The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1886-09-17
WHITE HOUSE EXPENSES.
What 1t Costs To Care For and Hfafntai
the Presidents Home.

hit Ecbiutntb Home.
Nearly every good housewife cleans
house once or twice a wear. and the
mansion of the nations Chief Fxecutive
does not escape the annual reiuvenation
which Is characteristic of American home
life
Unlike most private houses, however,
the White House undergOes its over
hauling in the summer time while its
occupants are off on their annual outing
Tho work furnishes employment for a
small army of servants for a score of
days or more.
Notwithstanding the fact that the man
sion is kept in good order at all times,
the annual hOusecleaning never fails to
disclose plenty OF work to be done, and
sweepers, scrubbers and busters hold
high carnival during the continuance of
their reign.
The upper as well as the lower floor
undergOes the process Of rejuvenatiOn
The musty old books in the library,
many OF them dating back to the days OF
Dolly Madison and Susan Monroe. 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 be we'll imagined. it costs a
very pretty penny to keep the establish
ment In order. The sic. 600 for keeping
the house in order for the next year,
which became available on July lst, is
not by any means all that has been spent
upon the mansion since President Cleve-
land took possession.
Mr. Arthur left large cash balance
uneNpended Of the last appropriation
during his term, according to time
honOred custom that the outgoing Pres
idenr shall leave lump sum for the in
coming President to make any changes
he may desire.
Nothing new has been bought in the
house since Mr.. Arthur left it in such
complete and beautiful order 1t un-
dOubtedly, though, requires a large sum
to keep it in condition.
The cleaning Of the huge crystal chan
deliers s considerable item Of expense.
The whole lower floor is lighted by these
enormous crystals, each one with thou
sands of pendants. There are no less
than three dozen of these chandeliers in
the East Room, the Blue, Red, and
Green rooms, the two diniug-rOoms and
the corridors, 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 requires the spending Of money.
The handsome lace GTaperieS are torn at
nearl. every reception, and these have
to be carefully repaired, to say nothing
of the taking down two or three times a
year to be washed az. darued.
Some people wonder how the President
can pay out of his salary the numerous
expenses attached to his OF ce.
There are separate appropriations.
Besides his salary Of S50,OJu, b. e@tl-
mate resented to Congress .H . session
aske Tor $50 O64 additional O pay the
saia les OF his subordinate and clerks.
II IS private secretary is paid 80 250.
hi a -.staut private secretary >. $50 his
s e.. 4 apa,r 1850, five q. - euger7
Ce .c.l s. zC0. a steward 1900, two door
ke-rar- vi each get 81 200. four othrr
cIcr.l at GOOD salaries. our tc!r. a..h
op,rat.r. two gshers, getting 81, ZJ1 aua
81 .4go; q, ui ut usher, getting Si,2uJ, "a
watc..... D.. S. no gets 5000, an ,rau TO
take care OF fires, who receives SSG4 a
year.
In addition 70 this there is set down
IS, 900 for incidental eXVen c- such as
stationery, carpets, and the care OF the
Presidents stables.
And ,urthel on, under another head
in. there is demand for nearly $40, 600
more. OF this. S12, 500 is for repairs and
furnishing the White House, =, 500 for
fuel, s., 600 for the greenhouse, and
SIS 900 for gas and the care Of the
stables.
The White House, all told. costs the
country, in connect n WI p The Presi-
dent considerably over SlZ5, 900 year,
and at that rate Il is cheaper, relatively
to the work done, than the service OF
Congress- Washington Letter.