Lot 219

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Description:

FDR on Warm Springs, Georgia, Ex-Forbes


FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT, Typed Letter Initialed, to Basil O’Connor, February 26, 1929, Albany, New York. 1 p., 8? x 10.5?, on “STATE OF NEW YORK / EXECUTIVE CHAMBER / ALBANY” stationery. Expected folds; recipient stamp (March 21, 1929); two holes punched in left margin; very good.

New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt writes to his law partner in New York City about the overlapping organizations that were related to his development of Warm Springs, Georgia, as a therapy center for polio patients.


Excerpts
“Last year Mr. Curtis, with my approval, undertook to get the Warm Springs Construction Company incorporated because his books showed such confusion when he wanted to do new work, i.e., capital expenditures put under a separate name.”

“When the new pool was started last Fall I told Kibbe to use this name to prevent a mixup with the hotel supplies, shipments, etc. If the final organization of the Construction Company has not been carried out, it had better die because Kibbe and Carpenter are perfectly capable of keeping the accounts and shipments unscrambled. However, if Kibbe wants it kept on it will be necessary (a) to get the stock from Curtis and Allen (b) hold an organization meeting at Greenville and (c) turn the stock over to Meriwether Reserve.”

Historical Background
Franklin D. Roosevelt first visited Meriwether County, Georgia in 1924, three years after he was stricken with polio, to recuperate in the warm, 88-degree mineral springs there. Enchanted with the place, he invested in it. He bought 10,000 acres on nearby Pine Mountain and established the Warm Springs Foundation as a therapy center, with E. T. Curtis as a manager. As Governor of New York, Roosevelt established Meriwether Reserve, Inc. During the Great Depression, programs started by Roosevelt improved the area. The Works Progress Administration built a community building, and the Civilian Conservation Corps paved roads, dug reservoirs, and cleared park land. The Rural Electrification Act also brought cheap power to Warm Springs.

Engineer Les Kibbe and business manager Arthur Carpenter (himself stricken with polio) managed some of the improvements at Warm Springs.


Basil O’Connor (1892-1972) was born in Massachusetts and became a newsboy at age ten. He graduated from Dartmouth College and Harvard Law School. He was admitted to practice law in 1915. After working at other firms, he founded his own law firm in New York in 1919. A year later, he met Franklin D. Roosevelt, then candidate for Vice President, and became his legal adviser. In 1924, Roosevelt and O’Connor became partners in a law firm that existed until Roosevelt’s inauguration in March 1933. O’Connor also played a key role beginning in 1927 in philanthropic work against polio as a predecessor to the March of Dimes Foundation. In 1934, O’Connor became the senior partner in the firm of O’Connor & Farber. President Roosevelt appointed O’Connor to the American Red Cross, of which O’Connor served as chairman (1944-1947) and president (1947-1949) without pay.

Ex. The Forbes Collection. Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990), American owner-publisher of Forbes magazine, and consummate collector, amassed one of the most substantial and broad collections of such breadth and depth that it filled a half-dozen residences, and sat on three continents. Many of his manuscripts were sold in multi-million dollar sales by Christie's in the early 2000s. The Forbes name is considered to be the apex of provenance when attached to an item like the one above. We are honored to have been chosen by the family to sell at auction the substantial balance of the collection.



This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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June 24, 2020 10:30 AM EDT
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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
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$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000