Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-11
THE STATE DINNERS.
An Invitation the Highest Compli-
ment From the White House.
FORTUNES IN THE FLOWERS.
Washington's Quarrel With His Steward
About Costly Fish.
CHEESE AND PUNCH SPOIL CARPETS

WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.-President Har.
season Tuesday evening. 1t was to the
members of the Cabinet and their wives,
and the White House was gorgeously deco.
rated for the occasion. The parlors were SC
richly adorned with flowers that the Blue
and Green Rooms looked like fairy gardens
and the palms. which in great trees of green
filled the alcoves of the East Room, made
the whole seem like vision of the tropics,
The mantels under the big mirrors were
turned into beds of gay-colored flowers, the
walls and pillars were decorated with green
and the dining table was a wonder of floral
decorations.
1t is impossible to describe the flowers
which it takes to decorate the White House
upon a state occasion. The conservatory Of
the Executive mansion must cover nearly
an acre and both this and the botanical gar
dens aid in making the parlors beautiful.
Grottoes Fit for Fairies.
The broad windows of the mansion contain
alcoves and these are hidden by rare tropical
plants, the bases of which are sometimes
surrounded by blooming azaleas, making a
bright streak of color against the mass OF
green. Some of the mantels are dazzling
mosaics of crimson and white flowers and
blossoming plants and great palms line the
long promenade corridor OF the White
House, standing against the wall under the
portraits of the Presidents, and making an
avenue of green which leads on into the con-
servatory and climbs the stairway to the
second story.
Tha AoxuorS of fba tot ~ao,, o~o
arranged by the hands of artists At some
of the state dinners of the past few years the
mantels have been covered with immense
double tulips, rising from messy banks of
green. The windows are beautifully decor
ated and the table has had flowers arranged
in all forms and shapes. At one time the
decoration in the center of the table was a
miniature representation of the Hanging
Garden Of Semiramis. and it took 5000
flowers by actual count to make this.
Temples and Ships.
At a dinner given to the Supreme Court
there was temple of Justice on the table
which contained 1000 flowers; and at one
given to the Cabinet there was bridge and
ships which consumed 1900 cut flowers in
their making. As costly as roses are now,it
takes about thousand for every state din
ner, and about the same number of carna-
tions. During one winter 5000 sprays of
the lily of the valley, 400 strings of smilax
and 5000 other flowers, including hello
tropes, camelias, aZaleas, Gala lilies, violets,
Marguerites and other flowers, were used.
The mantels of the dining room are often
decorated with hyacinths, camellias and
potted plants, and flowers are often bought
to be added to those taken from the con-
and the public gardens.
The White House china shows at its best
at state dinner, and the rich porcelain ser
vice which was bought during the Hayes
comes forth in all its glory.
This service was made entirely from special
designs by an American artist. It was
modelled and burned at Trenton and it con-
tains some of
The Most Beautiful Articles
in the $500 pieces of table ware which be-
long to the china closets of the Executive
Mansion. The decorations of the dinner
service are especially fine. One of the
great platters has painting of stately
wild turkey, and the dinner plates have
all sorts of different designs. One is
bear resting in the fork
of tree. Another represents deer, and a
third buffalo bull. The fish plates have
pictures of fish on them representing the
American varieties, and one of the dinner
dishes contains the picture of raccoon in
persipmon tree with a negro looking for
him with lighted pine knot. Some of the
old pieces of china are much better than
those, but great deal of the best of it has
been sold from time to time to make place
Tor new.
Mrs. Harrison is the only Presidents wife
who has made an inventory of the furniture
of the White House, and she believes that
all of its fine old articles have an historic
value and that they should be preserved.
Since the White House was opened by Mrs.
John Adams more than $500, 900 has been
spent tor furniture. and the amount of be-
lon'gings now In the White House would
not bring $4,000 at auction, and it is a
question whether they bring $4,000.
The Presidents Silver Service.
A great deal of the table silver has disap-
peared, but there is still some which finds
place of honor at the state dinners. One of
the most beautiful parts of the whole service
is the solid silver service which was bought
by President Monroe. The shapes of these
articles are curious and beautiful. There
are two soup tureens with covers; and these
tureens are affixed to large oval-shaped fiat
bottom stands, which spread out beneath
them like walters. There are silver cake
baskets, silver gravy boats, solid silver cof-
fee and tea urns and there are fine cut glass
claret jugs with silver tops
One OF the most curious pieces of the White
House silver service is the silver Hiawatha
boat, which was bought at the Centennial
the state dinners, and is always filed with
flowers. Here are also the gold spoons and
forks which were bought by President Van
Buren,, and which formed a campaign issue
when President Harrison's grandfather ran
against and beat him. The glass of the
White House is also very fine and it takes
a great deal OF it for the wines which are
used at the state dinners. A great deal of
the glass was manufactured in this country,
and New York firm made 80 dozen pieces
at one time few years ago. These were
ordered early during Cleveland's term and
some of the articles have an American eagle
cut upon them.
White House Coat of Arms.
The American eagle, perched above the
words "E Plurlbus Unum," is the coat of
arms of the White House, and you find it
Upon most of the decorated ware Many of
he light glasses are of gold, ruby or amber
ware, and there are dozens of punch glasses,
yoblets, tumblers, champagne glasses, and
Ill of the other articles which make up the
complete table service. This glassware is
he finest that can be made in this country,
md the same firm which turned out this
,rder was the one which supplied President
Grant with some of the glassware which he
1sed in the White House.
The table furniture, by the way, was very
neager during Grants first term, and when
Mrs. Grant asked her cook to make arrange
nents for the first state dinner he found the
supply of plate very scanty, and said:
'Why, madame, there is not enough silver
In this White House to fit out free lunch
able"
General Grant spent great deal on enter
mining when be WAS In the White Honse