davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1952-10-28
HOUSES FURNISHED

64I6 WOODROW AVE, Cabin John.
Nd tnr Glen Echol--Det frame
on lse. lot bedrms. liv. rm.. din.
rm.. kit. bath. gar; S135 mo. To
inspect call NE. 54O2.
Evening star., 1952-10-28
BRIGHTWOOD

bRlGHl'W / 'WOOD
813 Kennedy st. NV. 1st commercial
semi-det. 9 rm., 2 bedrms, bath,
3 porches, oil h.-w.h., Gear Diet.
garage, fenced lot 25x142. Call
OR: OO4S. DE. 1856 till 8 pm.
REALTY BROKERS, INC, 30
Evening star., 1952-10-28

NEAR GEORGE WASH. History
brick, nicely furn, bedrms.. run
ming water in each room. Lge.
living rm.. dining rm.,. kitchen. OIL
h.-wh., 2l2 modern baths. Will
lease to family of adults. $25u
per mo RE 2131. TR. 1865.
Evening star., 1952-10-28

rn row brick; excel. cond; dble
garage: all cow TU. 1855.
MCLEAN VA.-S-rm 2l2-bath mod
ern home Owner retains l rm.;
immed. poss,; $50 mo. KE. S-5S47.
Evening star., 1952-02-03

was told that the writer of the
letter was still alive. His inform
ant was Washington's indefatig-
able Lincoln collector and re-
searcher, Col. Osborne N. Old
|royd. Col. Oldroyd owned the
house at SIG Tenth street NV
where Lincoln died. He filled II
full of Lincoln items and operated
it as a museum. Mr.. Donderc
represented Henry Ford in offer
ing Col. Oldroyd 100000 for the
collection but the colonel turned
it. down when hes learned that II
would be taken to Detroit. Con-
|gress later paid him $4,000
Visited Sons Widow.
While visiting Mrs. Robert Todd
Lincoln, widow of the Presidents
son, at her summer place, Hal
dene, near Manchester, N. H., Mr.
Dondero happened to tell her that
the little girl who wrote the letter
that changed Lincoln's appearance
was living in Delphos, Kas. It was
news to Mrs. Lincoln. She left
the room and returned a few
minutes later with the original
letter. She gave it to Mr.. Dondero
Perhaps" she said, "she would
be interested in seeing this"
Mr.. Dondero wrote to the writer
of the letter, Mrs. Grace Bedel
Billings, and told her about it
She replied graciously that SHE
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Easing Of Restrictions
On Opening Anacostia
Span Under Way

The Army Corps OF Engineers is
considering relaxing morning and
evening restriction opening the
drawspan of the Anacostia Bridge
for river traffic on Saturdays,
Sundays and holidays.
L. P. Steuart Brothers. Inc, has
asked elimination Of the closed
periods on the bridge at Eleventh
street Sc. during those days, ac-
cording to an announcement, Col.
Alan J. McCuthchen. District En-
gineer.
Present regulations were ap-
proved by the Secretary Of the
Army in 1947.
They provide for opening the
bridge on signal from 9 am. to
4 pm. daily, and on advance no
tice from $50 pm. to 6:45 am
daily.
To facilitate vehicular trafflc,
the draw is not required to open
for the passage of vessels except
those owned or operated by the
United States or the District, be-
tween 6:45 and 9 am. and from 4
to $50 pm. daily.
The change would eliminate the
6:45 to 9 am. closed period on
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays,
and the 4 to $50 pm. closed per-
iod on Sundays and holidays.
Approval would require the
drawspan to open for the passage
of vessels during those times.
Interested persons. particularly
navigation interests and others af-
tfected, are requested to send in
their views by February %.
Evening star., 1952-02-03

was homely. One day her father
went to a fair and brought home
la campaign poster. It was a pic
lture of Lincoln and Hannibal
Hamlin, the vice presidential can
didate, surrounded by a fence with
picture of the preceding is presi-
dents below.
Mrs. Billings told Mr.. Dondero
how she studied Lincoln's picture
land came to a decision as to what
was needed-whiSkerS. She went
to her room in their typical New
York State white farm house and
started to write.
Explains Salutation.
Mr.. Dondero asked her about
her salutation, "Hon. A. B. Lin
coin" and she said that was an
ll1-year-old girls idea of how tt
spell "Abe." She remembered that
she had to get the help Of an older
Igirl at school in addressing the
letter to Mr.. Lincoln in SPRING
field, Ill.
There on the wall Of Mrs. Bill
|ing's home was Lincoln's reply.
"It was In one Of those old oval
frames of a floral design for a
lportrait photograph" Mr.. DON
'dero said. There was no glass on
Evening star., 1952-02-03

