The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-02


him. At President McKineys receptions
entering guests must proceed by way OF his
private dining groom TO avoid conflict with
those departing who are dismissed through
ore Of the front windows on the other side
and over a bridge spanning the deep area
way surrounding the house.
Adams Would Not Recognize IL.
The Adamses would not recognize tho
White House of to-day AS that which they
occupied in 1850. II viewing its exterior
alone. Then it was an isolated structure
without a sheltered entrance. without
fences and without lawn. There was a
plain chimney on each OF the four corners
and two more nearer the center. 4 straight.
narrow path led from the mud and slush
or Pennsylvania avenue. then running back
OF the mansion. to the unpretentious front
door. now at the rear OF the building. The
surface drainage water from the east flowed
in "A muddy creek almost surrounding the
house. The ground surrounding WAS an
overerown waste interspersed with truck
patches. Along Pennsylvania avenue th@rr
We're but two houses between the mansion
ana Georgetown. ana but two more be
tween il and the Capitol. Drinking water
for the White House was piped from
spring in Franklin Park. six squares away.
The plastCring was still wet on the walls.
Not a room was furnished. The lighting
oi the apartments from the kitchen To par
lors and chambers Is a tax. indeed. hut
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 the
whole house. and promises are all we can
obtain" she added. Few improvements had
been made 10y January |. 1901. when she
and her husband gave the. first New Year
reception held In the house. The first floor
being s;ill wholly unfinished. the guests hal
To mount to the second floor and greet the
President and his receiving party in what
IL now the Presidents library. a large oval
room directly over the blue parlor. The
first New Year guests. unable tn obtain suf-
fcient carriages TO carry them over the
knee-deep mud of the streets. had to order
vehicles from Baltimore
During Adams's brief residence at the
W hite House. from November to March, lie
gave many splendid state dinners and
cepticns. He Wore richly embroidered coats
silk stockings, huge silver shoe buckles and
"A powdered wig. Mrs. Adams was IA woman
of great intellect and culture. She con-
scientiously performed all her social duties,
although her health was feeble. She Is he
only mistress of the White House who
reared son to become President.
Once sheltered George and Martha
Washington.
This same White House which has she.-
tered the Adamses and Mckinley. l. the
oldest public building I'm Washington. There
is record of one brief occasion when it
sheltered also George and Martha WASH
ington. They walked through 1t on a tour
Of inspection in 1893. but few weeks be-
fore the first Presidents death. 1t is al
the more hallowed on this account. Wash
ingtOn had been present In 1872 when the
corner stone was laid with Masonic cere-
monies. The same year. through his three
commissioners appointed to govern the
District Of Columbia. he had advertised for
a design for the Presidents house" He
offered a premium of 500 TO the architect
submitting the best plan. This was Won by
James Hoban. young Irish architect of
Charleston. $. G. Hoban's design closely
copied that Of the Irish Duke of Leinster's
palace In Dublin. Work WAS commenced at
once. but difficulty IN raising funds pro
longed IT for more than eight years. The
walls We're of Virginia SANDSTONE. quarr!ei
near the capital city. As 10 how the man
sion first received its name White House
is still mooted question. Some historians
state that this was out of respect for Mar
tina Washington. whose childhood home III
Virginia was so called. Others claim that
the name suggested by the white paint
always adorning its exterior since tn. Brit
ish disfigured the walls In 1914. When The
Adamses moved into the mansion 1t aad
cost. all told, quarter OF a million dollars.
Je0trAOu ADauuOneO sefemOn1eS.
The furnishing of the White House was
not completed even when Jefferson moved
in. March 4. 1901 jefferson was really the
first President who regarded himself as a
fixed resident of the White House. Jeffer-
son always took a deep interest in the capi- |
tafs development He often seen
close by while improvements We're
going on. He disregarded the stately GER
emonies Of entertainment inaugurated by
and Adams. He delivered his |
first message to Congress I'm plain blue
coat, with gilt buttons. blue pantaloons and
heavy shoes. tied with leather strings. His |
wife having died before his election, the
social duties of mistress Of the White House !.
fell. during the eight years of his two
terms. upon his two DAUGHTERS, assisted by
Dolly Madison. wife OF his then Secretary
Of State.
Queen Dolly Madison.
When James Madison succeeded jefferson
in 1909 Dolly Madison's reign IN the White |
House supreme. She and her husband |
restored the elaborate social ceremonies |
which Jefferson had disregarded. Madison |
always wore his hair powdered and donned |
ma gnificent clothes at his state functions
At his inaugural ball Mrs Madison looked |
and moved queen" She wore a buff |
,olored velvet dress with pearl ornaments,
and a Paris turban with a bird-of- pa radise |
plume" During Madisons administration |
she was styled the Queen. the White |
House. the palace"
The first marriage in the mansion oC-
'urred in 1911 when Miss Todd a relative |
If Dolly Madison. married Representative |!
Jackson Of Virginia.
When the British sacked the city in 1874 |
Madison. with his Cabinet. took refuge
'cross the Potomac. Mistress Dolly. follow
ng shortly after. waited to cut from It's |
rame the famous painting Of Washington
ranging in the East Room. The British set /
ire to the White House twice and we'll |
nigh destroyed IL. The Madisons returning
rom their flight. took shelter in the famous
'Octagon House.. still standing at Eight
,enth street and New York avenue. This
house had been occupied bv John Taylor. and
Vas leased as an Annex Executive Man
Ion. The restoration of the Whit. House
vas authorized by Congress in 1915. James
1oban thereupon began the repairs.
Rejuvenated White House.
a moro IA ndsome White uousn |