The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-10-07

1eSlueuce OI inc Cn1e1 executive OF the
United States and his bride. It is move
because no President has yet purchased
house and taken up o residence at his
own individual expense outside of tho
Executive Mansion, where expenses are
paid out of the public purse. President
Grant and President Hayes lived fol
weeks and months in summer at the
Soldiers Home, but they lived at the
expense of the soldiers of the regular
army, out of whose pay is deducted
twelve cents a month each for the main.
tenance of the house. The meat they
consumed was furnished by the private
soldiers, the milk they drank, the new,
laid eggs they ate, the garden truck that
whetted the royal appetites, the very
flowers that were placed at the plates OF
the distinguished guests were produced
by the aged and decrepit soldiers, OF
were paid for from the slender purses of
the enlisted men of the army.
1t was left for Democratic President
to purchase q private residence in the
suburbs of the national capital out of his
own purse, where he might live with his
wife as any other American gentleman
might, at his own expense and pay for
the roof that shelters his private guests
and for the food and drink herewith he
entertains them. The residence and its
improvements will cost Mr.. Cleveland in
tho neghborhood of $50, 900, and to keep
1t up with the expenses incidental to the
position of its owner not less than So
600 and probably $15, 200 to $4,000 a
year. President Hayes went out of
office with 800, 600 or more, or a saving
of half his salary. President Cleveland
will not save any money out of his Presi-
dental salary. He evidently believes
that salary was given by the government
to enable the President to live like a
gentleman and pay his bills, and the
cost of entertaining such guests as are
worthy of the honor. His purchase on
the heights above Georgetown includes
twenty-five and one -haif acres of land.
There was an old square stone house of
the cold, old, fashioned type on this plot
of ground. 1t lies or lay back from the
pike about five hundred yards, O strip of
forest trees along the road hiding all but
glimpse of the manion from the vulgar
eye. 10 the southeast lies the capital
city, the great white dome of the legis-
lntive halls arising above the horizon of
green, and the sharp outlines of the
Washington ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS against
the blue sky. Only slight dip OF the
great city is exposed between birds
eye view down the wooded gorge. To-
day, under the fierce heat Of the sun OF
expiring summer, the white dome is
winter, the monument outlines arc
sharper, and the green is greenel
green. The old stone house has been
metamorphoscd into an artistic residence
of the colonial style, the very grounds
have changed, the roads and drives ap.
pear where mono were before; nothing
save the prospect remains, and that nc
art can beautify and no money can make
more lovely and picturesque. a myriad
OF workmon are busily engaged on house
and grounds.
Under the trees near the entrance is q
vacant chair, and, in the absence of the
watchmen, your correspondent drives up
the winding roadway unchecked 4
man in brass buttons rushes hastily down
the hill from the house, waving his
hands frantically, but il is too late, the
correspondents are up on the other side
before they can be intercepted. The man
reaches us and says we must go out, we
arc not permitted there. We tell him
we are there anyhow, and hope we don't
intrude He says it is against strict
orders from the White House to come
within the grounds. We innocently say
that we are only two newspaper men
looking for an item. This sets the man
wild. Newspaper men are especially
prohibited. We ask to be allowed to
walk around and look at the outside of
the house. The guardian of the place
turnsfairly white at the idea. Couldn't
we look at the city-surely we couldn't
hurt the city, what VIC would sec of it
from this hill, by looking at it without
pass. But the man is inexorablc. Then
we ask him how he is getting along.
"What you sec in the newspapers is
nonsense" says he. "!rhe house isn't
near completion. See the wor1men out
side? We saw the workman outside.
They were swarming on the unfinished
yerandas, and spread out among the half
finished drives about the grounds.
'Ihere arc as many as can be adj
Vantageously employed" continued the
superintendent. "1nside they have Just
begun to lath. The house will not be
ready for occupancy before the 1st of
November, though the President has
been pushing us oil summer"
And things in sight bore out this
statement. A dozen laborers were
grading the new drive up to the porte
cochere; out in the rolling field another
driveway was being built, leading to
Woodley lane, a lovely road that leads
at right angles from the turnpike down
into the Rock Creek gorge, while the
sound of the hammer inside and out of
the mansion woke the echoes of the hills.
There was another gang Of men with
carts pecking away at o gravelly knoll
which lies by nature little higher than
the foundation of the house, and in
direct line Of vision between the veranda
and the dome Of the Capitol, four miles
away. Part of this hill has already been
carted away, tho gravel being deposited
to build the roadways. Along Woodley
lane on the south another gang of men
are at work on high barbcd wire fence.
1t is six feet high ut least, and appears
to be especially designed to keep news
paper men out No pair of journalistic
p&ntaloons can ever stand that climb.
We took hasty glimpse of all these
signs of preparation and turned our dog
cart toward the road again. From Wood
ley lane finer view of the mansion is
obtained. The irregular high pitche 1
curVing roof of red tiles is the maiD
| artiatic foo fIro Of tbo nnCU hnuen tboIi0b