The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-23
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Its Inconvenience and Unsuits bleness as a
Place of Residence.

ITS Inconvenience and Unsuits b1eness as a
Place of Residence.
Washington Special.
The President does not like the plan which
was proposed by Senator Morrill, and adopted by
the Senate last year, to build duplicate of the
present White House few rods south of it. and
connect the two buildings with corridor be-
cause that would still retain the disagreeable
feature of residing in your Office. For the same
reason the President objects to the enlargement
Of the present building It has been proposed
raise it and build another story below, and it
has been proposed to add another story to the top
for the private use of the Presidents family but
he argues against all these plans that the presi-
dent, as well as his sovereigns, requires change
Of scene and change of atmosphere. No man
can rest SO web within the walls in which he
YoIks as he can outside of them, and no man can
york as well where he does his resting. He com
rares his present situation to that of a lawyer
Who lives in his office or judge who lives under
he roof of his court house
1t would be thought very queer if the Secre-
taTy of State or the Postmaster general were
10 be required to live in their Offices and the
President thinks it is quite unreasonable to
ask him and his successors to do So Until the
war the White House was purely a residence
with two rooms devoted TO the private secretary
and his assistant, and a third to the President
for his Cabinet meetings and the reception of
congressman and other callers. When Andrew
johnson was at odds with the Secretary Of War
and other members of his Cabinet he called
around him from the Executive Departments a
force of clerks which has since remained there,
and has been growing larger as the business of
the government has increased.
The President nowadays receives as many
letters in a week as Thomas Jefferson An
drew Jackson did in year, and the clerks
necessary to him. Their work will grow larger
instead of less, and they will continue to crowd
the official work of the White House more and
more into the private portion until the President
will have to be a bachelor like Mr.. Tiden in
order to live there at all.
The entire portion of the White House that the
President is now able to reserve to his family
consists of six rooms, dining room and five
chambers The Presidents family cannot 60 to
dinner without passing through that portion of
The house which is always visited by tourists,
and is generally full Of them. There is no sitting
room for the ladies' although the President has
made one by means of screen at the west end
Of the corridor There is no sewing ROOM no
music room, no smoking room, and there are
parors except those in the official portion Of the
mansion. II the President wants TO visit with
party Of ladies', he is compelled to them either
in the official pariors. where he is liable to be in
tcrtIIpted by curiosity hunters or give them
seats in the hall. Mrs McElroy has no place to
urreiSe her friends, no place to do her sewing,
Except in her chamber or in the public parlors,
and the Presidents daughter has to take her
music lessons in bedroom or go out of the
house to do so. There is not even place for her
nurse TO sleep.
When the President wants to enjoy a cigar
With IL friend he must either go to his bedroom
,r sit in one of the official apartments. He gen
rally avoids either. and goes down into the hall
eadi,rg to the conservatory where he has few
comfortable chairs and the marble table upon
which Andrew Jackson used to play "old
ledge" The smoke from tobacco is said 10 he
beneficial to plants, and keeps the bugs of; so it
is making virtue Of necessity
When President Arthur came into the White
House there was only bathroom in the
whole building, and the guests who happened to
be visiting there had to go to a bath house or
carry their bath tubs around with them. He
las had two more baths put ill., When he came
there there were no sleeping rooms for the ser
wants, ard for several months he spent the night
solitary and alone in the house, except for
the presence Of the night Waterman IN the vesti-
bule below.
No ornaments of any sort, no books or fancy
articles can be left in the public parlors because