The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-04-30
THE FIRST WHITE HOUSE
BUILT IN PHILADELPHIA ATA COST
OF 100000.
1t Proved to be White Elephant-once

Wneh the capital was removed from
New York to Philadelphia in 1890,
chiefly through the influence of Rob
ert Morris, provision was made for the
sessions of congress in the building
then recently erected at the southeast
corner of Sixth and Chestnut streets,
and for the Federal courts in the
building at the southwest corner of
Fifth and Chestnut streets. 1t was
not quite so easy to find a suitable
house or executive mansion for the
president. When Washington heard
that the house on the south side of
Market street, between Fifth and
Sixth, owned and occupied by Robert
Morris, had been selected by city coun-
ellis for the new official residence he
was inclined to express some dissatis-
faction. over the want of proper ac-
commodations. The mansion had been
the abode of variety of interesting
characteristic home of Richard
Penn, the headquarters of General
Howe and Benedict Arnold, and a seat
of French diplomacy when Holker liv-
ed there as the consul general Of
France. 1t had also been partly re-
built by Morris after a fire, and was
considered as the best single one in
the city. But it does not seem to have
contained more than fourteen rooms,
all told, at the time it was turned
over to Washington for occupation,
with the assurance that additions
would be made to 1t Immediately. In
! deed, so cramped was he with his fam
lily for necessary room that his private
secretary, Major Lear, and his wife
had their lodging apartments in one
room on the third floor, while the ma
jor had his public office on the same
floor.
| Ninth street at this time was In a
semi-rural portion of the city ripen-
ing for Improvement" On the site
now occupied by the postoffice it was
proposed that the state of Pennsyl-
vania should erect a building for the
president which should be in accord
with the dignity Of his high office.
There is a record Of an act of the leg
| islature, passed September 30. 1871, by
| which 100000 was appropriated for
/ such a building. This was a very
large appropriation for the time. No
other edifice of the character of res
idence had cost as much. Thus the
value of the presidents house on
Market street when sold in 1895 was
a ~ - y
his celebrated Folly 1t was thought
that 100000 to $4,000 would amply COW
er the cost of what was intended to be
| the finest private mansion In Philadel-
phia. 1T will thus be seen that the out
lay which the Pennsylvania legisla-
| ture ordered was an unusually heavy
one, and, in proportion to resources
and to the value Of money. was equiv
alent to hardly less than a million
dollars at the present time.
In May, 1892, the cornerstone of the
mansion was laid, and in the winter
of 1796-97 it had almost reached COM
pletion. Nearly simultaneously with its
construction the famous architect and
engineer, Major L'IInfant who laid out
the original city Of Washington, was
building Morris Folly, on Chestnut
street. 1t would seem that with the
downfall of Morris the house on Ninth
street shared the same failure of its
purpose that overlook all the ventures
in which he had been concerned. 1t
was thought that in time 1t would be
occupied by Washington. But he de-
clined third term just before it was
finished, and both his official and per-
sonal disposition while he lived here
was to discountenance extravaganza
and aovid anything like ostentation at
the public expenses beyond his cere-
monia1 visits to congress. Thus he
paid for the the Market street house
at the rate of $3.50 month. He insist
ed on paying it punctiliously, and, in
deed was unwilling to move into it
that he would not be under the sus-
picion Of being an object Of any fav-
oritism. Tt is not probable that he
gave any particular encouragement to
the Ninth street house, and it is GER
tain that he never occupied 1t in his
capacity as president, for when he
went out of office he was still ten
ant of the Market street house.
The Ninth street house was, how
!
eve of his entrance into the presiden-
tial office. Governor Miffin address,
ed him a note informing him that "in
the year 1891 the legislature of Penn
sylvania directed a house to be built
for the accommodation of the presi-
dent of the United States. Permit me
to tender it for your accommodation
and to inform you that, although I re-
gret the necessity of making any stipu-
lation on the subject, I shall consider
the rent for which you might obtain
any other suitable house in Philadel-
phia (and which you Will be pleased to
mention) as sufficient compensation
for the use of the one now offered"
But Adams declined to have any
thing to do with the house. So far as
it exhibited respect on the part of the
state for the Union, it was, he thought
worthy of acknowledgment. His tone
was crtsply courteous. He declared
that he entertained great doubts
whether candid construction of the
constitution of the United States, he
was at liberty to accept it, and that
as here was no time for application to
congress, whose authority and inter-
vention he regarded as Indispensable
he would ask the Legislature to accept
L.; 70 I,ai,. off