Eit. It was just stuck there with
ia pin"
Her letter was dated October Is,
1860; Lincoln's october 10.
TN the height of his political
campaign" said Mr.. Dondero, "he
had answered in his own hand a
letter mailed to him four days
before from a point 600 miles
away"
He asked her about the blots on
Lincoln's letter.
She told him that when she got
the mail at the postoffice and
found that Mr.. Lincoln had an
lswered her himself, she ran out
into a snowstorm-nothing .un-
usual for Westfeld In late Octo-
Iber-with the open letter in her
hand and the blots were caused
by snowf1akes falling on the words.
Lincoln passed through West
field on February Is on his way
to be inaugurated. Mrs. Billings
Evening star., 1952-02-03

had had no idea that the President
had saved her letter and that Mr.
Dondero was welcome to his gift
from Mrs. Lincoln:
He was determined to call or
Mrs. Billings at the first opportun.
ity and in 1880 he made the Ions
trip to Delphos, which is near the
Colorado border of Kansas. He
took the letter with him.
Tells Story of Letter.
He found Mrs. Billings to be a
handsome white haired woman
the widow of a banker, living in
comfortable circumstances. She
had married a veteran Of the Union
Army and they had taken Horace
Greeley's advice by going West
She told the story Of her exchange
of letters with lincoln.
Her father was q blacksmith II
Westfield, which is a charming
little town south Of Buffalo or
the shore Of Lake Erie, a town now
famous for its grape products. He1
father was for Lincoln and SC
were two of her brothers. The
other two were for Stephen A
Douglas. She was for Lincoln.
The girls at school used to tease
her about this. They said Lincoln
Evening star., 1952-02-03
'Donohue Sees Merit
In Study Of Police,
Fire Retiremenfs

Commissioner F. Joseph Dono-
hue said last night there may
be some basis" for re-examining
the rules governing retirement of
police and f1remen.
"This is especially true" he said
during his weekly Report to the
People" broadcast over WWDC,
"since we have seen some candi-
dates for top jobs who are judged
physically fit for that job when
they are appointed, and then two
or three years later apply for re-
Itirement ON physical disability"
The Commissioner pointed out
that the proposed District reor-
|ganization plan would place the
Board of Police and Fire Surgeons
under supervision Of the Health
Department.
Ultimatum Issued.
This is designed to divorce the
board, which examines retirement
applicants, from close association
with either the Fire or Police De-
Ipartments."
MFR. Donohue also issued an ulti-
matum to Representative Davis,
Democrat, of Georgia, on the
subject Of integration Of colored
and white companies Of the Fire
| Department.
He said II hearings are not
called within 10 days" after Mr..
Davis returns from sick leave, the
Commissioners will go ahead with
plans to put integration into effect.
Would Block Integration.
Mr.. Davis is author Of a bill
which would block the plan. It
was reported from his Office that
he plans to be back on the job
Monday.
Mr.. Donohue said he had not
asked the views of the new, fire
chief, Millard H. Sutton, on in
|tegration, but said he would not
have voted for Chief Sutton's ap-
Ipointment if he had not felt the
new chief would carry out orders
|of the Commissioners.
Evening star., 1952-02-03

Suitland is 435 acres but only
about a quarter of that is now
used. There are seven buildings
for the Census Bureau and 9
building used by the Navy Hydro
graphic Office. The site is about
6 air miles from downtown Wash
ington.
On part Of the tract is a hous-
ing development of temporary
structures put up by the National
Capital Housing Authority.
The area at Langley Is northwest
of the Chain Bridge on the Vir-
ginia side and consists of $50
acres. It extends from the Po-
tomac River to State Route 604
and is about Z miles from the
zero milestone. Il
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Temperature Due 10 Fall
Following Rain Today

Colder weather is expected here
tomorrow. after a spell of rain
today, but the temperature still
should be somewhat higher than
normal for this time Of the year,
according to the Weather Bureau
The mercury reached 60 degrees
yesterday.
Meanwhile, thin ice brought
about by unseasonably warm
temperatures in New England has
cost the lives of seven children.
Weak ice caused the drownings
Of three boys in q Newport (R. IT,
city reservoir; q brother and a
sister In a swamp at North Ston-
ington, Conn. and two sisters in
a cemetery pond at Boston.
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Sofety ToIks
Inspector MonsfieId's
Schedule for Week


