The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-07-29
THE WHITE HOUSE.
Some Interesting Historic Facts About the
Old Bulldog.

WASHINGTON, July 26.-One of the
employees OF the white house, Mr.. Pen,
dell, who has been there for many
years, tells some thiags of interes,
about the historic building. He says
"rhe term white house, by which ii
is now known throughout the country.
was not applied to it until after the
sandstone walls, blackened by smoke
and flames when the British set Dire to
it, were painted cleaning white in
1917.
Before the first occupant. John
Adams had established himself in the
furniture what was then considered
money was made to hold out during
When his successor, Jefferson, took ur
his residence there. $4,000 was set
inside for the accommodation OF
the household of the president
to be laid out at his discre.
ton, and under his direction, topethe,
with the proceeds from the sale of such
part of the furniture and equipage. be
longing to the presidents household, as
AhiaS OC GU tiAu Out VI repair.
Most OF this money was devoted to re
furnishing the house, and it was all
spent in three years.
-Four years later q like sum was
placed at the disposal of Madison and
the same amount was appropriated at
the beginning of his second term. The
burning of the mansion white he re-.
sided there, however. necessitated its
ct,.,,r g., sa1,
appropriated in 1917, together with the
proceeds of the sale of the old furni
ture. The year following James Mon
roe came into the historic old mansion
and $40, 900 more was spent in finishing
and refurnishing it.
The regulation sum-S14, ,00O-was
again allowed when John Quincy
Adams took possession, and in
1926 and 1927 $4,000 additional
was appropriated for finishing and fur.
nishing the cast room. The front por-
tico of Ionic pillars was added in Jack
sons first term at cost of S19, 600, and
in his second term $4,000 was spent
for furniture. Van Buren, was voted
$40, 900 for furniture and repairs. All
this time most of the furniture was
brought from London or Paris, and
nearly all of it was mahogany. When
William II. Harrison became president
the appropriation was cut down to
S., 900, with the stipulation that the
furniture bought should be of Ameri-
can manufacture.
Polk and Taylor were each allowed
$4,000 for the customary alterations,
but when Pierce took up his residence
there the generous sum of S25, 900 was
appropriated for furniture and S11.25O
for repairs and 'whitewashing' the in
terror
Buchanan spent $50, 900, and in his
first term Lincoln used $4,000 on the
house. A thorough overhauling took
place when johnson was inaugrrated,
ut Il cost of $4,000, and in 1865 and
1866 $4,000 was added to complete the
work. A like amount was expended
by Grant during. Ills first term and
$4,000 the second, exclusive of fuel,
which averaged $4,000 year.
During Hayes administration
50, 900 was spent for furniture and re.
pairs, and during the Garfield-Arthur
regime the mansion was reftted and
the jewled glass screen substituted for
the old wooden partition, the whole
amount expended being $4,000.
President Cleveland spent $4,000
during his first term, and Harrison
$4,000.
1.-THE average annual outlay is now
s25,000 for furniture and repairs and
$4,000 for fuel. The carpets on the
floor of the reception rooms have to be
renewed every year, owing to the i'm
mense amount of wear they are SUBJ
ject to under~the feet of the public"