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Autographed Statements

of Stephen Foster's received royalties and the computed future value of many of his compositions. The original is the property of the Congressional Library, Washington, D. C., and was donated by Mr. Warren Pond of Firth, Pond & Co., who published the most and the best of Foster's songs and to whom he remained loyal until the end, although he received many flattering offers from other publishers. According to Foster's own statements, the first column is the actual money received, the second being his estimate of what was yet due him. It is interesting to note that Old Folks, Kentucky Home and Dog Tray were the most lucrative, the last having now become practically unknown. In Foster's lower notation, he makes mention that he has included and amount of $15 each on Old Folks and Farewell Lilly and $10 on Dog Tray, Massa's in, Oh Boys and Ellen Bayne. This no doubt means payments received for the song's exclusive performing right to E. P. Christy and such transactions as to their use by Christy before publication. (Photo: Courtesy of Library of Congress, Washington, D. C.)

15 Bowery
known in the days of Stephen Foster as The Bowery Hotel, and now (1930) the Home Hotel. Here Foster spent the last days of his life. The composer came to New York with his wife and little daughter in 1860, but shortly after that, they left him; his funds were daily getting lower and the Bowery Hotel became his home, where he paid the munificent sum of twenty five cents a day. in the hall of the cheap lodging house, Stephen Foster was found by his friend, George Cooper, lying in a pool of blood coming from a wound in his throat, caused by a fall. This accident resulted in Foster's death. The second and third photos give one an idea of the conditions he was then living in.

The Old Bowery Theater In 1860

which was just at the time that Stephen Foster came to New York, where he was to remain for the last four years of his life. The theater was located exactly across from the old Bowery Hotel, where Foster was rooming, and no doubt, he often wandered into it. At this period of Fosters life, he was already beginning to drift and the talent which had been so effulgent was beginning to dim, that is to say, the quality of his compositions was deteriorating. Only three negro songs are included in the eleven which were written in the year 1860: Glendy Burke, Don't bet Your Money on the Shanghai, and Old Black Joe, which is the only one of these later negro songs that has stood the wear and tear of time. Of the other songs put out the same year, there is little to say or remember.

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