Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-12-03
SOME QUESTIONS ANSWERED.
Details of Life at the White House,
Washington Cor. Chicago Journal

Washington Cor. Chicago Journal
AZ reader of this correspondence
writes from Tennessee asking some
questions about the details of the
Presidents life IN the White House.
He asks several questions, as follows {:
/. What does the President have
furnished him that is necessary TO
keep house,
2. Is the cook furnished, and at
what price,
3. Is the garden furnished9
f. Is the table furnished, also beds
and bed-clothing, and servants to
sweep the house and make up beds2
5. Does the Government pay for TIE
entertainment of visitors at the White
House when they stay there four, six
and ten days2
6. Are the large dinners paid for by
the Government, or by the President
who gives the1n2
z. Does the Government furnish
carriage and horses for the President,
and driver?
s. Does the President incur much
expense of his own, and is much OF
his $780, 900 salary taken up IN the ex-
penses Of his household?
These questions may be briefly an
swered as follows:
1. Everything is furnished that is
necessary for housekeeping-beds,
bedding, silverware, table linen, ETC.,
etc.
2. The cook is not furnished; the
President employs his own cook and
n2Vs a Price tn SuIt himSnlf
3. There Is no garden. There used
to be fine one kept for the use of the
White House upon the ground now
occupied by the State, War, and Navy
d partment Building. Every thing is
now bought IN the markets here,
which are very fine,
4. The table is supplied with all it's
china, silyerware, etc, but the food of
all kinds which is purchased for it is
bought at the Presidents own expense
the servants, which attend to all the
duties of the household, are employed
by the President and paid out of his
private purse.
5. The Government does not pay for
the entertainment OF the Presidents
guests. The President pays all the
running expenses of the household.
6. The large dinaers and enter
tainments Of all kinds are paid for by
the President out of his private funds.
None OF them are paid for by the Gov
eminent.
z. The Government does not furnish
horses or carriages or driver for the
President, though it does furnish
horses and carriages to most Of the
Cabinet officers. The President sup-
plies his own horses and carriages,
and employees and pays his own driv-
er. The horses are kept at the White
House stables, but are fed and cared
for at the Presidents expense.
s. The President does incur very
large expense in attending 10 the
duties OF his position. For instance,
| the President is expected and required
by custom to give number of din
ners during the session of Congress.
One to the Justices of the Supreme
Court, one to the diplomatic corps,
one to the Cabinet and others to
members of Congress, army and
navy officers, etc. These dinners,
which are composed Of a dozen or
| fifteen courses and half as many
kinds Of wine, are very expensive,
costing probably SO for each guest, SO
that when you count half-dozan or
dozen of these entertainments, with
thirty or forty guests at each you can
see that the expense is pretty heavy.
| 1t has been often asserted that Presi-
dents do not save anything out of
their salaries. This is paoOably an
exaggeration, but their expenses are
doubtless very heavy.