The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-01-27

/ the White House and see little ones
about the pOrtico or grounds they al
ways stop and speak 10 them, and
ington wnom Mrs Mckinley frequent
~ entertains for a day for the pleas
ure of having them about her.
The active part of the domestic du-
ties falls upon the housekeeper. Mrs.
/ Mckinley's iiI-health will not permit
her TO assume the actual management
of such q household. Yet she IS not
idle a moment during the day. The
nous. and she opens and personally
answers about all OF it. Charity ap-
peals come TO her from all parts OF the
country. Women beg for her infiu-
condemned sons or husbands. The
pathetic appeals for pardons are very
trying upon her. because she is COM
PEELED TO decline to interfere in such
matters.
The President very decidedly pre-
fers coIored help. His steward. cook.
coachman, foOtman, and walters are
all colored. Sinclair. the present stew
ard. comes from New York. He is
considered a most careful buyer. He
served President Cleveland eight
years, and Mr.. Cleveland recommend
ed him to Mr.. Mckinley. His salary,
10
ment, is $500 a year. He has an of
flee in the basement of the White
House, but lives with his family on
Sixteenth Street, a few blocks distant
belonging to the United States within
the Executive Mansion, and is bonded
for $20,0 coo The value OF some of the
property under his care, from a his
torical standpoint, is inestimable.
If the steward were so inclined he
could make at least So 600 a year lend
ing his name to schemes. Dealers Of
ten offer him large sums TO buy ex-
clusively from them, SO that they can
advertise themselves as caterers to the
President. New York caterers have
offered him as high as 800 for the
menu and description OF special din
ner given by the President, in order to
reproduce it for patrons. A curio col
lector offered him $200 for one OF the
plates from which Mr Mckinley ate
his dinner April 20, 1888, the day he
CT no rr,h nd "a
ultimatum TO Spain.
The steward has 3, Dayton wagon
and driver, and he generally goes to
market about 8 O'Clock in the morn
ing At the end Of each month the
dealers from whom he buys send in
their bills and he carefully looks them
over. The ones ne approves go to w.
H Crook who is a bonded payInaSter
and IA sort of Second Assistant Score
tary to the President Mr.. Crook sub
mits to the President an itemized ac-
count of the monthly expenditures for
the table and other purposes. The
President never pays cash for any
thing which goes on his table. He
pays for everything in checks, draw
ing them himself as the bills are pre-
sented
Mrs Benjamin, 81 typical South Ca
rolina negress, is the regular White
House cook. She comes from Senator
Tillman's old home, and is an expert
on fried chicken, hot bread and pies.
The President likes Mrs. Beniamin's
conception of pie crust better than
the finest French pastry. In fact he
would not give her UP for forty French
cooks. For special occasions, though,
the steward engages q Frenchman
from New York
The domestic help furnished for the
White House by the Government is
not half enough. President Mckinley
hires out of his own pocket his
housekeeper, bedroom maids. cook,
coachman, foOtman, stableman, wait
ers. helpers in the kitchen, and extra
help for all special occasions. All the
linen, Silverware, glass, and china are
furnished by the Government, through
the superintendent o. up4lC buituiuSo
and Grounds, an army officer He
promptly honors all acquisitions made
for additions and alterations but Mr..
Mckinley has not asked for any
changes in the accommodations. He
has accepted them just as Mr.. and
Mrs. Cleveland left them.
The steward is responsible for the
stables and horses, but ne does not
personally superintend them. The
Government provides a stable build
ing with about a dozen stalls and a
carriage room. 1t also hires a stable
boss and one helper, Mr.. Mckinley
providing his own footmen and coach
men and additional helpers. The pres