New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-02
WHITE HOUSE SILVER.
THE STORY OF THE DOLLY MADISON
SPOONS"
GENERAL WILSON SAYS THAT NOTHING POS
sEssrNG HISTORICAL VALUE WAS MELTED
OVER IN THE CLEVELAND Ao-
NTNTSTEATTDN

OVER IN THE CLEVELAND Ao-
MINIsTRATION
Tar TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUxEI
Washington. April THE story % the Dolly
Madison Spoons" in the White House silver made
into modern forks ny direction Of Mrs. CLEVELAND
seems he a story % much ado about nothing. 81
far the sentiments Of association and historical
value 60 the story Is without any foundation %
fact. II IL true however. that some silver belong
ing the table service o. the White House was
made Over during the las' Administration. under
the direction CT General Wilson then In charge Of
public buildings and public grounds. ~ Is pretty
we'll known, General Wilson's duties included the
care and repair Of the White H0uro-ir other words
the furnishing renovatng necessary. not only 70
the require Of the Pres.dcnt's hoGsshod
but in measure 20 give 20 official entertain
ments n fitness in keeping with The dignity Of the
position Speaking OF this yesterday. Central VIII
son said
Il never heard Of the Dolly Madison spoons un-
I'll three days ago when The story appeared In the
newspapers. Of any silver I'D the White House
associated with Mrs. Madson's regime. The forks
ard spoons that mad were not Old silver.
and possessed nei her historical association nor his
torcaI value All the Of the s'yor in tho White
House including tn. that has come down
from the Monroe Administration is marked 'Pres-
dents House and Is engr.yed With the coat % arms
OF the United States. These forks and spoons how
ever were the one exception. They had no mark OF
any show that they belonged 10 The White
House or where else and there Wa NOTHING
whatever to establish their IDENTIFY with any Ad-
ministration. They were perfectly plain. modern
silver. | had them made over for The best reason
in the word because hey were 80 large and clum-
~ 20 be practically useless. The forks had
spreading tines quite suggestive ~ Humans Ditch
fork. and no man. however wide bis mouth. could
the spoons with mpunity mgeh i"'s with
grace" remarked General Wilson. laughing over the
comparison.
iul -Nst Fr.4f4
cont nued but a. q matter Of fact that silver
ft for table The worst u IL was, the
big. clumsy forks and spoons could not be laid
aside simply on the ground Of unhtness. because
mere were no others 20 replace them. one DAY IN
the early summer. when the season was well over
and the FORKS and spoons could be spared. the
steward brought them 10 IN a couple ~ boxes
I carried them 70 the Treasury, and. gong
70 the Director OF the Mint. iold him 7 wanted 10
mel- down some silver. But first l. wanted 70 pe
assured that could SEQ the silver weighed with
the exactness Of the fraction OF a gram. He sent
me 70 room where I he forks and spoons
weighed and received the certificate % weight.
And then with the same trusty attendant went
down TO The room where metals are melted ana
put the forks and spoons into the cruoole myself.
I am left nded. you soc and dropped them IN
one BY one 50 T. took some lime. Il was a pretty
hot place too The melted silver Was poured into
two nouids and came out In the form Of bril X.
which were put into water 20 cool Of When cold.
carried the bricks up 10 the room where me FORKS
and Spoons had been weighed and saw the bricks
weighed Then. wrapping them up "ent OUT.
20, into ny carriage and drove 20 tho store o.
Harris e. Shaser. who were 20 make the silver
into forks. and with whom I had a written agree
ment specifying eyery detaii-but. most Important
n ALL that this silver and no other should pe USED
in the manufacture OF the forks
IT DO nor mind saying just here mat mere nah
beer a proposition on the part OF me nrm 70 AXE
the pay for the work out OF the silver lns pro'o-
s,,ton was never entertained for moment bur on
~. contrary the one condition or which The aSree-
-a,. ar contract rested was that every particle ~
This silver ard not particle II any other shoHl'
90 into thu forks. Before delivering me prlcAs 70
the firm I had them weighed I'D m" stoFe ana
took their certificate OF weiehi me mHiflH1a'
weight Of the forks was specified In the contract.
a. VOL as the design and ! knew just how many
forks should come out OF those two silver bricks.
There WIS no chance for any mistake about the
estimate You will find all the correspondence. IN
Gliding nv letter OF instruction 70 The firm. on lie
IN tho War Department whore my office was a.
,ha, time There was no secrecy or mystery ABOUT
{, and the work was paid for our o. ine guar az
propriati on for the White House. just a. inr az.
t,vss o,Ir il is reupholstered II 100 far gone Is
son, 20 the auctlon-rooms When new .trP",s os ar
There is no sentiment about either And there va,
none about that silver Ton Io, az ' S9iabie ard
certainly no beauty. But now D. W. lysstSo T.,
design il what * known a, M 't,'si.e fio,'ss
pattern. Aud, like all IN rest OF tnr az pest,
dents House and engraved WITH me coai -y arms
OF the United States thus romp-. TX We W. ~
formily in ms respect. and also establishing '''
The forks are IN no sizes. eighty -four dr.,
a am p Yo4k M exceent som commrn has been
made because they bear no dsie bri as a. Val Ws,rs
i ,se1 alrae the Administration Or Presi
Ufo ne