The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1881-08-26
A Very Shabby Old House.

The prctentious structure at Washing
ton whose whiteness has for nearly a
century given toit the name of the White
House, by which it is known throughout
the civilized world, is encompassed with
out by malaria breezes from the Potomac
flats and poisoned within by yenomous
gases from imperfectly trapped sewer
connections. TO put family to live in
such place is almost as bad as what was
brought to light few days ago in the
lower part of Walnut street, where sever
al children had died in one unpleasant
dwelling owing to the noXious yapors
they were compelled to inhale. There is
more style about the White House than
in the cheap and gloomy tenement, but
foul air, which is no respecter of persons,
is much the same in one as in the other.
When the White House was built it
was gorgeous structure for its day, Its
original cost was over quarter OF u
million dollars. Improvements and addi-
tons have since brought its cost, with
that of the grounds around it, to six or
seven times that sum. The house has been
repaired and tnkered and patched and
mended until it is now something like an
old pair of boots which have been half
soled, heeled and footed dozen times
and badly need new tops. All that it con
tains in the line of modern improvements
has been added in such Il fragmentary
way that it is like patches of new cloth
on AN old garment. When it was built
modern ideas of heat and ventilation aud
water works were not known. The 'o.
tomac Flats were not what they are now.
They have increased in size. in ilatuess
and in malarious potency. To stay in the
White House at night is to risk an attack
of illness. AS residence it is no longer
useful. To expect the Chief Magistrate
of the nation to live there is absurd and
unreasonable. 1t has long been known
that the place is not desirable to stay in,
especially in the summer. For years it,
occupants have found safety and comfort
by goirg Just outside the city to the Sol
ders' Home. Recent investigations into
the plumbing work of the White House
| have shown that there are some object
ionable features which would not be al
lowed to exist in third class inn.
Nor is there any site on the whole
twenty-five acres of ground in the Whit,
House enclosure on which a residence for
the President and his family could wisel,
be erected. Malaria from those pestifer
Gus flats poisons the whole territory
The flats are growing worse and wors,
every year. 1t is suggested that they b'
drained. The suggestion is as sound a
it is venerable. 1t was made long, Ions
ago. To drain the flats decently can b,
done only by filing them up. 1t woul,
take a dozen years and cost n million
year. Some of these days.it will have t,
be done. Meantime new Executive res
idence is needed. There are plenty o
places in Washington for il. where th
ground is higher and the air purer. w
do not need such costly building a
kings and emperors are proud to dive
in. Half a million would pay for one quit
good enough. The Chief Magistrate @
this country has a right to home No,
he has no house of his own to live in, bu
only some rooms in an awkward barn {
public building, the rest of which is mad
up of offices and is tranping groun
for the people of America and all tn
rest of creation who choose TO go ther
The President and his family should hay
:, house i'll which he and they may be a
private as the humblest citizen in his ow
ree-story brick,
1t is an evidence of the phenomen
strength of Mr.. Garfeld's constitutio
that he has lived for weeks as he has
that old house, breathing the mephit
air waited into his bed-chamber fro
those villainous flats. No wonder |
wants to be out. Let us hope he vi
r soon be able to 90 where he can breath
: almost any other atmosphere. One of Il
first things Congress should do when
next assemblies is to decree the erec,io
of new and decent ''White House
Z will be an appropriate national thank g
i fering for the recovery of the Prcsideu
Z, -Phila Times.