Inspector Dick Mansfield, direc.
tor of The Stars School Safety
Program. viii give his Safety
Circus chalk talks at the follow.
ing District elementary school.
this week:
Monday: Kenilworth, II am.
q pm.
Tuesday: Emery, $50 am.
1880 am.
Wednesday: Bunker Hill. $50
am, 10:30 am.
Thursday: Eastern Elementary
q pm.
FRIDAY: whittier. Il aps . pm
Evening star., 1952-02-03

sumner itself, Mr.. Baker carried
on the fight as a citizen.
The federation also worked to
obtain a consultant In pediatrics
and obstetrics now on the stat
of the Health Department.
It has urged establishment of a
Milk Control Board for the Dis
trict so that prices here would not
be controlled by the Virginia State
Milk Commission.
It urged the establishment Of q
citizens advisory council by the
Commissioners, which was made
a part of the reorganization plan
for the District government now
pending.
Studies Transit Problem.
It has been active in promoting
a study Of the Metropolitan area
transit problem. Legislation now
pending before Congress would
authorize an Interstate Commerce
Commission investigation Of the
matter.
The Citizens Federation is
studying the reorganization plan
for the city government. and the
Civic Federation has sent its COM
ments on the plan to the District
Building.
The Civic Federation has
worked for more and better school
facilities, for larger police force
and for integration of the white
and colored members of the Fire
Department.
The various associations work
for needed improvements in Their
own areas, such as traffic signals
street lights, street improvements
and better sanitation facilities.
Attend Hin Hearings.
The federations and their MEM
ber groups send representatives to
speak before congressional COM
lmittees considering District affairs
and to the many hearings con-
Quoted by city agencies on various
phases Of the city's operation.
Jerome P. Lynch. chairman OF
1.-THE membership committee Of the
Citizens Federation, reported at
last nights. regular meeting OF
the organization that member
ship inquiries are being recorded
land forwarded to the associations
concerned for follow-up.
| DR.. j. Ross Veal, president,
stressed the Importance of putting
1.-THE drive over. He pointed out that
added numbers in the membership
win give the federation more
prestige when it goes before con-
lgressional committees.
Evening star., 1952-02-03

remembered that d woman had
taken her to the station with 9
bouquet Of musk roSes-yelloW
roses. BY this time she must have
become something of a celebrity
in her home town. She was prob
ably the only person in Westfield
who had a letter from the newly
elected president.
Mr.. Lincoln, in his platform ap-
pearance, said he had a little
correspondent" in Westfeld and
asked if she was there. Grace was
led forward and boosted up into
Lincoln's arms, His face was be-
whiskered, a three-month growth.
"You see, Grace" he said, ~
let them grow for YOU" y.
Mr.. Dondero had come to the
end of his story.
|. HE was our first bearded presi-
dent" he said. 1--WE made a
careful check. And that's how
it came about"
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Thieves 7 ostes Go
Expensive in2
Jobs: Butter, :, Liquor

Police are looking for some per-
sons who suddenly are enjoying
the more expensive things in life
Item one: Butter.
Milton Kessler. manager of the
District Butter Co., 1876 Fifth
street NE. reported yesterday
that some one broke into his build
ing and took Is cartons of butter
total value, $725.
Item two: Liquor.
Saul Lehrman, owner of liquor
store at 102 North Carolina avenue
Sc, said thieves broke into his
store and took 81 fifths of whisky
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Revision May Result
In Placing Dispersal
Sites Nearer District
By Froncis P. Douglas

Revision of dispersal plans for
erecting Federal Office buildings in
outlying areas may result in rec
concentrations of sites nearer
Washingtno than at first con-
templated.
Linked with this, it was learned
yesterday, is the probability that
the acreage for the sites would be
scaled down. Under original plans
between 200 and 300 acres was set
as the desirable area for the site
of a dispersed building. If a loca-
tion closer to Washington is de-
tcided on this may be reduced to
about so acres.
One of the sites which may be
considered, it was learned, is the
area at Suitland, Md, where the
Census Bureau is. Another is the
former Letter Estate at Langley.
Va, which was purchased some
time ago by the Public Roads Bu-
reau.
Proposals Outlined.
Under present proposals, as dis
closed by President Truman, the
buildings planned for dispersal as
protection measure in case OF
atomic bomb attack would be
placed on land now Government
owned. This would reduce the
overall cost of the development
and would meet protest of neigh
boring counties against more OF
their land being taken from the
tax rolls.
The plan Of using only Govern.
ment-owned land narrowS the
choice of sites. It may also make
necessary placing the buildings
closer to the Capital than the 90
mile distance originally stressed al
necessary for safety.
Two Of the Government-ownec
sites inspected by members o1
Congress are the Agricultural Elk.
pertinent Station at Beltsville, Md
and Fort Belvoir, Va. There /.
extensive acreage at both places
The former is served by the Wash
ington- Baltimore highway, the lat.
ter by the Shirley highway. Bott
are about IL miles from downtown
Washington.
Government 4racts Listed.
| The possibility Of using a tract
7 at the edge of the Fort Meade
: reservation also has been men.
! toned.
The Government-owned area i
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Citizens Groups Step Up Drive
For Big Membership Increase

