The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-15
THE NATIONS BIG HOTEL
N THE EXECUTIVE MANSION w
Gle SAM HELPS KEEP HOUSE,
Little Home Life There. Thoush-A
Steward Takes the Place ~ n
Mistress.

Washington. Feo. when the YOUNG
Irish architect. James Hoban, designed. In
l7s2. "a mansion" for the President of the
United States. after the Dublin Palace.
built by the Duke OF Leinster, the house
keeping for presidents was quite simple.
The fair and stately mistresses. begin
ming with Mrs. Abigail Adams. ordered
dinners and suppers with all the dignity
of their positions. served by maid and men
servants, according TO need" but. with
her house in a wilderness. the weekly
washing dried IN the east room. there
was little Formally in household manage
ment.
The Sits. graces and successes Of beau
tiful Dolly Madison" while in the white
house have gone down into history. Her
cook. maids and 'ole Black Soc" who
provided for his "han-sum mistress all
the southern delicacies. were famed for
service. Fabulous sums We're paid for
produce. and market day was the event Of
the week. when heavy coaches jolted from
Alexandria 20 the capital. when 1.-THE gen
try came to meet the foreign ships and
add 70 their stores precious Jars, India
fruits and old England's choicest treas
ures.
Lafayette, in lses. pronounced the white
house IAN American home OF eminent
social and royal elegance
THE lovely Emily Donaldson" hostess Of
the jackson reign, entertained royalty.
officially ana socially. The four or I'VE fol-
lowing presidents dispensed generous hos
pitality. Mr.. Buchanan's chef came from
Baltimore and Miss Harriet Lane revived
the splendor and fashion OF couruy service
Their entertainments were elegant ana ex-
penses enormous. President Tyler lived
simply but his julips In summer and egg
nogs In winter used "a good share OF his
salary. Dir. Pierce was popular. dining
everybody. "Grandfather Harrison" went
to market and needed no steward.
To no other President, 10 no other mis-
tress of THE Peoples House" could come
the peculiar perpleXities and burdens OF
housekeeping as TO our beloved Abraham
Lincoln. From attic 20 cellar through the
grounds. the corridors places public or
private, was the confusion Of war. Little
Tad, with the democratic visitors az the
area steps; and day and night the tramp
Of soldiers; officers and messengers every
where. To Mrs. Lincoln ~ was new con-
fused and untried. To Mr.. Lincoln months
and years were wholly self forgetful. in
different TO the expenses and waste COM
fort or discomfort. Twenty thousand doll
lars was spent during his first term. Silver,
ornaments and valuable furniture were
stolen; costly hangings cut 70 pieces.
The family of Andrew Johnson. with
ceaseless pains ana patience, renovated
the house. Their state dinners We're cost
ly and official duties exact
With the Grants came merry children,
hosts of jolly friends and great social free
dom. Their steward, "Melah" was be-
loved Of diplomats, princes and officers
who dined at the white house.
one hundred ami thirty-hve thousand
dollars was used IN Johnson's time; the
same Ia Grants first term; the second.
Sll0 go; $4,000 was used on the new green
houses.
Great improvements were made during
Mrs. Hayes reign. The teweled screen in
the Vestibule cost So $50. Congress gave Mr..
Cleveland $4,000 snd MIR. Harrison, 500.
900. President Arthur was the prince OF
dinner givers." His liquors were his great
est expense. The steward tells me that
President Hayes spent greater sums on
beautiful entertainments and decorations
than any other President except Mr..
Arthur
The white house Is often called a big
hotel" and the President its landlord II
is housekeeping on large scale-the ex-
penses divided between Uncle Sam and his
servantsl The executive mansion" is
the office and private home of the Presi-
dent and his family; and one can hardly
credit the small embarrassing way of daily
work within It's wallis, which is franticaIly
sought after and rushed into print The
house has cost over S2,0oO.0 00 and s125 900
each year is for the Presidents salary and
expenses. Silver, china, glassware, linen
for table and bedrooms and necessary
furniture belong to Uncle Sam.
All personal service is paid for as by any
gentleman IN his own house Government
laundries the house linen and attends to
the house cleaning; but at the beginning
of a new administration old servants are
retained or dismissed, as the mistress sees
fit.
The steward is directly responsible for
all valuables He gives a bond Of $1,000
and receives salary of 81 800. He IL ap-
pointed by the President. and all United
States property put into his charge. The
solid silver service OF the Monroe The
gold spoons and forks Of the Van Burens,
pieces of the Lincoln china, part of the
decorative service made for Mrs. Hayes are
still in use, and stand on the mahogany
buffet in the private dining room Quaint
urns pitchers, claret jugs and relics Of
value grace the buffet The silver is
marked Presidents house" the linen
embroidered ~. s." The steward relieves
the mistress OF all care, has charge Of the
under servants, who attend to the entire
sousework.
The first time that we called upon Mrs.
Hayes informally, some one asked: And
how goes your new housekeeping, Mrs.
Hayes?"
Her handsome eyes twinkled as she re-
piled merrily: Il like it. Everything In
this house moves as II by magic. Every
body is so good and does so much for us -
The state dinners are given at the PresI-
dent expense. He gives to the steward
a. sum Of money, the expenditure of which
Is supposed 10 be in proportion to the CT
fetal rank and grandeur Of the invited
guests.
Government furnishes TO cabinet officers
horses, carriages and coachnnen, but the
Presidents are personal property
The flowers Of the white house are IFS
pride and glory. There is no room 10 tell
Of the wonderful decorations, the roses.
vlolets, pansies and orchids, each the ia
vorite Of it's beautiful mistress; nor OF The
pretty hooks and corners, arranged from
one administration to another by the wife
and mother for the comfort and. pleasure
Of her little ones, her husband and many
guests.
The old house is sacred for its century OF
nd