The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-08-25

What II Costs 90 Care for and Nlaim~
tain the Presfsiem1,s Home,


Nearly every good housewife cleans
house once or twice year, and the man
sion of the nations Chief Executive does
not escape the annual rejuvenation which
is characteristic of American home life.
Unlike most private houses, however, the
White House undergoes its overhauling in
sha summer time while its occupants are off
On their annual outing. The work fur
nishes employment for a small army of
servants for score of days or more. Not
withstanding the fact that the mansion is
kept in good order at all times, the annual
housekeeping never fails to disclose plenty
OF work to be done, and sweepers, scrub
bers and busters hold high carnival during
the continuance of their reign. The upper as
well as the lower floor undergoes the pro
cess of rejuvenation. The musty old books
IN the library, many of them dating back to
The days of Dolly Madison and Susan Mon
roe, are all taken out and busted. The two
pianos in the house are tuned up, and when
the doors are finally opened to the public
the house is in the most exquisite order and
ready for another years siege of dinners
and receptions. As may well be imagined,
it costs very pretty penny to keep the
establishment in order. The $4,000 foi
keeping the house in order for the next
year, which became available on July /, is
not by any means all that has been spent
upon the mansion since President Cleveland
sook possession sixteen months ago Mr..
Arthur left large cash balance unexpend.
cd of the last appropriation during his
term, according to a time-honored custom
that the outgoing President shall leave
lump sum for the incoming President to
make any changes he may DESIRE
Nothing new has been bought in the
house since Mr.. Arthur left it in such COM
plete and beautiful order. II undoubtedly,
though, requires large sum to keep il in
condition. The cleaning of the huge crys-
tai chandeliers is considerable item of ex-
pense. The whole lower floor is lighted by
these enormous crystals, each one with
thousands of pendants. There are no less
than three dozen of these chandeliers in the
East Room the Blue, Red and Green
Rooms, the two dining rooms and the CORR
doris, and once year each one has to be
taken to pieces and every part carefully
cleaned and put back in its place. The care
of the carpets and curtains also require the
spending of money. The handsome lace
drnperies are torn at nearly every reception,
and these have to be carefully repaired,
to say nothing of the taking down two or
three times year to be washed and darned.
Some people wonder how the President can
pay out of his salary the numerous expenses
attached to his office.
There are separate appropriations. Be-
sides his salary of $50, 1000, the estimate
presented to Congress this session asked for
$3.50, 064 additional, to pay the salaries of his
subordinates and cle,1s. His private sec.
rotary is paid $3, $50, his assistant private
secretary W, $50, his stenographer 81, 800
five messengers (each) $1,000, steward
III, 800, two door-keepers who each gel
81, 200, four other clerks at good salaries
one telegraph operator, two ushers, getting
VI, 400 and u 400 night usher, getttn,
III, 200; Waterman, who gets 5000, and
4 man to take care of fires, who receives
1864 year. In addition to this there i
set down $4,000 for incidental expenses
such as stationery, carpets and the care O
the Presidents stables. And further on
undor another heading, there Is n deman,
for nearly SAC, 900 more OF this, $12, go,
is for repairs and furnishing the Whit
House, $4,000 for fuel, 5000 for tn
greenhouse and $4,000 for gas and tn
care of the stables. The White House, al
told, costs the country, in connection will
the President, considerably over $l25, 900 {
year, and at that rate it is cheaper, rela
lively to the work done, than the sefvic,
Of Congress.