The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1882-02-09
Executive Mansion.

| Several of our Democratic contemporaries
| are worrying themselves over the appropri-
alton by the Legislature of $4,000 for the
repair and renovation and return ishing the
Governors house in r edmond. This is
| mere fault-fndng. The facts Of the case
will show that the expenditure was entirely
proper. For eight years but two or three
! rooms Of the building had been occupied.
both Gev. Kemper and Gov. Holiday
being widowers, and not pretending to
keep house, in the ordinary meaning of the
term. The furniture in the unoccuped
rooms had become widowed the carpets
moth-eaten, generating very unhealthy
atmosphere. and no hygiene precautions
observed whatever il the ventilation of the
building. The air in some of the rooms
was absolutely sitting when they were en-
tered, inviting disease and death. Gov.
Cameron very properly determined not to
take his wife and children into house in
! that condition. and informed the authofi-
ties that if the building was not entirely
renovated he would rent another house, at
his own expense, rather than endanger the
lives of his family. After an exam nation
by competent persons. it was determ ined
to make all necessary repairs to the house,
and to sell the old furniture and buy new
The prices brought at the sale of the furni-
ture were much more than the intrinsic
value Of the articles sold would have com
manded, and the amount realized was near
iy sufficient to replen ish the building with
al entire new outfit. Only SO much of the
800 90 as might be found necessary to
place the Governors Mansion in a decent
condition to live in, was appropriated, and
the probability is that not much more than
one-half will be used. apart from thai
realized from the sale of the old furniture.
An exposure of the manner in which the
furniture and apartments of the Governors
Aansion had been abused by the predeces-
sors of Governor Cameron would reflect
much more discredit upon them than the
expenditure of the necessary funds to make
the building inhabitable, would Justify
complaint. The property of the State was
injured and some of it made vaueless from
pure laziness and neglect, and because
gentleman does not choose that his family
shall be exposed TO an impure, disease Great
ing atmosphere thus occasioned. the attempt
is made to make party capital out of the
expenditure necessary to correct the exist
ing unhealthy condition of the premises.
1t is not desirable that discussion of the
reasons for the appropriation of so much of
the $4,000 as may be found necessary for
the proper repair of the Executive Mansion
be made through the newspapers. The
members OF the Legislature, without regard
to party. understood them, and voted for
the bill making the appropriation 1t was
right that they should have done so and if
it becomes necessary to offer further ex-
plantations those who provoke them might
have cause to regret it. The people have
no objection to the Governor of the State
living in healthy, decent house. furnished
as the Executive Mansion should be fur
nishcd, and the noisy efforts to make party
capital out of the expenditure for that pur, !
pose will not have the effect desired. }