New-York tribune., 1896-11-15
GOSSIP OF THE CAPITAL.
TIE 1NADEoUACY OF THE WHITE HOUSE
FOR IT'S PRESENT PURPOSE


ING OF MILLION BOOKS.
washington, Nov. 14.--Mr. Mckinley will be
n. twenty-fourth President Of the United
c,ates TO occupy the White House. The first OF
the Presidents to live there was John Adams.
ohio took possession of 1t in 1900 while II was
I'll, unfinished and hardly hahitahle. Since then
~. country has outgrown it, and the Executive
Mansion of to-day. though architecturally beau
.,,ul and interesting from every point Of view.
a. entirely inadequate for the needs OF the Pres-
aont.s family and the accommodation OF his Of
fces
rba White House Is directly under the control
=, Colonel Wilson, Superintendent OF Public
pundipgs and Grounds. and he has charge of the
disbursement of the money appropriated by Con-
cross for its support. 1t has long been chcr-
s.sod hone of Colonel Wilson that Congress.
,,ovsd by the existing need. would build another
".,,dence for the President. He suggests as
alto the use of ground at the head of sixteenth
:. which is in a direct line from the entrance OF
,ns White House along one of the handsonest
.,,s in town The present Executive Mansion
n,S he used for Offices. and for s1rlcsS oto tn ia
cou1si c-ions Colonel Wilson has empooieu tlese
Ssas in a number of his reports anu az. honn,
leea ras nothing very important on lls hahus
kIes later is discussed but there Is snali pnI ploS
tne N. nf ANYTHING being done as long as ,he fres'
tent processes little interest m tme seiarv was
aeL' In The beginning the President sa.ais Tf TSH
IN IN at sos 900 year but this, as early as Jel
HH,rson's Administration. was louhu s,a -
10 meet the expenses ine psident Grants time
wa NJ ~ salary was doubled. Gradually 700. .he
.naontites of the Office have o ono s 60
Erorrress appropriates between sfo'ouo ai'o tbo
oSn Annually for the current sNp.S' ,o,,,a;ro
wv a. c." NIoreion to meet clerk hire, llcluui"s
~, of the Presidents private secae.. t. tn,a
s.hs5 .hs5 00O n wear; stenographers. VpeMiNeS 49,
FS',O oocrators messengers. doo'keepS's' d
gray IA bousekeeper. and light ana neat so
w. The president has the oenent y, su'''
sr,v equal to his salary, ana alehousn nic @ ~.
cone - t;ch annroaches the United states IN
ahsth tho contingent fund proVioeo py ,on-
Mnss II ia enough 70 enable MIN 10 80 Nv - 80 h;rh
tssrtain In a manner CONSISTENT WIN ''''
Office.
.o-,. that points a moral was told oy
.on-,nown dealer in bric-a-prac from 0
~. far Western towns who visileu 'i'e
rscsntly He is a faNorite ii'eiOH3''' -.
,,.hor, he knows how TO manage anu
- oo,stantly richer through their patron
oca While in New-York last spring Ni'
co ..rootaa NV q miniature exposed TOT SAFE
~ ,,o window of an oil junk shop down'o"h'
~. .r.ored with the idea Of purchasing. He'e"-
.r-ave dollars was the price asked. and a1'er a"
hour,s dickering he came away ti'e i'0"e' -
the miniature. the poorer by @'o
On his return home Mr.. c. Piaceu ms ~
chase On sale at the original price-F''
first customer to admire it was man u '''"
lous wealth. who poses as q collector
VERY pretty little miniature saio 'he rioi
man: "I will give you $50 for It.
mo" answered he merchant II Is n'arNeu
-. -.,,, rerv lowest price I cannot afford TO take
less for it."
"veu You'll never get your price" said the
,rou,d-he purchaser when you want to ex-
change 1t for $50 let me know ,,.u
As soon as Mr. - left the shop the dealer
marked his miniature at 500 The-next person
anbitjous TO purchase it was a LADY whose COL
lection Of miniatures has already cost her 'hou-
sands Of dollars. Mrs. y offered $40 Tor IL. Only
"a very valuable specimen. 1t ought 10 be in
your collection. and would like OF all things to
see ii there but not a cent less than SloO can
take for it,
the lady; when you do. drop me a line"
After Mrs. X left the shop Mr.. c. promptly
Mrs s. the wife of a Western Senator. and
a woman OF rare culture and exquisite taste
was the next conner tempted. She was Wiling
10 pay 500 for the pleasure or possessing IT,
but was refused. With this offer Mr.. C
marked 1t $50 higher. People came and people
went. Everybody wanted the miniature but
steadily increased with every offer until it
reached $i.1OO Finally. man from New ork.
who owns one of the most noted collections Of
miniatures in the world. dropped into the shop.
"I will give you 81 900 for that minia ure." he
said 1T is not worth II, but like 1t and
want it,"
Impossible" said the dealer; 'it cost me
that"
Better take it," insisted the collector you'll
never have another offer so good
And the dealer being wise man. knew that
the collector spoke truly. He accepted the offer.
therefore. and made $3.50 profit although he
was ambitious to sell the miniature to the first
customer who offered only $50 for it. for loo
The Secretary Of the Interior has leased the
house of ex-senator Sawyer, Of Wisconsin, in
Connecticut-ave., which is one OF the handsomest
and most pretentious houses in town. 1t is
built entirely of brownstone, and the interior
has been richly decorated from designs made by
well-known artists. Senator Sawyer built 1t
some six years ago for his daughter. Mrs How
ard White who recently died here. While her
father was in the Senate, Mrs White entertained
more brilliantly, perhaps. tnan any otner woman
in society. After his retirement Senator Saw
yer leased his house to Senator Stockbrdge. OF
Michigan, who lived in it until his death Last
winter. the lease held by Mrs. Stockbridge haV-
Ing expired. Senator Sawyer again took pos
session, and spent the season here. He had
planned 10 remain In Washington the coming
winter. but his daughters sudden ana untitnely
death proved a very great shock TO him. and he
was glad TO dispose OF a house which held
SUCH sad memories.
There are millions upon millions Of dollars in
the Treasury, paid in from different sources.
which belong to citizens of the United States.
To this wealth the Postofflce Department
through the money-order office. contributes
largely. A few years back the Postmaster
General deposited with the Treasurer nearly
S.00O.OOO. the money from uncashed orders
which had accumulated since the Office was
started in 1868. AT first effort made to
restore this unclaimed money to its rightful
owners but the letters OF advice, turned in as
unpaid by the postmasvers from all the
country. wece kept In case demand should be
made for their payment The money remained