The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-11-03

Lincoln had it changed to its present
| sunny corner
When Mrs. Harrison came in she
found it a very different place from
what it is now. The floor was then
sunken and broken, there was wooden
wainscoting, and all of the woodwork
was infested with that bane of the
| WASHINGTON housekeeper, reaches.
The rats and mise had literally taken
! possession and for a while 1t seemed
| that they were going to retain 1t In
! spite of all that she could do. She
| tried every exterminator in vain, and
! then she gave the entire basement a
| general renovation. In the kitchens
and laundries the sunken floors were
taken up and the remnants of the de-
composed wooden planks, with cart
! loads of filthy dirt, We're removed.
When a solid foundation of Potomac
clay was reached she had the present
firm cement floors put in. All of the
woodwork was torn QUE and the clean,
white thing which now makes these
rooms so bright was substituted. This
did away with the rat and mice nuis-
ance but it was not until Col. Bling
ham, the present efficient superinten-
dent of public buildings and grounds,
put in his perfect sanitary system OF
plumbing that they were able to cope
with the roach pest.
There are two kitchens, a small one
to the west, and the main one leading
out of it, which is about forty feet long
by twenty-five feet wide. Both rooms
have the cement floors, while the walls
are wainscoted to the hight OF six or
eight feet with white tiles. These rooms
are supplied with every modern kitch-
en- appliance. Over on the south side
of the large room is a great hooded
range covering almost the entire wall
and provided with numberleSs baking
and warming ovens. In the center of
the room is a long deal table, and sus-
pended from the ceiling directly over
it is a mammoth circular swing, on
which are hanging the cooking uten-
sils brass kettles and pans shining like
FURNISHED glass. Over on the north
side of the room are two
closets reaching from ceiling to
floor. Their upper parts are
shelved and filled with tinware
and crockery, while the lower is
divided into -four, meal and cereal bins,
with other compartments for sugar,
salt. spices and so forth. Over on the
south side are the sinks and appliances
for washing, while on the north,
underneath the big windows with their
ground glass panes, are the side tables.
In the northeast corner of the family
kitchen, which is furnished on a small
er scale in the same manner as the
larger one, is the dunb-waiter, where
the food for the dining room is sent up
to the buffers pantry.
AS may be imagined. ii is something
of an undertaking to prepare all of the
viands in these kitchens for the mag
nificent state dinners which are given
each winter in the Executive Mansion,
but that it is done in so faultless a
manner reflects credit upon those who
manage it. The state dining room is a
stately, spacious apartment, but 1t can
only seat forty persons, and is now too
small for the number of guests who
must be entertained at these official
functions. For that reason during the
past three years the tables for these
dinners have been laid in the long Tiff
fanny corridors-an expediency which
should make us realize the necessity
of larger dwelling house for the Pres
ident of this great nation.
On the night of a state dinner the en-
tire main floor of the mansion is turned
into a fairyland of beauty. Every
nook, corner and available space is
filled with palms, tropical plants, cut
flowers and patriotic decorations.
Chains of vari-colored electric lights
are swung across the ceiling, over the
mirrors, and frequently outline the for
al designs. The table is as handsome
as rare buds and blossoms. cut glass,
priceless china, silver and fine napery
can make it, while the bill of fare itself
is such as any lady of taste and re-
finement would place before her guests
at a choice dinner. 1t usually com
priseS from six to eight courses and is
about two hours in being served. The
White House cook, who is a capable
middle-aged German woman, bearing
the given name of Anne, prepares all
of the food, with the aid of her two
assistants. On the night of the dinner
the dishwashers are reinforced by the
three laundry women, as, despite the
tales which occasionally go the rounds
of the newspapers of the fabulous
amount of plate in the Executive Man.
sion, the limited number of spoons,
knives and forks make it necessary to
wash those which are used in one
course to supply the next. The walters
on these occasions are hired from the
establishment of one of the uptown
caterers, as the regular White House
force of servants is not large enough
of itself.
These dinners are, of course, official
affairs, and are given by the President
as a part of his official duties. In con-
sequence of this fact it would seem
naturally to follow that the govern
ment would pay for them, but such is
not the case. With the exception of the
music and flowers the entire expense
is borne by the President. The cost of
each of these dinners rarely falls below
five hundred dollars, and as there are
three regular ones, those to the Cahi-