The times., 1897-07-09
WHITE HOUSE IMPROVEMENTS.
Extensive Changes That Have Been
Recently Made.


In his report of operations upon public
buildings and grounds in the District or
Columbia during the month or June, made
TO the chief Of engineers, Col. Theodore A.
Bingham says:
The floors of the east and west ends OF
the corridor on the first floor of the White
House Were strengthened by placing ad-
ditional supports between the floUT .ioists
and the ceiling joists or the basement, and
portable supports of timber We're made for
use under those floors anu the floors OF
the state dining-room and East Room for
strengthening them when subjected To the
increased weight imposed by the large
crowds attending receptions. Repairs We're
made To hinges and locks ofdoors aud some
new doorsills were put down. secsior
OF plank walk was made and placed upon
the roof, and repairs We're made tO the
floors in three of the rooms, and other minor
carpentering repairs We're made as re
quired.
Extensive Improvements Were COM
menced in the small reception room adjon-
ing the entrance yestibule. Tl.o old fire
place was torn out, new floor laid. the
room wainscoted with oak, the ceiling
decorated and the side walls covered with
wooden textile material. The room VIII
be completed by putting in an oak mantel,
trimming the fireplace, tiling the hearth
and refinishing the doors and windows,
An electric machine for operating the
elevator was purchased and Will be placed
in position after July /. One of the brick
arches OF the first floor was found TO
have been cut out 1t was repaired.
= r1iI n IN 4 10 r.lt
and electric Lighting systems and such
minor repairs made as we've required. The
old paint was burned from eight doors, the
doors sand papered and painted with three
coats of paint. All of the carpets We're
taken up, cleaned and stored away in the
state dining-room for the summer. All
of the window dIaperies We're taken down.
cleaned, folded and slowed away in the
attic. THEE sets of slip covers We're made
| and placed upon the furniture. The five
| large awning frames used en- the south por-
tico Were recovered with new canvas. A
brass window grille was putup in thenorth-
west dressing-room and rair of new lace
curtains hung.
"A new five fold screen was made and
| covered with silk. Eleven new window
shades We're made and placed in position.
! All the furniture was removed from the
northwest bedroom, the walls scraped and
! painted up, and the loom repapered and
repainted.
The furniture in two of the bed cham
bers and one dressing room is being re-
| upholstered and recovered with new ma
| terlal. Minor repairs were made to furni-
! ture in the mansion where needed
Proposals Were opened and a contract
entered into during the month for furnish :
| ing the ironwork and the woodwork re-
! quired for repairing the west wing of the
conservatory.
The Washington Monument and ma
chinery connected Herewith have been
! maintained in good order Two acts of
| vandalism were committed during the
month by parties unknown, consisting OF
the defacing OF two tablets in the interior
walls by the clipping from them of quite
| Large pieces. There We're 1887 visitors
to the top OF the monument during the
month, OF which 10,130 made the ascent
in the elevator, and 2,707 by the stair
way, making a total Of l ,409 ,s22 person.
who have visited the top since the shaft
was opened TO visitors, on October 8
| 1888
The fountain basin and coping in tie
center of Iowa Circle were removed, the
necessary excavation made and the con
crete foundation for the statue of Gen
/ Logan constructed