Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-12-09
SHEPHERDSTOWN w. VA. FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1892.
House of Representatives.


Mrs. Cleveland, though the wife o
such a powerful parsonage, will have
only five bedrooms at her disposal in
/ the White House. The mansion j.
hardly more than an Office building
and the President has only the use o
a small part of it for private purposes
On this account the first lady in the
land will not be able to comfortably
accommodate more than two or three
guests at a time, which is unfortu
nate, because there are lots of people
who find it enjoyable to be entertain
ecutive. Some day President with
large family and Of an independent
turn of mind will gently rebuke the
country by hiring house here 10 live
in, utilizing the official dwelling mere
ly for business and ceremonial pur
poses. Fortunately the housekeeping
cares Of the Presidents wife are light
She is provided by the Government
with housekeeper 10 superinteno
domestic affairs, though she must hire
her own cooks and maids. \ steward
likewise engaged at Uncle Sam ; eX
pense, takes general charge OF the
mansion, buys all the provisions and
acts as butler, even arranging the
State dinners. The President is also
supplied officially with Il valet OF
messenger 1t is worth mentioning
that newly appointed steward al
ways gives bond of $50, 900 to cover
possible damage to the furniture and
other domestic belongings OF the
White House, all Of which are placed
in his charge. However, he Is not
considered responsible for ordinary
wear and tear or for breakage. The
Chief Magistrate must buy his own
carriages and pay his coachman,
though groom for the stables is pro
vided by the Government. The care,
repairing and refurnishing OF the
White House costs about S25. 900 y
year For the present fiscal year the
appropriation is 100000. Last year it
was S35, 900.
Mr. Harrison will get his last month S
pay on February % or 30 in the shape
Of draft issued on a warrant signed
as usual by the Secretary of the
Treasury and sent over TO the White
House by messenger. The amount
of this draft would be 81, 1861, but
four days extra pay will be added for
March. On the evening Of March 3
he will go to the Capitol, where he
will seat himself at the big table in
the center of the Presidents room.
This is said to be the handsomest
room in the world, but the chief mag
istrate Of the nation only uses it once
in two wears. 1t has a velvet carpet
with pile so deep that the footsteps
of one who walks upon it are noise
less. The furniture is covered with
red leather, and the ceiling is frescoed
in the highest style of art. Mr.. Har-
rison will take chair between two
great mirrors which throw back each
others reflec ctions, and looking in
either direction he can see an inter
minable line Of his own images ex-
tending out of sight. Upto midnight
he will be occupied in hurriedly sign
ing bills in order that they may be
come laws before the expiration OF
the Fifty-second Congress. 1t will be
his last night of power The next
day he becomes private citizen, with
no more control over public affairs
than a newly naturalized foreigner.
The wife of the first President-elect
had no White House waiting to re-
ceive her. There was no Executive
Mansion then. Mrs. Washington and
her husband lived in Philadelphia
after the General was inaugurated.
In the directory of that city for 1897,
the name of George Washington ap-
pears, and his address is given as No
100 Market street, below Sixth. The
house had been previously occupied
by Benedict Arnold, who is said to
have dwelt there lin great state on
the proceeds of his profitable specu-
lations, having many Iiveried ser
wants. Robert Morris occupied the
residence next door to the Father Of
His Country, and the latter paid rent
out of his salary of $4,000 a year,
which was commonly referred to at
the time as grossly extravagant.