The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-03
IN The WHITE HOUSE KITCHEN
WITH THE FIRST PICTURE EVER
TAKEN OF THIS FAMOUS GULL
NARY DEPARTMENT.

Once overrun with Rats and Roach
es, 1t Is Now N Model of CIeanli'
ness and Sanitation-The ROose-
velts Have Installed a German
Woman as Chief CoOk-There Ii
Now an Early Breakfast TO Get
the Children on to SchOOl-State
Dining Room So Small the Presi-
dent Must Give His Official Dinners
in the Hall.
Washington, Nov. 1.-The mistress OF
the White House is more fortunate
than most housewives, in that she can
assume as much or as little Of the per-
sonal management of her household as
she pleases. The government employs
a steward, who if she so desires, takes
complete direction of the culinary de-
partment. Mr.. Cleveland brought with
him his former cook, a colored man,
by name of Sinclair, and installed him
as White House steward, a position
which he held with a high hand dur
ing both of Mr.. Cleveland's two terms
and Mr.. McKinley's administrations.
Sinclair was a prime favorite with Mr..
Cleveland and he let him run things
below stairs pretty much to suit him
self Mrs. McKinley's invalidism pre-
cluded her assumption of any active
control, and when she took up her
residence in the executive mansion she
allowed him to still retain the reins
of government of the lower part or
the house. With Mrs. Roosevelt's adj
vent there was change. She did not
go about the matter with any blow or
horns or flourish of trumpets, but she
brought her housekeeper from oyster
Bay, who went with her over the house
from garrett to cellar. After a few
days of their quiet inspection Steward
Sinclair was told that his services
would be dispensed with, and a colored
man by name of Pinkney, who had
long been in Mr.. Roosevel's employ,
was put in his place. Mrs. Roosevelt
herself will have a general oversight
of the house, the servants will be UNI
der the supervision of the housekeeper
and the jurisdiction of the steward re-
duced to it's normal province.
The presence of the six young
Roosevelts made a change neces-
sary in the daily routine that
had prevailed in the executive
mansion. President Mckinley kept
late house, frequently going back
to his desk for work at 10 o'clock or
later. This, with Mrs. McKinley's i'll
health, made their 8 O'Clock breakfast
a necessity, but there are little folks
in the White House now who must be
in school at that hour, and as both
President and Mrs. Roosevelt have
high ideals of the duty-and privilege
of parenthood, they always begin the
day with the children at an s o'clock
breakfast Then Mrs. Roosevelt sees
them off to school before she COM
mences anything else, and after that
he mornings are passed very much as
any other American matrons are in
looking after her houshold. At l
o'clock the family lunch together. Dur
ing these recent bright autumnal days
Mrs. Roosevelt has spent part of
nearly every Afternoon driving with the
children over some of the picturesque
roads in the environs of the capital.
At half-paSt five the younger children
have an early dinner, with an hour
or two of play before bedtime; but din
ner is served for the other at 1880 In
the pleasant family dining ROOM At
these meals there have been guests ev-
cry night since President Roosevelt
came into the White House. There has
been no formal entertaining he has
simply invited friends who CHANGED to
be in the city, or some political ac-
Wlln WHO'LL MdllCQ a
longer talk than could be had during
the day in his Office Mrs. Roosevelt,
who is a charming hostess, is at her
best when presiding at these informal
dinners, and has made most favor
able impression as first lady of the
land" on those who have been so for
tunate as to meet her thus.
Mrs. Roosevelt's kitchen-that Is,
the kitchen in the Presidents house
is something that is of interest to ev-
cry woman. How the Presidents wife
keeps house is of as much import to
the average feminine mind as how the
President runs the affairs of state is
to the average masculine one. so here
is a little description of the culinary
as Mrs. Roosevelt found
It. The present kitchens in the White
House are directly under the family
dining room and buffers pantry, in the
northwest corner of the basement.
The original kitchen. which was used
as such from the time that Madam
Abigail Adams was it's mistress until
Mrs. Lincolns regime, was in the CEN
trail part of the basement, in what is
now the engine room. The great fire.
places. brick ovens, and heating cram
MES are still there, but the room Is
Just under the shadow of the wide
front porch. and must have been a
dark place for work at its best. That