The Progress., 1893-03-11
WHITE HOUSE
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND RE-ESTAB-
LlSHED IN THE HISTORIC MANSION.

A History of the White House Would BE
Condensed History of the Nation-The
Building Is Not Quite Century Old. !
The Cabinet Not Yet Housed.
Especial Correspondence.l
WASHINGTON. March 6.-The inaugura-
ton is over, the strangers have, for the
most part, gone home, the decorations are
hanging rain soaked and forlorn, and the
new administration is setting itself to
work. As yet the new cabinet is not
housed Only the president and his family
are settled in the home which they are to
occupy during their stay in Washington.
A president has an immense advantage
over every other official of the government
in that the nation furnishes him house
all ready for his occupancy. 1t is not such
a bad house either.
1t is the fashion to decry the executive
mansion as a place unfit for the residence
of an American gentleman and his family,
but the facts do not warrant this assump-
ton 1t might be better, and again it might
be infinitely worse. Mr.. Cleveland didn't
like the idea of moving into house where
contagious disease had so recently existed,
and at one time he thought seriously Oh
finding another habitation and living in it.
at least during the present spring But be
finally decided to take his household gods
into the historic mansion, and there they are.
Contrary to the general impression, the
White House has not as yet completed Its
first century 1t will not be 100 years old,
so far as being a habitable dwelling goes
till seven years from next November, as it
was in November, 1890, that John Adams
moved into it with his puritanic wife. If
she dried her wash clothes in the east room,
as tradition says she did, she is not to be
blamed for it, for when the Adamses moved
in the mansion was nothing but big barn
of place, very dreary in its half finished
condition, surrounded by mud and debris.
A hundred years ago today the workmen
were laying the stone and brick of the walls
of this now historic mansion. A century is
but short time in the history of anation or
a palace, and though our presidents house
is spoken OF and generally regarded as p
very old building it still lacks seven years
of the 100 mark.
If / had the time and the literary ability,
| should like to write a history of the Whilo
| House The suggestion that now is the ac-
cepted time for the compilation of such a
| history, just as the first century of the life
of the mansion is coming to a close ard
while many of the people who have at one
time or another resided in the house are
still among the living, give free of cost to
any ambitious writer who may aspire TO
take up the work 1t should be done, 1t
should be well done, and it should be done
Immediately
There still live of those who have known
the White House as home the adopted
daughter of President Buchanan, Harr; It
Lane, who was one of the most charming
mistresses the old mansion ever had; the
son of Lincoln and many of the public men
who knew much of the dramatic occur
rences within the White House walls in
! Lincoln's time; the widow and sons OF
Grant and of course members of the fami-
lies of all the later presidents. Before these
persons die, and others whose memories OF
personal experiences in the White House
will carry the historian much further back
than Buchanan, the story of the White
House should be written.
The history of this plain old house will
be found to be condensed history of the
nation. With the small space inclosed by
its four walls as vantage point, the his
/ torian will find himself in contact with
much of the history, the romance, the tras
edy, the poetry and the sentiment clinging
to the century. The mansion has its ghosts
too.
| All houses wherein men have lived and died
Are haunted houses. Through the open doors
| The harmless phantoms on their errands glide
With feet that make no sound upon the ioors
| There are more guests at table than the hosts
Invited. TIE illuminated hall
1 Is thronged with quiet, inoffensive ghosts,
7 As silent as the pictures on the wall.
A hundred and one years ago this week
the city commissioners advertised for plans
for the presidents house. A century age
last October the cornerstone was laid, mort
of the people then resident in the Capital
City living in board sheds and tents. Eight
years later, with the coming of John and
Abigail Adams, its real history commenced
And what history it is-how alluring 70
the penl Note but few of the incidents
with which the page of its 80 odd years is
crowded and see what charming work the
historian who will undertake the task has
before himl
1t was Abigail Adams who first broached
the public Office a public trust" idea.
That was before she came to the White
House too. From her country home in
! Massachusetts, she wrote her husband on
the day of his inauguration; You have