The times., 1899-09-03
The Colonial Aspect of the White
House Disappearing.
Each Administration Leaves Its
Stamp Upon the Executive Mansion
and Their Wives The Work of
Renovation Now i'm Progress.

work Is being hurried 20 completion.
Il is quite a noticeable and interesting
fact that the White House bears in a
measure the individuality Of every lady
who has had the honor to preside there
and by whom the expensive decorations and
furnishings have been in a great measure
planned. II has been sought to preserve
the colonial appearance of the mansion.
but through the varying tastes for deco
rations very little Of the colonial atmos-
phere Of the interior remains.
The historic traditions of the Mansion
could be as well preserved. perhaps, If the
President 10 longer continued TO reside
there There is scarcely any doubt the
American people. in view of the interest
which has always attached TO the White
House, would gladly bear the expense Of
keeping it as il now stands. as Mount Yer
non and Arlington are maintained. More
historic traditions clustered around the old
Capitol than about the White House but
this fact did not prevent Congress from al
tering II TO suit its convenience and needs
whenever desirable or necessary.
II the White House had never been al
tered from the day Of fits erection to the
present time, except TO make necessary re-
pairs. ii would be OF much more historical
interest than it is, or If it had received
extensive additions from time TO time. such
as the great castles in England. it would
then present an interesting appearance.
But, as it is, no extensive alterations have
ever been made, but one President after
another has shipped of a little here and
added little there, inside and outside uu-
I'll the White House is neither purely colo
nlal nor modern, but a patchwork of both
President McKinIey's Assertions.
At the present time alterations and re-
pairs are being made which will tend 10
perpetuate the memory OF the Mckinley
Administration The most extensive are
being made 10 the Blue Parlor. or Blue
Room, as IL Is more Familiarity known, as
distinguished from the East Red. end
Green rooms. In the Harrison Admins
tration the Red. Green, and Blue rooms
were rehtted at a considerable expense,
the walls being hung with silk which cost
about $l2 yard, the tapestries and other
decorations being equally fine. Under the
second Cleveland Administration a blind
door was cut from the Red room into the
Blue room TO permit the easy passage of
members OF the receiving party from one
room 70 the other behind the line.
Mrs. Mckinley is now having the Blue
room entirely reftted. The walls will be
hung, as before with blue brocaded silk,
but OF different design from that Just
removed. New tapestries of the prevailing
shade win be placed at the windows, and
the ceiling is being re-decorated II is cx-
pected the room viii also be re-furnished
The small parlors, known as the Green,
Red, and Blue rooms are used by the fam
tly or the President as private parlors, al
though they are thrown open al the public
receptions.
In the private apartments upstairs the
painters and paper-hangers have been busy
for some time. The main corridor connect
ing the apartments with the Offices has
been painted white, the old imitation wal
nut staining having been burnt off AS a
result Il now looks bright, cheerful, and
clean. In the rooms occupied by the fami-
ly the walls have been hung with new pa
per, customary IN the case of each Admin
tstration, the rule OF private life that the
papering which suits one tenants is reject
ed by the next holding good in the case OF
the White House. Some little painting is
being done on the outside about the doors
and windows but as the outside was re-
painted last summer It viii not be over
hauled until next summer, at least
The faults Of the Executive Mansion and
the great desirability Of a new and COM
nodious structure, is an old story AL
though the Government has made exten-
sire additions 10 fits Office buildings and
erected handsome and commodious edi-
ices for the accommodation OF its busi-
ness departments, IL has contented itself
with patching AMI repairing the old White
House, regardless Of the complaints made
by its tenants and the sarcastic comments
evoked by the inoongruities OF its appear
ance.
II is not generally known that the east
wing OF the White House formerly extend
Cd some distance, as the west wing does
now, the extension Of the latter lead
Ing into the conservatory This extension
70 the east led 10 the Presidents stables.
then located between the White House and
the Treasury Department During the
johnson Administration such an addition
was made 70 the Treasury Department that
II Was found desirable to remove the sta
Dies 10 their present location southwest
OF The house, and 70 secure still more room
between the east of the house and the 4
Treasury. President Johnson had the east
ein extension cut on. giving an unobstruct
eo view from the East Room TO the Treas
u-y.
Charges Made by President Grant.
President Grant devoted most Of his asten-
ton to the East room and the decorations
made there in his time have remained un-
changed. Immense iron beams were laid
from east to west across the ton of the
room 10 support the upper floor Iron
columns were introduced and the white
marble mantels were replaced with wood
en- ones With grey marble slabs Tiff
fany did the ceilings putting in a hand
some Imitation OF mosaic work which is
siiil almost intact. The walls were COW
cred with heavy paper, which was given
three coats OF heavy grey paint. the effect
resembling thai OF ornamental plaster
work The walls were then touched ND
with gold paint. In spite OF the vigilance
OF the watchmen, relic hunters have fire.
quently succeeded in chipping or cutting
on pieces OF this paper, and ii is In con-
stant need OF repairs
President Grant also introduced the three
great glass chandeliers OF the East room
each containing 5000 pieces CT glass and I.
costing l,so0. They were made in Ger 4
many. He replaced the old mirrors with
the present ones some OF which begin TO /
show the effects OF age by the cracking Of /
the mercury al the back.
Mrs. Cleveland, during her residence in I
the White House, made frequent changes +
IN the decorations and left d new carpet
- the East room, which is still Ia use
J he upholstering. carpet, draperles. and
furniture OF the East room are all IN dull
gold and heavy patterns. so there is moth
Ing colonial about the room except its
comparatively low ceiling and the narrow
panes in the windows.
On the stairs leading to the Offices the I
paneling TO the side is colonial in imita-
tion OF walnut, while the banister is dis 4
iinctly modern. Leading 10 the basement 1
NJ the east end Is an ancient worn pair
q stairs, SO old that even Jerry Pendleton.
the Oldest member OF. the staff. cannot re- 1