Gilpin observer., 1901-10-10


is the largest that has ever. occupied
the White House at Washington. AS
the house has only five bedrooms the
Roosevelts with their six children and
several servants are said to be suffer
Ing great Inconvenience
How these people are going to be
accommodated in a house which only
contains five bedrooms. sitting room.
a dining room and a parlor. is one of
the mysteries which confront Colonel
Theodore Bingham. U. s. A.
He. by the way, also acts as master
OF ceremonies at the Presidents pub
lie receptions.
The White House was the first pub
lie building erected in Washington,
and its first cost was paid by the states
Of Maryland and Virginia. President
Washington selected the site.
A prize OF $500 for the design was
awarded to young Irish architect
named James Hoban, who modelled his
design after the castle OF the duke of
Leinster, near Dublin.
The corner stone was laid on Oct.
10. 1892. and although the mansion
was not completed, President John
Adams and his family took possession
in 1900.
In 1914 during the British invasion
the White House was almost Quilted
by fire and was only saved from total
destruction by thunder storm.
The work of restoration was not
completed until 1918. The building
is l70 feet long by SO feet wide, and
the private grounds contain 20 acres.
1t consists Of rustic basement. two
stories and an attic.
Having the peculiar characteristics
Of a public office. which is at the same
time the home OF private family, the
wear and tear upon its household be-
longings are almost incredible, and
each year has brought some material
ernment has spent nearly $2.500,000 in
repairs on the building.
At the present time the first Of the
state apartments is the east room
the nations parlor-which is decorat-
ed in white and gold. Full length por-
traits of President and Mrs. Washing
ton. Jefferson and Lincoln occupy the
panels along the east side. and eight
large mirrors, with three chandeliers
of cut glass, add greatly to the mag
nificence OF the room. From the east
room wide corridor leads into the
state parlors.
The first Of these. called the green
room. is used as music room, and is
furnished tastefully in pale green
plush. Next the green room is the
blue room, an elliptical room In the
center of the suite. The blue room
is the official audience room, where
the President receives foreign minis
ters on their presentation OF creden-
tials. and other distinguished guests:
and on such occasions, at public recep-
tion and often at less formal gather
ings, the presidential party stands in
line at the upper end of the room.
West OF the blue room is the red
room. which, being the family drawing
room, seems more home-like than the
other parlors. with its Towering plants.
shaded lamps and bric-a-brac. Though
red Is the dominant color, 1t is used
only In subdued tones.
Beyond screen partition is the
family stairway; on the right is the
private dining room. handsomely fur
nished In carved mahogany, and at the
end Of the corridor Is the entrance to
the cCnservatories. On the left is the
state dining room. lately remodeled.
where the decorations are in yellow:
and harmonize with the 'lavishly-gild-
d table ornaments.
The eastern portion Of the upper
er Is devoted to the executive Of
The end Of the central corridor