National Republican., 1881-12-17
AT THE EXECUTIVE MANSION.
The Recent Cheap Inproyements-The
MOmsc Not n Elrnt. .NInaa HeaIdcmcc.


There has been n great deal written recently
about the White House and descriptions OF tho
Iooms and The furniture have been characterized
oy Wurmth and glow Of Oriental imagery when
" contrast makes the Language Of the "Arabinn
Nights coldand lifelcSs. The public has wandered
tnrougn , t9ese gorgeous scenes by the aid Of the
pen OF gifted and imaginative correspondents
and their eyes have ached gazing at the gitlering
anu magnificent pageantry of upholstery as the
rhetorical magician dramatically strides from
room TO room. SO general has this tornado of
word painting swept over the land that II the
average citizen was called upon for type Of
lnXnry Of modern house furnishing he would
REFER TO THE WHITE HOUSE.
How these fairy scenes of mngniacence are pco.
pied aud how the fortunate residents dress IN order
to be in harmony with the voluptuous beauty Of
tne surroundings the average citizen would be at
aloss TO tell. No ordinary dress would meet the
demands Of the occasion, and no doubt the popu-
lar mind has u conception of President Arthur
clad in silks aud vevets and fine laces, the central
figure in these Oriental scenes. But while these
Linguistic icats make mighty interesting reading,
they dstort the facts and convey erroneous Inn
pressions The White House is not a palace and
u can truthfully be said that II would not compare
~ point Of comfort convenience, and modern
man of wealth in any of our large cities. There
are scores OF houses in this city which are better
appointed and have more modern conyenlences
ana are in every way better adapted for the
HEALTH AND COMFORT OF THE OCCUPANTS.
1t is of course true that the improvements recently
made have added vastly to the appearance and
convenience of the house. The articles Of furni.
ture that have been placed in the public rooms
are elegant and artistic but there are number of
private residences in the city where the furnish
ing Is nlly equal u not better. Take for example
the furniture of the Green ParlOr, about which
such eCstocles in type have appeared. The up.
holstcring is done In n delicate shade Of Nile.
green SIR. But there is private residence in this
up with furniture upholstered in light shade of
blue silk, decorated with elaborate hand. painted
designs; The same comparison might be ,insti
rl N nj tba Ia fba f,,r.
niture is handsome and elegant,
IT IS NOTHING EXTRAORDINARY,
anu u is equaled IN almost any private residence of
any ptclenslons But granting that the White
House Is furnished rs elegantly ~ private resi-
dcnce lacks In several important particulars the
comforts and conyeniences which are eninycd
by any man Of means IN his residence SnCh n
convenience as electric bells are unknown in the
White House, and tue only means Of communicate
ing from one ti0or TO the other Is by messenger
II Is only recently TINT bath tubsund water closets
were on thesccond floor. Such conycuicnCcs could
only be found on the lower floor. The bath room
recently fitted up adjoining the Presidents bed
room Is perfect marvel of panness and uglincss
There are but few private houses which cannot
boast Ola better bathroom. The walls are lined
with
HIpEous AND CHEAP WOODEN wAISsoorrSd,
stained brown and yellow In alternate strips. The
path. tmb enclosed by ilimsy wooden partition,
Is small ana OF The cOmmOnest kind and all the
appointments of the room are OF n similar char.
nclcr IL is very poor kind Of hotel iu this age
that would have such n bath. room connected
with apartments intended for guests The Presi-
dents bed room IL neatly furnished, but there Is
nothing remarkably elegant about IT. and II does
not equal the room occupied by him at Senator
Jones house. He has no means of summonng
servants except by standing at the head of the
stairs and yelling down. Then there Is the din
ing, room, with its inadequate facilities for an or
dorly and well conducted meal, aud the thousand
and one points of difference between an old
iashioned house and n house with the modern
convenienCcs ana facilities. In all this nothing
has been snid of the house being
DIRECTLY OVER A LARGE SEWER
ana the liability at any time of the noXious gases
lurcing their way up into the rooms. These are
Facts which ought 10 be known at this time, when
the papers arc filed with brilliant descriptions of
the beauties nnd glorics of the White House. The
truth Is. the President IL not com furably housed
as the majority Of people In this country who are
in receipt OF q moderate income.