The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1894-03-03
Descriptive Artitles.
A Description of the White House
From the National watehman.

The White House contains 20 rooms.
including offices, reception rooms, Presi-
dents 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 stu
ated 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
enormous crystal chandeliers, while eight
immense mirrors add to the elegant appear
ance of the ROOM In the saloon are held
the official receptions, as well as the less
ostentatious public receptions.
The green room has its walls covered
with paper of a Nile green color, and its
furniture is upholstered in green satin.
The blue room is oval in shape, and its
walls are hung with exquisite silk panels,
while the ceiling is painted to represent
the azure of the heavens 1t is in this
room that the President stands to welcome
his guests when he receives all the foreign
ministers on occasions of official presenta-
tions, and it is in general the room of GER
emony. 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 at
tractive in the whole mansion The walls
are painted in Pompeiian red, and the fur
nture and draperies of the room are of
the same tint. \ magnificent mantel-
piece and ceiling decorated with bronze
and copper stars are among the handsome
features of this room. When the Presi-
dent entertains all the parlors are previous
ly embellished with flowers and luxurious
plants from the White House conservatory,
the east room in particular having great
masses of tropical plants.
The parlors open into long private cor
rider, which is separated from the public
vestibule by screen. The walls of the
corridor are hung with portraits of the
Presidents.
The east room is open to the public from
IN o'.looe IN N m 1aV
During the Harrison administration citi-
zens 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 President retired, and the
house was closed to the public.
President Cleveland receives such per-
sons as have been interviewed by Secretary
Thurber, who undertakes to discover if
their business is important. Doubtless
public receptions will be resumed later in
the season. Many cranks and crazy per-
sons have sought audience with the Presi-
dent, 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 dinners
are given-the dinners to the members of
the Cabinet, the the Justices of the Su-
preme Court, Senators and Representa-
tives. foreign ministers, and other distin-
guished persons. These dinners take place
once or twice a 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 and wines are furnished
by the President, and the expenditure for
dinners is very large, as each dinner will
cost the greater part of 81 900. Usually
there are twelve courses served, and as
many as fifty-four guests can sit at the
table when it is fully extended, although
generally there are only from thirty-six to
forty persons invited. The state dining
room is richly furnished, and when it is
lighted at night by many gas jets and wax
candles has a splendid appearance, with
its table covered with state china and sill
yer, beautiful floral designs, and delicious
viands.
The breakage of china and glass at the
White House is very moderate. The pam
try is the small room at the northwest cor
ner, adjoining the private dining room. 1t
is not as large as that provided in many
modern mansion, for the safe keeping alone
of the china and glass 1t is quite large
enough to accommodate the furnishings of
the Presidents private table, but consider
ed insufficient to contain all the White
House china. Until the present steward
took charge all the fine china not in every
day use was stored in one dark closet in
the private dining room Lately row of
shelves was put up in the pantry and it is