Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-14

/
consideration at the hands Of our ma
tional lawmakers. and a pertinent point is
given to the discussion just now by the fact
that the free transaction Of the public bust
ness, in the way of diplomatic audi
ences, presentations and cabinet meet
ings, is in a measure interfered with by
| the quarantine. Some very embarrassing COM
! plicatiens also are anticipated when the time
arrives for President-elect Cleveland to trans
! fer his little family to the White House. Al
though a thorough disinfection before that time
may insure perfect safety to Baby Ruth. yet it
Is felt that her parents may with propriety hes
itate to run the rak involved. II the Presi-
dents official apartments were altogether sepa-
rated from his private household there would
be no interruption of the public business now
from the illness Of Mr.. Harrison's granddaugh-
ter, but as 1t is a rigid quarantine and isolation
OF the private rooms are found to be abso-
lutely necessary. and even with that consider
cradle inconvenience has already resulted.
Washington people hardly fancy the PROPOSE
ton Of an entirely new White House. for every
body here appreciates the dignity and beauty Of
the grand old mansion as it stands and around it
are clustered some Of the tenderest memories of
the nation. Instead the drift Of opinion is
rather toward making needful extensions to the
present building or adding q 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 it would be
a pity to supersede it with another. Presidents
have welded and died there, their children
have been born there, and great events and
projects affecting the destiny of the republic
have originated there.
SHE RECOGNIZED MANY CHANGES.
During President Cleveland's administration
five years ago Judge Holman of Indiana es-
corted to the White House an aged but vivacious
maiden lady Of seventy, niece Of John Quincy
Adams, who had spent her childhood there.
After some cordial handshaking with Mr..
Cleveland the lady was conducted at her re-
quest to the east room. Looking around in
bewilderment she exclaimed:
''Laws-a- massey is this really the same old
room? Why, there used to stand meal barrel
and In yonder corner were the washtubs and
from there over to there'-pointing with her
parasol-'a clothes-line was stretched. and in
this corner we kept our playthings?"
In view of all the current talk about 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 DO remembered, we're not furnished by
Uncle Sam. As it was the first public building
| in Washington a great deal Of care was exer-
cised in getting the best possible plans. A
munifcent premium Of $500 was offered for
the finest design, and this was prepared by q
young Irishman named James Hoban. then Of
Charleston, S. c., who shaped his model closely
after that of the Duke of Leinster's palace in
Dublin. His plan contemplated three-story
structure. but SO great was the public cutlery
against this proposed extravaganza that Con-
gress refused to appropriate the peoples money
for it, and the first Commissioners Of the Dis
tr1ct were constrained to reduce the design to
two stories and basement, with a frontage Of
ITO feet and depth Of 6S feet. The necessary
funds were supplied by the states of Virginia
and Maryland. Virginia contributed in all
100000 and Maryland 900. Gen. Wash
ington, however, brought his influence to bear
| upon Congress and finally induced 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 be-
ginning down to the present the surprising sum
of S2.332.0 900. OF this big aggregate $3.50. 900
has been spent in finishing, furnishing and car
ing for the building since 1897; $762 600 in re-
pairing it since 1907, 1913, 900 in improving the
grounds surrounding it since 1915 and $4,000
in constructing and maintaining the green
houses and conservatories attached to 1t since
1874.
The corner stone was laid with imposing Ma
sonic ceremonies on October 49, 1892 in the
presence Of Gen. Washington and the District
Commissioners. By 1893 the building was far
enough advanced for partial occupancy, and in
November, 1900, President John Adams brought
his family to 1t from their rented house in
Philadelphia. making things comfortable as
could be In the unfinished rooms. The circum-
stance that Mrs. GUSTS residence in Virginia
WAS called 1.-The White House" 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 nick
name White House" was not given to it until
after its sandstone walls, smoked and backened
by the British soldiers when they burned it,
were painted a cleaning white in 1917 The
Presidents home in Washington has been Of
fcially styled 1.-THE Presidents House." "the
Presidential Mansion" and 'the Executive
Mansion" but never 1.-The White House." albeit
that is the name used everywhere throughout
the country in speaking Of the time-honored
edifce.
A study Of the old laws under which the OK
penditures upon the White House were made
from year to year throws bright side light on
the official life and habits OF its successive oc-
cupants. Almost invariably these expenditures
have been allowed without question upon esti-
mates submitted indirectly to Congress
by the Presidents themselves through the
government officer acting as factotum
and master of ceremonies at the White
House, SO that in this way their individ-
ual ideas on household economy and admins
tration 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 magnifi-
cent sum Of SIS 900 for furniture for his accom-
notation The expenditure Of this money was
strung along through the four years fol-
lowing.
In 1905, when jefferson came into his own.
the further liberal sum Of $4,000 was appro-
priated "for tho accommodation of the house
hold of the President, to be laid out at his dis
erection and under his direction, together with
the proceeds from the sale Of such part of the
furniture and equipage belonging to the Pres
idents household a. may be decayed and out Of
repair. This sum, under the distinctive brand
of simplicity then prevailing, was spent inside
OF three years. Most Of 1t went to furnish
the house throughout, except the great east
room.
Four years later, in 1909, when Madison's
! first term began, like sum Of Sl4 900 was pro-
| vided for the same purpose, but under the
accelerated tendency Of the time toward ex-
travagance, it was all "blown in" In the short
space of two years. The same amount was
duplicated at the beginning Of Madison's second
term in 1913. The next year, however, on
August "A, the British regulars-or Irregular
broke into the place just as Mrs. Dolly Madison
and party Of invited guests were sitting down
to grand banquet, aud the intrud-
ers. losing no time in idle ceremony,
at once applied the incendiary's torch. Luckily
q heavy rain was falling and the damage was
less than it would otherwise have been From
that date TO the close Of his administration
Madison and his family occupied the building
known 1.-The Octagou House." still standing
\ at tho corner of Naw York sv>rua onA TAX