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


During Jackson's first term the front porticS
Of Ionic pillars was added at cost Of $4,000
and during his second term e26, 900 was spen,
for furniture
During Van Buren's term s2o, 900 was devoted
to furniture and repairs. Up to that tims
nearly all Of the furniture was of mahogany
purchased abroad. chiefly in London and Paris.
In 1SA1, when the wings rolled into power with
william Henry Harrison, a new feature sp-
peared in the laws for the White House. The
| sum of 50 0O0-much less than formerly-was
appropriated for new furniture for the Presi-
| dents house. OF American manufacture, SO far
as may be practicable and expedent." Herein
doubtless is revealed the fine Italian hand OF
Henry Clay, as the great protectionist of that
time.
The same idea was adopted at the outset Of
| Polk administration, the law of 1S45 provid.
ing Sl4,c00 'for furnishing the presidential
mansion with furniture of American manufac-
ture." The "Polk protectionists" thus went the
| Harrison protectionists even on the language
and S., 900 better on the amount In thatlaw the
| term presidential mansion" appeared for the
first and last time. Four years later, when
| Taylor came into power. this restrictive Ian
| guage was dropped, S14 900 being appropriated
simply for furnishing the Presidents house. -
In 1858. when Pierce came in, Congress voted
| &25. 900 for furniture and Sl1.250 more for
needed repairs, including the ''whtewashing'
! OF the interior. This refurnishing and repair
| ing appear to have been done effectualy for
only eco. 900 seems to have been Ieeded in the
| next administration, Buchanan's.
During Lincoln's first term s29, 900 was spent
| for the same object Although the White House
in that period was overrun with all sorts of
| people as 1t had never been before, it seems
| that the President was far too busy with
weighticr matters to give much thought to the
appearance Of the place. But when Andrew
johnson, the self-made Tailor President, came
in on the death Of Lincoln. ample amends and
seemingly more than ample were made for past
neglect by decking out the mansion with I'M
precedented splendor. A thorough overhaul
ing and refurnishing were deemed necessary,
and In the years 1865 the extraordinary sum
OF $4,000 was provided to cover the expenses.
In 1867 the further sum Of $59, 900 was added
to complete the grand renovation.
IN GRANTS FIRST YEAR.
In 1869, the year of Grants Inauguration,
$4,000 was granted for furniture. In April,
1870, $4,000 more was given for furniture and
repairs and IN July following $4,000 moro was
set aside for the same purposes. The next year,
1871, $4,000 was again devoted to refur-
nishlng and repairing the Executive
Manslon"-so styled in the law for
the first time-including repairs to the
green houses, which had been injured by
fire in 1866. In 1872 S45, 900 was appropriated
for further furniture and repairs. While John
sons administration has been signalized
by an expenditure Of Sl35.OOO on the White
by the expenditure Of a sum exactly as great.
Throughout Grants second term $1,000 was
spent on the White House. OF this $4,000 was
devoted in 1873 to repairs to the mansion proper.
| $4,000 to the green houses and $40, 900 to fur
niture, while S25 900 was spent for repairs and
| furniture in 1874, $4,000 in 1875 and $40, 900
| in 1876. At that time the fuel account. which
Is not included in these figures. averaged $5,0 900
year. The fuel now consumed at the White
House costs only $4,000 year.
Since Grants administration the expenses of
the White House have all been materially re-
duced. During Hayes term $4,000 was ex-
pended for furniture and repairs; during the
Garfield-Arthur regime, $110O 900, a considera-
BILE portion being for the complete refitting
of the mansion with modern conveniences and
substituting the present beautiful screen of
jeweled glass in the vestibule for the old
wooden partition: during Cleveland's admin
istration. $4,000, and during Harrison's,
$685. OF late years the average outlay has
been about $685. year.
The repainting of the White House is one Of
the important features of these annual repairs.
Enough white paint has been daubed on the
portico pillars, for instance, to double their
present diameter, if the old paint had not frst
been removed before the successive new LAYERS
were applied. Likewise in the interior, sufficient
paint has been spread on the walls Of each Of
the public reception rooms to have diminished
their capacity by several feet each way, II the
old cracked pigments had not been scraped off
before the new coats we're laid on. All the car
pets in the reception rooms have to be renewed
every year, owing to the terrible trampling
they receive under the feet of the public
Some OF the work on the grounds immedi-
ately surrounding the mansion, on the bound
airy wallis ratings, curbing, gates and trees
together with additional fixtures, stables, extra
drainage and thousand odds and ends, has
also been paid out of the annual fund allowed
for repairs. Up to 1918 the extensive grounds
about the mansion were an unsightly waste,
without grass or shrubbery, but in that year
the systematic improvements now carried out
upon the lawns were begun, the total cost to
date being 1878, 900.
INADEQUATE FOR ITS PURPOSES.
The reader will naturally deem it curious
that building on which nearly two millions
and a half have been spent should now Re 30 in
adequate for the purposes to which it is de-
voted. But the fact is that the White House is
capable Of comfortably accommodating only
the President for his offices and for social
receptions. There only five bed rooms
at the disposal of the mistress Of the
White House. and only dining room, a sitting
room and parlor-the red room-for the pri-
vacy Of the household circle. OF course the
Presidents family are free to use the east ROOM
the green room, the blue room and the state
dining room if they choose, but these are by
tradition reserved chiefly as public reception
chambers, and, though most handsomely fur
nished, are not particularly inviting to quiet
family.
The late Mrs. Harrison made vigorous efforts
to remedy the situation by advocating the adj
dition OF wings to the present building-not for
her own occupancy and enjoyment, as she
pointed out, but for the comfort and con-
venience OF her successors and for the pro-
vision Of a home which might be creditabfe to
the executive of the greatest nation
on the globe" If her plan had been
taken up, or if Mr.. Cleveland when
President before had looked with
favor on the bill passed by the Senate in 1885
to construct a separate dwelling in the rear Of
the White House for the living apartments OF
the Presidents family, such provision could be
made that little Baby Ruth would now be in no
danger from infection.
As it Is Mr.. Cleveland will probably be COM
PEELED to house his little family in a hotel for a
while before re-entering the White House.