The organized citizens cam
paign for new members mobilizee
this week to reach every District
resident with a shower of hand.
bills, public speeches and radio
and television reminders.
The Federation Of Citizens AS.
sociations has distributed nearl!
10000 dodgers to officials Of it
various associations for dissem.
nation in their neighborhoods.
The Federation of Civic Asso-
Citations, composed Of the colorec
organizations, is providing it,
groups with similar handbills.
The federations also are pro.
viding information to prospective
new members by telephone. The
number for the Citizens Fedora.
ton is District 0556 or 0557. The
Civic Federation's number |.
Sterling 4077.
The campaign will continue
through this month.
Oficials Of the declarations em.
|phasize that membership provide.
District residents with an effec.
tive voice in the conduct Of the
city's affairs.
Concerned on u. S. Payment.
A concern Of both groups al
present is the need for an increase
in the Federal Governments pay
|ment toward the cost Of running
the District. Their members point
to the municipal services rendered
the United States, and the amount
|of tax-free land it holds here.
The Civic Federation traces
many Of the inadequacies of city
facilities and services it deplores
to the Smallness of the Federal
payment, which this year amounts
to only about 8 per cent Of the
cost OF running the city.
The declarations and their mem
ber groups interest themselves il
virtually every other problem o1
the city. small and large.
Won Gas Rate Case.
A major achievement Of tht
Federation Of Citizens Associa.
tions during the 1950-195l yea
resulted in refunds Of more thar
81 million to gas consumers herr
when a lAte increase was over.
turned by the courts.
Vernon v. Baker, as chairman
of the federation's public utilities
Icommittee, successfully attacked
higher rates approved by ths
Public Utilities Commission. Since
the federation was not . gas pn.
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Dondero Shows Letter Retes Story Beard
By GEORGE Kennedy


year-old girl which caused Lin
coin to grow a beard is the priced
possession of Representative DON
dero, Republican, of Michigan.
He produced it In his Office as
he told the story of how it came
into his possession and how he
Travelled more than halfway
across the country to meet the
writer-then a woman of 80.
The ink was brown with age:
the script Of the old copy-book
RIGHTEOUSNESS. The Library OF
Congress had covered it with a
transparent preservative. Mr.. Don
dero also produced a photo copy
of Lincoln's reply. It appeared to
have been written with a scratchy
pen that cramped the hand and
it was marred by small blots.
The letters read:.
Westfield. Chautauqua Co., N. Y.
october Is, 1860
Hon. A. B. Lincoln,
Dear Sir:
My father has just Gomez
home from the fair and brought
home your picture and Mr..
Hamlin's. I am a little girl, II
years old, but want you should
be President of the United States
very much, so I hope you won't
think me very bold to write to
such a great man as you are.
Have you any little girls about
as large as I am, if so give them
my love and tell her to write
me il you cannot answer this
letter. I have got four brothers
an6 part of them will vote for
you any way and if you will let
your whiSkers grow I will try to
get the rest of them to vote for
you. You would look a great
deal better for your face is so
thin. All the ladies like whiskers
and they would tease their hus-
bands to vote for you and then
you would be President.
Grace Bedell.
Lincoln'S reply:
Private,
Springfield, ILL.,,
Oct. 19, 1860.
Miss Grace Bedell
Westfield, N. Y.
My dear little Miss,
Your very agreeable letter Of
the 18th is received. I regret
the necessity Of saying I have
no daughters. I have three
sons, one seventeen, one nine.
and one seven years Of age.
They, with their mother, con-
stitute my whole family. AS to
the whiskers, having never worn
any, do you not think people
would call it piece of silly
affection if ! were to begin it
now?
Your very sincere well-wisher.
A. Lincoln.
Mr.. Dcndero, son of an Italian
who came from Genoa
almost a century ago, has been a
Lincoln fan all his life. It was
partly in recognition of this and
party because he is a hard and
able worker in party causes that
he was made chairman of the
Republicans annual dollar chick
n-the-box supper which will
be held tomorrow night in the
new Georgetown University gym
naSium. ....
Part of Lincoln Legend.
The story that little girl got
him to grow a beard has been
part of the Lincoln legend since
the then newly-elected President
travelled East for his first inaug-
uration. Ida Tarbell mentioned
it in her biography of Lincoln
A book based on the incident
entitled ''Lincoln's Little Cores
pondent" by Hertha PAUL. is soor
to be published by Doubleday s
Co., Inc, and Readers Digest
made an excerpt from it the leao
article of it's January issue.
Back in the 20s Mr.. Donderc
Evening star., 1952-02-03
Discussion Tuesduy

