The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-01-12
The Household,
A Description of the White House
Apartments.

A Description of the White House
Apartments.
The W hite House contains twenty
rooms, including offices, reception
rooms, Presidents Office and library.
The first floor is devoted to the public,
consisting entirely of parlors, &c.
The state parlors of the White House
consist of the East Room, the Green
Room, the Blue Room. and the Red
Room, all situated on the first floor.
Of these the largest is the East Room,
which is eighty feet long and forty feet
wide. 1t is magnificent apartment,
exquisitely decorated with three enorn.
Gus crystal chandeliers, while eight
immense mirrors add to the elegant
appearance of the room. To the saloon
are held the official receptions, as well
as the less ostentatious public recep-
tons.
The Green Room has its walls cover
ed with paper of Nile green color, and
its furniture is upholstered in green
satin. The Blue Room is oval in shape,
and it's walls are hung with exquisite
silk panels. while the ceiling is painted
to represent the azure of the heavens.
1t is 10 this room that the President
stands to welcome his guests when he
receives all the foreign ministers on
occasions of official presentations, and
it is in general the room of ceremony.
1t was here that President and Mrs.
Cleveland were married during the
formers first term as President. The
Red Room is one of the most cheerful
and attractive in the whole mansion.
The walls are painted in Pompeiian
red. and the furniture and draperies of
the room are of the same tint. A mag
ni6cent mantel piece and a ceiling de-
corated with bronze and copper stars
are among the handsome features of
this room. When the President enter.
tains all the parlors are previously en-
bellished with flowers and luxurious
plants from the White House conserva
tory, the East Room in particular having
great masses of tropical plants.
The parlors open into long private
corridor, which is separated from the
public vestibule by a screen. The walls
of the corridor are hung with portraits
of the Presidents.
| The East Room is open to the public
from 10 o'clock a. m. to 2 p. m. every
day. During the Harrison administra
ton citizens who desired to pay their
respects to the President were received
for one hour three days in the week
At the expiration of the hour the Pre-
sident retired, and the house was closed
to the public.
President Cleveland receives such
persons as have been interviewed by
Secretary Thurber, who undertakes to
discover if their business is important.
Doubtless public receptions will be re-
suned later in the season. Many cranks
and crazy persons have sought audience
with the President, and. it is reported.
he is constantly attended by private
detective in his daily drives.
| Leading from the corridor is a grand
DINING room, in which the state din
ners are given--ths dinners to the
members of the Cabinet, the Justices of
the Supreme Court, Senators and Rep
reseptatives, foreign ministers, and
other distinguished persons, These
dinners take place once or twice week
during the winter, and are given by
the President at his own expense.
| All the table service, the china,
silver and linen. is provided by the
Government, but the food and wines
are furnished by the President, and the
expenditure for dlnpers is very large,
as each dinner will cost the gsesteT
part of $1,000 Usually there are
twelve courses served, and as many as
Gfty-tour gussts cap sit at the table
when it is fully extended, although
generally there are only from thirty.six
to forty persoas invited. The state
DINING room is richly furnished, and
when it is lighted at night by many
gas jets and wax candles has splendid
appearance, With its table covered with
state china and silver, beautiful floral
designs, and delicious viands.
The breakage of china and glass at
the White House is very moderate
The pantry is the small room at the
northwest corner, adjoining the private
dining room. 1t is not as large as that
lproVided in many modern mansion,