The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-23
PRESIDENTS HOUSE.
What 1t Costs to Renew the Worn Ont
Furniture.

Some Famous Table Services China, Cut
Glass and silver for the Dining Room
White House Steward.
Very recently story was telegra phed
from a New England town to the country
about mysterious order for silver service
for the Presidents house. which had been
given to firm of silver workers. 1t was to
be an elaborate and costly set, the dispatch
said ,,but the facts about it were not to be
divulged to any one. Naturally. interest
which would have been very easily
measured il the facts had been made
known, was much stimulated when the air
of mystery was thrown around the pur-
chase So Col. John NJ. Wilson, the army
officer in charge Of public buildings and
grounds. was besieged with questions about
this latest purchase for the White House.
When the first inquirer spoke to him. Col.
Wilson was bit puzzled; but in q minute
the situation was plain to him.
.'Oh, yes, he said, s'we have ordered some
silver. remember it now. i ordered a
gravy boat for the Presidents table week
or two age to match one which the Presi-
dent now has. All. Oh, yes. That is all.
Call again. Glad TO give you information
Mt any time'' And then the colonel re-
turned to the pleasant task Of figuring how
to clean thirty miles of pavement after a
snow storm when the appropriation has
been exhausted.
These reports come out SO frequently that
the colonel is never surprised, though he is
sometimes puzzled to know where they
started. Only few months ago there was
n report that new silver service had been
purchased OF was to be purchased for the
White House, and it had its origin in the
fact that Col. Wilson, out of the sssettling''
of the appropriation for the years, had
purchased two dozen spoons for The Presi-
dents table.
All purchases for the furnishing of the
White House are made from an appropria-
lion made by Congress for the maintenance
of the Presidents establishment, and they
are matter Of record. The money is ex-
pended by Col. Wilson, as disbursing officer,
subject, of course. to the approval of the
President or his representative. Last
years. appropriation for this purpose was
lump sum Of $25, 900 ..for care, repair and
furnishing Executive Mansion, to be expend-
ed by contract or otherwise, as theTfresi-
dent may determine In addition to this
sum. there was an appropriation of s$3, 600
for fuel. $1,000 for the care and necessary
repairs to the green houses and $500 for
lighting the mansion. Or course, very
lite ''refurnishng' can be done with
$4,000 in the Presidents house. The sum
is SO inadequate for any such purpose that
Congress has made from time to time large
appropriations for the refurnishing of parts
of the mansion and for Tedecorating. The
actual expenses Of the mansion are about
$11 900 year.
SPENT IN VARIOUS YEARS.
During the Arthur administration there
We're two special appropriations by Con-
gress for refurnishing the mansion--one of
S5O,0n0 and one of $4,000. In the first adj
ministI alton of Nj. Cleveland the appro-
priatlons aggregated S7s,OoO. Mrs. Harri-
son had one appropriation of $4,000. one Of
$4,000. one of $4,000 and one of S2O.uO0.
With this money the mansion was pretty
" 49,