The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-07-17
WAsHINGTON SRFTCHRs.

WASHINGTON SKETCHES.
The White House. as the home of the
President and place of historic MEM
ories, is naturally prominent among the
things to be seen in Washington. From
8 a. m. until 2 p. m. the doors were open
to the people, and they may enter at
will and walk about or sit in the East
room. To see other parts of the house
1t is necessary to have friend at court.
The writer had one in Major Pruden, one
of President Grants secretaries. and who
has retained his position under succeed
ing Presidents. He entrusted us to Ma
jor Dinsmore, who has charge of the first
floor, and is very pleasant and courte-
GUS gentleman. He named an hour. and
reporting at the time we were entrusted
to gentleman who has been one of the
White House staff since the days of
President Lincoln, and who has the his
tory OF each and every article of furni-
ture and decoration, with the personal
incidents of the past thirty years at his
finger ends. 1t may be said here that
more was done during the Administra-
tion of President Arthur to improve and
adorn the White House than under all
the other Presidents combined. The
firm Of Lewis Tiffany & Co., art decora-
tors OF New York, was employed to dec
crate the walls and ceilings of the prin-
cipal rooms and to make the magnificent
glass screen which shuts off the entrance
hall from the long passage which con-
meets the rooms on the ground floor.
The last time the writer was in the East
room the floor was covered with Turk
ish carpet, present from that govern
ment, and it could hardly be called a
thing of beauty. Now the room is car
peted with an Administer, whose soft
tints are in harmony with the tasteful
adornment of the walls and ceiling. Our
guide pointed out the exact place in this
apartment where Miss Nellie Grant and
Mr.. Sartoris stood when they were mar
ried. We well remember that an at
tempt was made to have the wedding
strictly private, and that an order was
issued excluding all newspaper men
from the White House on that occasion.
But New York Herald correspondent,
learning that local caterer, Mr.. Freund,
was to furnish the refreshments, engaged
as one of the walters, and thus secured
for his paper full report of the cere-
mony.
The East room, which is used as the
grand reception room, is located in the
eastern end of the building, and is 80
feet long, 40 feet wide and 20 high. The
Green room, Red room and Blue room,
connecting with each other, and opening
to the west from the East room, are also
used on certain public occasions, and re-
ceive their names from the color of the
walls and furniture. In each room there
are articles and paintings of interest, but
too many to catalogue here, although
the accounts given of them by our guide
were very interesting. Among the paint
ings is a portrait of Mrs Lucy Webb
Hayes, presented by the w. G. T. u. OF
these rooms the Blue room, which is
oval in shape, with a domed ceiling, is
perhaps the handsomest 1t is directly
opposite the main entrance and faces
the centre of the ornamental glass screen
before mentioned. Standing at the
back of the room looking out the effect
is very fine. 1t was IN this room that
President Cleveland was married. Next
beyond is the state dining room, with its
long mahogany table, and quaint old
sideboards. The long windows in this
room look out upon the Potomac and
get the prevailing southerly winds of
summer. The western end of the build
ing is used for the Presidents private
family; and leading out from this is the
conservatory containing great variety
of rare plants in almost constant bloom.
On the second floor, at the eastern end,
are located the public offices of the Pres
ident and private secretaries, and the
Cabinet room, in which the President
and his advisors meet for consultation.
Opening from this is the room where the
President receives his official visitors.
Having thus completed tour of all
the rooms except the private apartments
| we returned to the East room Just be-
fore the hour on which, three times a
week, the President holds an informal
reception. People gather in the East
room and p. m. the Presidsnt enters,
and the American people have the privil-
ege of shaking their chief executive by
the hand. On this occasion a baby
| about six months old, in the arms of a
nurse, was the star. The infant was dis
posed to exercise her lungs, and the
nurse would try to quiet her by telling
her the President was coming. When he
did come, and the line was formed, the
woman found herself far in the rear She
was not disposed to wait, however, and
| rushing for the front she spoke to one of
| the officials and was allowed to pass
| through in advance of the crowd. OF
course it was tue President duty to kiss
| the infant, but whether he did 50 or not
we are unable to say. Introductions are
not usual on these occasions, but through
the kind offices of Major Dinsmore two
of the Belfast party were introduced to
the President.
For many years the building of a new
residence for the President on the out
skirts of the city, thus ensuring greater
privacy for himself and family, and
using the White House for offices, has
been agitated. Many strong arguments
have been made in behalf of these
changes, and the writer, in the past, has
been among those who thought it desira-
BILE. The recent visit to the building
and revival of the associations con-
nected with it have placed the matter in
different light. By all means let the
White House remain as it is. We have
too few historic buildings to sacrifice
one of them, and it would be pity to
turn the White House into mere place
of business. That the quarters of the
President and his family are insufficient
must be admitted; but, as has been sug-
gested, additional room may be provided
by the building of wing, without de-
stroying the main edifice or altering its
character. 1t is not intended that our
President should be secluded from the
I | people WIN ClCtb num- anu NhO hbhOA Va
the position should amply atone for the
publicity that must be inseparable from
the Office But the President should GER
tainly have ample house room, which is
not the case now; and in this respect he
is not so well provided for as the British
Minister, who occupies a building OF
Connecticut avenue, built by his govern.
ment, which is nearly as large as the
White House.
The grounds about the White House
are neatly kept and very attractive. A
broad, graveled driveway, forming
semi-circle, leads up to the main en-
trance, and in the lawn in front and rea
are fountains, shade trees and shrubbery
, Concerts by the Marine Band are givel
in the grounds south of the mansion
: every Saturday afternoon during tn
, summer months, and always attract
, CAV and fashionable assemblage. Dun
| ing the concert the President and hi
} family with their guests may usually b
t seen seated on the south portico of tn
5 White House, which is protected b
, awnings, enjoying the music and the an
5 mated scene before them.-BeUd'
r | Journal