The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-09-22

diers' Home cupola and numerous church
spires breaking the line of the horizon. On
the wall at the left of the vice presi-
dents desk is Rembrandt Pears famous
portrait of the first President of the re-
public, and marble busts of Vice Presi-
dent Wilson who died in this room, and
Lafayette 5. Foster of Connecticut, are
conspicuous. While engaged with his pri-
vate secretary the vice president sits with
MS face TO the south, and he can see him
sell renected IN an old mirroW which has
passed the century mark and is one of the
most valuable relies about the great mar
bic pile which surmounts Capitol hill.
One thing which strikes the visitor to the
large office room of the Secretary of State.
in the south wing of the hugh pile of
granite known as the state, war anu navy
buIlding, Is the absence of the usual ar
ray of oil paintings of former premiers.
Instead there are engravings of former
Presidents of the United States, and a
marble medallion bust of James Madison
in the panel just behind the secretarys
desk, is a novel and rare ornament. Three
large windows lead out on a granite gal
lery, from which the Secretary of State
can obtain a splendid view of Arlington,
Fort Myer. Alexandria and the Potomac
river. A solid oak desk. arranged so that
the light viii fall from the south win
dow over the secretary's shoulders, is
feature of this apartment, and when en-
gagged in the transaction of business the
Secretary of State sits facing the north.
on the panel in front of him are three ex-
quisite engravings representing Washing
ton, Lincoln, Grant. and just beneath rs
a cODlIOIldDle, edSe-lnNltlnR red lounge.
Leather upholstered furniture seems to be
fad for cabinet officers rooms, and,
while they prefer what is known as the
congressional revolving chair for their
personal use, visitors are invariably seat
ed in big, sleepy-hOllowed leather chairs.
Secretaries OF the treasury range all
over the big granite structure after they
are once installed but the favOrite room
seems to be in the south wing of the
building overlooking the White lot From
a southeast window the Secretary of the
avenue to the Capitol, whence he draws
his supplies from congress- and due south
he can see the bureau of engraving and
printing, where the law is carried out in
the shape of treasury notes and bonds.
His desk is so arranged he sits facing the
north between three windoWs-east, south
and west. Around the walls are hung pic
turs of former secretaries of the treas
ury, a trio which attracts the most atten-
tion being Thomas Corwin, Daniel Man
ming and John Sherman. over an unpre-
tentiOus looking mahogany desk the purse
strings of the nation are kept in touch
with the secretary of the treasury and the
Comeback chair is covered with navy
blue cloth.
Undoubtedly the most pretentious-look-
ing office room in the way of decorations
and adornment is that of the Secretary of
War, on Seventeenth street. or the west
wing of the state. war and navy building.
This is the historic locality, for just across
| the street is a two-story brick house in
which Gen. Grant made his headquarters
and directed the movements which led TO
the collapse OF the greatest war u HIS
tory.
There is not much to see out Of the win
dows of the Secretary of Warts Office eX-
cept a struggling row of brick structures,
the most important of which is the Win
der building, a hospital during the war,
and now a storehouse for records used in
pensioning some Of the victims of that
struggle. over the mantelpiece to the right
of the Secretary of War is a large glass
case containing a silk American flag,
made thirty years ago. 1t was used TO
wrap about the bier of the martyred Lin
coin, and was taken from the coffin at
Springfield, after the remains had been
transported from Washington to their last
resting place. A splendidly carved rose
wood desk with a fiat top and chair to
match is used by the secretary, who while
engaged in the duties of his Office sits fac
ing the east. Portraits of former secre-
taries of war surround him on all sides,
and an exquisite carved oak nantel is one
of the features of this department One
the government is displayed on a panel in
this room, and represents Washington as
commander-in-chief of the continental
army in 1775. On the panel in front of
| the Secretary of War are the three great
generals of the union forces-Grant, Sher-
man and Sheridan-and silk flags, guidons
and regimental standards re grouped on
the walls and fall in graceful folds about
the pictures Of the great generals.
Ambassador Eustis is one of the latest
] men in Paris to learn bicycling.