The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-05
THE WHITE HOUSE.
WEArIT HAS COST SINCE IT WAS
FEST BEGUN.

Cost Was Paid by the states of
Maryland and Virginia - Congress
Was Chary of Giving Money at
First, But Bas Since Been More
Liberal
From the Washinoton Star
While little Marthena Harrison has her
ills from scarlet fever, this and the conse-
quent quarantine of the white house have
started anew in certain quarters the spas
modic agitation Of past years for new aud
larger mansion for the Presidents family.
The subject is likely to receive serious
consideration at the hands of our national
lawmakers, aud pertinent point is given
to the discussion just now by the fact that
the free transaction of the public business
In the way Of diplomatic audiences, pre-
sensations and cabinet meetings is in a
measure interfered with BY the quar-
sntine. Some very embarrassing compli-
cations are also anticipated when the time ar
rives for President-elect Cleveland to trans
fer bis family to the white house. AL
though thorough disinfectiou before that
time may Insure perfect health to Baby
Ruth, yet it is felt that her parents may
with propriety hesitate to run the risk in
volved. II the Presidents official apart
ments we're altogether separated from his
private household there would be no inter-
ruption Of the public business now from the
illness of Mr. Harrison's granddaughter
but as it is a rigid quarantine aud isolation
Of the private rooms are found 70 be alb
solutely necessary, and even with that con-
siderable Inconvenience has already resulted.
Washington people hardly fancy the pro-
position of an entirely new white house, for
everybody here appreciates the dignity and
stands, and around it are clustered some of
the tenderest memories Of the nation. In
tead the drift Of opinion is rather toward
making needful extensions to the present
building or adding a separate structure
close by for the use of the Presidents house
hold. The old place Is indeed a treasure
house of national and historical relics and il
would be pity to supersede it with an
other. Presidents have welded and died
there, and great events and projects affect
ing the destiny Of the republic have origi-
mated there.
SHE RECOGNIZED MANY CHANGES.
During President Clevelgnd's administra-
tion five years ago Judge Holman of In
| diana escorted to the white house an aged
but vivacious maiden lady of 20, niece of
John Quincy Adams, who had spent her
childhood there. After some cordial hand
| shaking with Mr.. Cleveland the lady was
|
Looking around in bewilderment she ex-
claimed:
Laws a massy Is this really the same
old room? Why, there used to stand a
meal barrel and In yOnder corner were the
wash tubs andsfrom there over to there
pointing with her parasol-"a clothes line
was stretched, and in this corner we kept
our playthingsl"
In view of all the current talk about a
new white house. it is pertinent and timely
to know just what the present white house
has cost. The first funds for the building,
it should be remembered, were not fur
nished by Uncle Sam. AS it was the first
public building in Washington great deal
Of care was exercised in getting the best
possible plans A munidcent premium of
$500 was offered for the finest design, and
this was prepared by q young Irishman
named James Hohau, then of Charles
ton, s. c., who shaped his model closely
after that OF the Duke Of Leinster's palace
in Dublin. His plan contemplated a s.
story structure, but SO great was the public
outcry against this proposed extravaganza
That congress refused to appropriate the
peoples money for it, and the first commits
sioners of the district we're constrained to
reduce the design TO two stories and base
ment, with a frontage of 40 feet and a
depth of 6S feet. The necessary funds we're
supplied by the states Of Virginia and
! Sl20,0 900 and Maryland $72, 900. Gen.
| Washington, however, brought his influ-
ence to bear upon congress and finally I'M
duced that body to make appropriations to
finish it.
WHAT THE BUILDING HAS COST.
Counting in the sums donated as above
the venerable establishment has cost from
the beginning down to the present the sur
prising sum Of S2,332,O00. OF this big ag-
gregate $9S0.000 has been spent In finishing,
furnishing and caring for the building since
| 1877; S162,OOO in repairing it since 1907:
1878 900 in improving the grounds sur
rounding it since 1918, and S75, 600 in con-
struCting and maintaining the green houses
and cOnservatorieS attached to 1t since 1874
The cornerstone was laid with imposing
Masonic ceremonies on October 49, 179Z, in
the presence of Gen. George Washington
and the district commissioners. By 1899 the
building wes far enough advanced for par
tial occupancy, and November 1900, Presi-
dent John Adams brought his family to it
from their rented house in Philadelphia
making things as comfortable as could be
in the unfinished rooms. The circumstance
that Mrs. Gusts residence in Virginia
was called ''the white houssn
is said to have been the origin
Of the term as now applied to the
executive mansion; but Mrs. Washington
never lived in the mansion, and historically
the nickname white housen was not given
to il until after its sandstone walls, smoke ed
and blackened by the British soldiers when
they burned it, were painted cleaning
white in 1877. The Presidents home in
Washington has been officially styled 1.-THE
Presidents house" the presidential man
sionn and 1.-THE executive mansion !" but
never "the white house, albeit that is the
name used everywhere throughout the
country in speaking of the time-honored ed
ifce.
study of the old laws under which the
expenditures upon the white house were
made from year to year throws bright
side light on the official life and habits of
its successive occupants. Almost invariably
these expenditures have been allowed with
out question upon estimates submitted in
directly to congress by the Presidents them
selves through the government officer act
ing as factotum and master OF ceremonies
at che white house, so that in this way their
individual ideal on household economy and
administration are clearly reflected in the
sums granted.
THE FIRST OCCUPANT.
On April "a. 1900, before John Adams.
the first occupant, had established himself
in the white house, congress appropriated
the then magnificent sum of SIS, 900 for fur
niture for his accommodation. The ex-
pendIture of this money was strung along