Wage and Salary Sterilization
will be discussed by Joseph p
Gould, industrial relations con-
sultant, at a meeting of the Board
of Trade employment and security
committee at 1890 pm.dTueSday
in the Burlington Hotel.
Evening star., 1952-05-22
By jones Y. Newton

The Government today was ex-
pected to return the Nations rail-
roads to private ownership follow
ing settlement of the thfee-year-
old labor dispute. y
Three rail operating unions
grudgingly accepted terms OF q
new contract at the White House
last night. Together with repre-
Isentatives of management they
signed a memorandum Of agree
ment."
Thus was ended a dispute which
began in March, 1949. over wages
and working conditions. The dis
pute was interspersed with strikes
It led to Government seizure o1
the railroads in August, 1850. The
carriers since that time tecl1ni-
cally have been operated by the
Army. -,
Unlike a similar memorandum
signed by the union chiefs at the
White House in December. 1850
the new agreement is binding
The old pact, almost identical ir
terms, was repudiated by the
Executive Boards and membership
referendums of the unions. The,
were not satisfied with that par
of the pact dealing with so-callec
working rules.
To Release Seizure.
Oficials indicated the carrier
soon will be released from seizure
This will be done as soon as th'
parties sign an actual contract in
cooperating terms of the Whitt
House agreement. ....
The rail workers will receive
from $500 to $1,100 each in bacl
pay. The wage increases are retro,
active, some of it as far back a!
October, 1850. Rail management
ESTIMATED total back pay claim.
at $100 million. Money to meet
the claims has been kept in reserve
funds by the carriers.
The three unions are the Lo.
comotive Engineers, the Firemer
and Enginemen and the Con.
ductors. They represent about
100000 workers who run the
trains. A fourth operating union
the Trainmen, agreed to similal
terms a year ago.
The agreement was won BY
John r. Steelman, assistant tt
President Truman. after intensive
mediation efforts. Mr.. Steelmar
said he had put in 600 hours in
actual conferences with the dis
lputants since the controversy
started.
Terms of Agreement.
The agreement provides:
l. A wage increase of 81 cents
an hour for workers employed in
rail yards and terminals. Those
employed in over-the-road serv-
ice receive a boost of 221a cents
an hour.
2. The pay of the workers will
be adjusted every three months
according to the rise or fall in the
e
Evening star., 1952-05-22
Tories Win Approval
I0fBiIIto 10 Denationalize
British Trucking
BY the Assoeioted Press

LONDON, May %. - The
Churchill Conservative govern
lment won approval in the House
of Commons last night on its gen.
Ierai plan to return Britain's ma
tionalized trucking industry to
private ownership.
BY a vote of 307 to 283, the
House defeated a Labor Party
resolution bitterly attacking de-
naturalization as return to
wasteful competition"
The government thus mustered
"a 24-vote margin in its first big
test of prediction pledges to de-
nationalize the nations trucking
and steel industries.
The vote on the government
motion for denationalizing truck
ing was then carried by 305 to
283. The Conservatives overall
working majority in the 625-mem-
ber house is 16. Both major par
ties had their members under
strict orders to show up for last
nights voting.
Next comes a government bill
setting terms for denationalizing
the trucks. This, too, faces
challenge in Commons.
Prime Minister Churchill inter-
vened in debate yesterday. He
said he put trucking ahead of
steel because it is more urgent
and that the Labor Party's ma
tionalizing of trucking had proved
costly and inefficient. Labor said
it would go back to its own system
on returning to power.