Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-01

| other side and over bridge spanning the
| deep areaway surrounding the house.
Adams wouldn't Recognize 1t.
| The Adamses would not recognize the
White House of today that which they
occupied in 1890, if viewing its exterior
alone Then it was an isolated structure
without sheltered entrance, without
| fences and without lawn. There was a
plain chimney on each of the front corners
| and two more nearer the center. A straight,
narrow path led from the mud and slush
| of Pennsylvania avenue then running PACK
| of the mansion, to the unpretentious front
| door. now at the rear of the bu1!dlng. Inc
| surface drainage water from the east flow
/ ed in a muddy creek almost surrounding
| the house. The ground surrounding was an
| overgrown waste interspersed with truck
| patches. Along Pennsylvania avenue there
| were but two houses between the mansion
| and Georgetown, and but two more be-
! twcer 1t and the Capitol. Drinking water
| for the White House was piped from a
| spring in Franklin Park. six squares away
| The plastering was still wet on the walls
Not a room was furnished. Tine lgntlns
| of the apartments from the kitchen to par
| lCrS and chambers Is tax, indeed, but
the fires we are obliged to keep to secure
us from daily agues are cheering, wrote
Mrs. Adams to her daughter. Bells are
wholly wanting; not one hung through tne
whole house. and promises are all We can
obtain.' she added. Few improvements had
been made by January l, 1901, when she
and her husband gave the first New year
reception held in the house. The first moor
being still wholly unfinished the guests had
to mount to the second floor and greet the
President and his receiving party In whaI
is now the Presidents library, large oval
room directly the blue parlor. Inc
first New Year guests. unable to obtain suf-
ficient carriages to carry them over the
knee-deep mud of the streets, had to order
vehicles from Baltimore
During Adams brief residence at the
White House, from November to March, ne
gave many splendid state dinners ana re-
ceptions. He wore richly embroidered coats,
silk stockings, huge silver shoe buckles anu
a powdered wig. Mrs. Adams was woman
of great intellect and culture. She con-
scientiously performed all her social duties,
although her health was feeble. She Is the
only mistress of the White Rouse VIII
reared a son to become President.
Once Sheltered George and Martina
Washington.
This same White House which has shell
tered the Adamses and the Mckinleys Is
| the oldest public building in washington.
There is record of one brief occasion When
| 1t sheltered also George and Martha WASH
| irgton They walked through 1t on tour
| of inspection in 1899. but few weeks De-
| fore the first Presidents death. IL Is an
| the more hallowed on this account. WASH
| ington had been present In lI92 Wneh tie
| corner stone was laid with Masonic cere-
monies. The same year. through MS tnree
Commissioners appointed to govern tne
| District of Columbia. he had advertised 13r
| design for 1.-The Presidents house. He
| offered a premium of $500 to the archltec'
| submitting the best plan This was won ny
| James Hoban, a young irish arcmtect OF
| Charleston, s. c. Hoban's design closely
| copied that of the Irish Duke of Leinsters
palace in Dublin. Work was commenced at
once. but difficulty in raising 1unos pro
| lenged it for more than eight years Inc
walls were of Virginia sandstone, quarried
no capifa1 CITY. AS to now the mali
| sion first received the name wv hlte ttouse
| Is still a mooted question. Some historians
| state that this was out OF respect 1or Mar
| tina Washington. whose childhood nome IN
Virginia was so called. Others claim that
the name was suggested by the white PANT
always adjoining its exterior since the BRIT
ish disfigured the walls in 1914 When the
Adamses moved into the mansion 1t had
cost, all told, a quarter of million dollars.
jefferson Abandoned Ce-emOntea-
The furnishing of the White House was
not completed even when Jefferson moved
in. March T. 1901. Jefferson was really the
first President who regarded himself as a
fixed resident in the White House. Jeffer-
son always took deep interest in the capt.
tails development. He was OFTEN seen
standing close by while Improvements were
going on. He disregarded the stately cere-
monies of entertainment inaugurated by
Washington and Adams. He delivered his
first message to Congress In a plain blue
coat with gilt buttons. blue pantaloons ana
heavy shoes tied with leather strings. His
| wife having died before his election. the
social duties of mistress of the White HouTe
fell. during the eight years of his two
Dolly Madison, wife of his then Secretary
of State.
"Queen Dolly Madison.
When James Madison succeeded Jefferson
In 1909 Dolly Madisons reign in the White
House was supreme. She and her husband
restored the elaborate social ceremonies
which jefferson had disregarded Madison
always his hair powdered and donned
magnificent clothes at his state functions.
At his inaugural ball Mrs. Madison looked
and moved queen she wore buzz
colored velvet dress with pearl ornaments.
and a Paris turban with bird of paradise
plume During Madison's administration
she was styled 1.-The QUEEN the White
House 1.-The palace.
Cured in 1911. when Miss Todd. relative
os Dolly Madison, married Representative
Jackson of Virginia.
When the British sacked the city in 1914
Madison with his cabinet. took refuge
across the Potomac, Mistress Dolly, follow
ing shortly after. waited to cut from it's
frame the famous painting of Washington.
hanging in the east room. The British set
fire to the White House twice. and we'll
nigh destroyed it. The Madisons. returning
from their flight took shelter in the famous
fOctaSon House, sun STANDING at lStn
street and New York avenue This house
had been occupied by John Tayloe. and was
leased an an annex Executive Mansion"
The restoration of the White House was
authorized by Congress in 1915. James Ho-
ban thereupon began the repairs
A Rejuvenated White House.
more handsome White House greeted
The eyes of officials to whom it re-
opened for the second time at President
Ionroe's New Year reception, 1918. The