The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-08-21
THE WHITE nOUsE,
. shabby and siciNIy old Structure
thnt OugaS 10 be ner.sOved.
Philadelphia Times

Tie proiensious structure al Washington
chose abiieness has fJr nearly century
Given to it the name Of the white housc, by
which it is known throughout the civil Isl
world Is eucompassed without by mAlariol
.rs,zes from the Potomac fats and poisoned
githiu by venomous gases IRON impeItee.ly
rspned sewer connections. To put family
% i've in such place is almost as bad us
What was brought TO light few days ago in
the lower part of Walnut straet, where sew
oral childreA had died in one unpleasant
SSelliog owing 10 the noxious vapors they
were compelled 10 inhalt. ThtIe is more
style about the white house than in the
chesp and gloomy tenement, but foul air,
which is no respecter OF persons, is much the
same in one rs IN the other.
When the white house WAS built il was a
GORGEOUS structure for its day. Its original
cost was over quarter OF u million dellars
Improyements aud additions have since
brought its cost, with tina. Of the grounds
around it, to six or seven times that sum. The
house has been repaired and tinkered and
matched and altered and mehded until il is
now something like an old pair of boots
which have been half-soled, heeled and
footed dom times and badly need new
ions. All III is contained in the line of
modern improvement has been added in
such aftsgmentary way that i, is like patches
of new cloth on an old garment. When it
was built modern ideas Of heat and ventil-
alton and water works were not known.
The Potomac flats were not what
thew are now They have increased
in size, hatness and in malarous
potency. To stay in the white house at
night is 10 rick an attack of illness. As q
residence ii is no longer useful. To expect
the chief magistrate of the nation to live
there is absurd. 1t has long been known
that the place is not desirable TO live II =, es-
pecislly 10 the summer. For years its orcu-
pants have found safety and comfort by go>
ing ia outside the city to the S ,ldiels'
home Recent Investigations into the
plumbing work of tho white house have
shown that there are come Objectionable fes-
lures which would not be allowed TO exist in
sthrd-class inn.
Nor ia there any site on the whole twenty
five acres of ground in the white house en-
closure on which residence for the presi-
dent aud his family could wisely be erected.
Malaria from those p stiferous fats poison
the whole territory. The flats are growing
worse and worse every year. Its suggested
that they be drained The suggestion is as
sound as 1t ia venerable. 1t was made long,
long ago. To drain the flats decently can be
done only by filling them up. 1t would take
dozen years and coat millien Year.
Some of these days it will have to be done.
Meantime new executive residence Is
needed. There are plenty of places in
Washington for it, where the ground
Is higher and the air purtr. We do not
need such q costly building as kings and
emperora are proud to dwOll in. Half
million would pay for one quite good
enough. The chief magistrate Of this coul-
try has q right TO home. Now he has no
hou,e of hi. own to 1.-Two in, but only some
building, the rest of which is made up of
offices and IS trsmpng ground for the peos
pie of America and all the rest OF erosion
who choose to go there. The president and
his family should have house in which he
and they may he ss private as the humblest
citizen in his three story brick.
II Is an evidence of the phenomenal
strength of Mr.. Gsrfeld's constitution that
he has lived for weeks 10 that old house,
breathing the mephitic air waited into his
bed chamber from those villsinous fats
No wonder he wants to be out. Let us hope
he will soon be able TO go where he can
breathe almost any other atmosphere. One
Of the fret things congress should do when il
next assemblies is to decree the erection of q
new and decent "white house" 1t will be
an appropriate national thank offering for