Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-04-12

be dreadfully difficult to get OUT OF my
bad ways"
:sNot when God helps U.S. returned
Marie, with smile.
Those were sad times; and soon after
this, among the list of persons killed
by the explosion of the cartridge man.
ufactory in the Avenue Rapp We saw
the name of a little girl, Marie Fan
chou.
Tho White House.
! "Fay" in the Louisville Courier, journal .,.
Having for some years been tamlIlar
with the interior of the white house. 1
feel disposed to correct some OF the
gossip which is circulating in regard
to its general shabbiness and poverty
stricken appearance. From what has
been printed on this subject, the pub
lie might we'll believe that congress
was nigyardly in its appropriations for
the genteel support of the family. The
white house-or executive mansion.
which is the name used on official let
tiers and envelopes-is a pure white
building, Of a simple but attractive
style of architecture. 1t is but two
stories high, with eight or more rooms
on each floor. The building is
modelled after the palace of the
Duke of Leinster. The build.
| ing is one hundred and seventy
feet front, and eishty-six feet deep.
1t is built of free.stone, painted white.
with Ionic pilasters, compromising
two lofty stories of rooms crowned
with balustrade. The north front is
ornamented with a portic0 of four
Ionic columns in front and project.
ing screen with three columns. The
pOrtico and ali the windows on that
front of the building overlook a beau
tiful landscape Of pleasure grounds,
bordered by the silvery waters OF the
Potomac.
The view is a charming one. The
entire first floor is divided into spa
ciOus vestibules, halls, drawing.r0Oms,
tate and family dining.rO0ms, recep.
ton and other rooms. The Presidents
offices, the family library, and bed
rooms are all on the second floor.
What is always styled the east room is
a superb drawing-room, running the
width of the house it is eighty feet
long by forty wide with ceiling which
clears twenty-five feet. This room
was originally in one unbroken space,
but as the ceiling was pronounced in.
secure, though it had lasted from 1900
to 1873, was by order of Gen. Babc0ck,
commissioner of public buildings,
stripped to the bare brick walls and
entirely remodeled. This was done at
an enormous outlay, and the result is
one of the most magnificent rooms in
| the country. The work upon this one
| room was begun In the summer, and
was only completed in time for the
New Years reception of 1874. The
marriage Of the Presidents daughter
in May, caused people to think that the
decorations of the room were with
special reference to that wedding.
The ceiling of this spacious apartment
is now divided into three sections,
supported by arches. The centre rep.
resents the SKY with the stars shining,
while the outer portions are frescoed
in the most elaborate style. All the
woodwork Of the room is new, and is
white and gold.
The fine white mantels are remov.
ed, and replaced by white and gold
ones. so that the frames Of the large
mirrors might correspond with the
mantels. The walls are covered with
a yellow paper picked with gold. There
! are eight immense mirrors in this
room, and everything-curtains, furn'
| iture, mirrors, and chandeliers is new.
| or was three years ago. The chan.
deliers were of gilt and superb, but
| they were replaced by an importation
by A. r. Shepherd & Co.. of tho finest
crystal chandeliers ever imported to
this country. As the carpet had been
renewed the year before, the same
one may still be seen in the east room.
The high.backed, solid mahogany
furniture, which was covered with
satin and had been in use many years,
Gen. Babcock sold to Mr.. Ford, pro-
prietor of the theatres here and in
Baltimore, and purchased from firm
in that city the modern but unsuitable
looking furniture which is still in use.
Very possibly the entire annual ap-
preparation of $25, 900 for repairs of
the white house was used in this one
room. Thus it will be seen that in
the eight years that Gen. Grant oc-
cupied the white house $20O,0O0 have
been spent on refurnishing and re.
newing and repairs. With such an
appropriation there certainly can be
no patching of lace curtains or gener-
al shabbiness.
There are three parlors besides the
grand east salon. The green par]or is
but little used, as it is s0mbre. with
its walls of green velvet, panels bor-
| dered with gold, green tapestry car.
pet, and green satin curtains and fur.
| niture. White lace curtains of fine
quality are beneath the satin draperies
| in all the rooms. This room and the
red parlor are each thirty by twenty
two feet. The oval parlor, known as
the blue room, is between the green
and red parlors, and is forty by thirty
feet. This is the most beautiful of the
enlire suite. The carpet was woven
for the floor with handsome centre
piece and blue ground. The curtains
and upholstery are of the handsomest
shade Of blue satin and goldwith walls
to correspond. The state dining.room
opens from the red parlor. and is fifty
by thirty feet. The table and buffet
are of solid, old.fashioned mahogany.
There are modern chandeliers, mirrors,
and curtains in this room /: indeed.
everything is as elegant as we'll could
be. The carpet in this room is the
shabbiest that is seen in this house.
The table furniture has all been i'm.
ported since Gen. Grant became Pres
ident. The china is Sevres, the glass
French, and the silver and cutlery of
the choicest description.
Mrs. Grant told me that she had all
Of her silver, included that presented
to the general by Mexico, put away in
bank, and all that was used at the
white house belonged there. The
whole house has been renovated and
refurnished since General Grant was
elected, and as it was necessary to re.
furnish for Mr.. Jonson, as there was
nothing left over. after Mrs. Lincoln
vacated the premises, the furniture
could not have been very much out Of
order when the Grants took possession.
To avoid any repetition of the scandal
which was 80 common at that time, Mr..