The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-08-25
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Il Historic and ldeally.L0catedS Strac
tsare which shOula No Preserved

tmrc which SHOULD D0 Preserved
[From The Utica Hersld.l
The White House has had no general
overhauling since il was rebuilt in 1915,
after it had been destroyed by fire BY
the British troops, on the occasion Of
their raid upol Washington in the War
Of 1912. The cornerstone Of the build
ing was laid in 1892, and il was ready
for occupancy by President Adams,
when he was inaugurated in 1900
[ ?1797l Extracts from the diary OF
Mrs. Adams are published, in which she
speaks Of hanging up the executive
clothes to dry in the bare wastes Of the
unfurnished blue room, and wonders
what she shall do with herself in the
great "barn." The fact which calls for
present consideration is that the White
House is really very old structure, for
this country, and that when it was built
little was known about the modern
methods Of insuring the comfort Of the
occupants, or Of the sanitary conditions
Of health in the matter Of drainage and
the like. It is obvious that the repeat.
ed efforts made to remedy these original
defects have not been successful.
1A 0OAu0 YUM VCA6 ~ 40 INV uXkCA VAAMS
the entire structure should be razed,
and . new and modern executive man.
sion constructed in another locality more
distant from malarial influences which
are waited from the stagnant marshes OF
the Potomac. But this, it seems to US,
would he going farther than the neces.
sities of the case require. As to the
marshes, III the first place: The White
House is q little nearer TO them than
most Of the city, and the breexes which
blow thence have an unbrOken sweep
across the park to its south front; hut
they are deleterious to the health Of the
best part Of Washington, and it is a
danger which is not to be obviated by
simply removing the executive home a
little farther from it. Not only for the
sake Of the White House occupants, but
for the health Of the whole capital, the
marshes ought to be drained and re-
moved, and it is shame to Congress
TINT it has not long since taken steps to
that end.
The presen: location Of the White
House is the ideal one. Both for beauty
Of site and convenience Of access, there
il no portion Of Washington which is to
be compared with it. It is the terminus
Of the Government reservation Of South
Washington, which is becoming year by
year the most charming neighborhoosl III
the country, and will some day be re-
garded as the best justification for the
pride which the American people are
coming to feel in their national capital.
The White House should not only not
be removed, but it seems pity to de-
strOy the venerable and historic etlifice
There eighteen Of our Presidents have
lived, and there it is possible that all
who are to come after may live, sur
rounded by all the comforts and conven-
fences which the willing purse Of the
nation can supply. The structure Of the
building is unique and on the whole it
may be doubted il modern architecture
especially such as the Government
empIoys-can devise building which
in its general exterior aspect will be
more satisfactory. Its outside walls arc
built Of freestone, and will stand firm
| for generations to come. It is ITO feet
in length and eighty-six feet deep, which
| renders il amply large for any Executive
Mansion that will be required in the
future. The sole objection to it is that
the interior is old, rotten, damp in pla.
| ces, inconvenient in arrangement, I'M.
| suited for home. These are difficult.
ties which no amount Of ordinary repairs
can ever remedy. The obvious thing to
be done, then, j. to gut tho entire in
terror Of the building, and, leaving the
exterior walls substantially as they are
TO construct new White House in the
| shell Of the old one.