
Run. Things looked darker than
ever. Finally came the week of the
Battle of Antietam. 1 determined to
wait no longer. The news came. 1
think, on Wednesday, that the ad-
vantage was on our side. I was then
staying at the Soldiers Home Here
finished writing the second draft
Of the proclamation; came up on
Saturday: called the cabinet together
to hear it. and it was published the
following Monday. ! made solemn
vow before God that If Gen. Lee
was driven back from Maryland, I
would crown the result by the declara-
ton Of freedom to the slaves"
1t is said this cottage was erected
in 1910. that it now contains IL
rooms, the same number it contained
when Lincoln occupied 1t, and that
it is identical with that period. no
changes having been made to the
building since then.
President Lincoln's bedroom is on
the second floor of the cottage and
is the largest room in the house. Two
large front windows open directly
over the porch. and splendid view
of the city is obtained. Immediately
beneath the bedroom is President
Lincolns sitting room. This opens
directly upon the front porch of the
cottage Not only should our own
people be familiar with this historic
building, but visitors to the city
should not go away without seeing it.
A CORNER which meant much to
early Washington. near the Riggs
mansion, was the southwest corner of
I and Seventeenth streets, now busi-
ness property. for here was located
one Of the first school houses in the
city. Its construction was authorized
October 81. 1906. and it was soon
thereafter erected. It was a one
story building so feet long and 20
feet wide. and cost $1,02l l72-quite
difference in size and cost from
our modern schools. The ground be-
longed to the Federal Government.
and was not purchased by the Dis
trict until 1921, when the United
States was given 500 for the lot,
which was used by the Government
in building an iron fence to incloSe
the park around the Capitol.
In 1882 the building and ground
were sold by Mayor John P. Van Ness
for 1909. and, according to the late
Albion K Paris. 1t served for awhile
as a Quaker meeting house, later be-
coming a private school. OF this
school Mr.. Paris has said:
In this building. old and time-worn
place, Two Northern sisters conducted
private school for small children.
We studied little and played much,
as I pleasantly remember, but in the
period Of my early school life at the
Pecks clearly recollect the day Rich
mond was surrendered to the Federals.
Vhen. q the news came. we were dis,