Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-05-10

I
J $4,000 more during the Garfield
Arthur term, a part of this latter sum
beautiful screen of jeweled glass
which Substituted for an old wooden
| partition) now shuts off the great
vestibule from the living quarters OF
the establishment. Cleveland had a
chance to spend $4,000 of extra
cash on the house, and Benjamin
Harrison put SOC 200 Of government
money into it, outside Of the regular
annual appropriations.
Altogether over $70G,O00 has been
spent for furnishing and repairing the
White House up to date. Some OF
the extra money given to President
Hayes was spent by Mrs. Hayes for
much-needed china. When she be-
came mistress of the mansion she
found it woefully deficient in this re-
spect, the supply on hand being main
ly a heterogeneous collection OF odd
dishes. She then sent to France for a
set of 1000 pieces, for which she paid
$1,000, and this outfit is used at the
present time for State dinners. Later
Mrs. Harrison bought 496 pieces of
cut glass. twenty-four dozen plates,
and five dozen coffee cups, the china
costing 1882 and the glass 81 1913.
The plates were adorned with designs
representing the wild flowers OF this
country, and each cup was ornament
ed in blue, with gilt rim inside and
the arms of the United States at the
bottom.
When Mrs. Mckinley came to the
White House she brought no table.
ware or linen with her. In fact, no
President ever brings any property to
Washington beyond clothing and few
personal belongings. The Harrison
crockery is used in the private dining
room, supplemented by the fragmen-
tary remains of the Lincoln and Grant
acts. The Lincoln plates have a blue
border, in which are gilt stars to
represent the States, while the Grant
plates are Ornamented with yellow
border and floral designs in the CEN
ter.
The public seems to take an extra.
ordinary interest in the smallest bit
of intelligence relating to the domestic
affairs of the White House. Half a
dozen years ago a report was tele-
graphed all over the country to the
effect that a mysterious order had
been given to certain firm of silver
workers for an elaborate and costly
set of silverware for the executive
mansion. 1t was tremendous secret,
but investigation disclosed the fact
that only gravy boat had been pur.
chased to take the place OF one which
had been condemned. The condem.
tion OF the old gravy boat gave rise to
another rumor, widely published, to
the effect that Mr.. Cleveland had or
dered lot of the historic Dolly Madi-
son spoons to be melted. 1t is worth
mentioning as fact that most Of the
silverware now in the White House
was bought when Monroe was Presi-
dent. Every piece OF it is marked
with the American eagle and the
words Presidents House." Van
Buren's famous gold spoons, which
raised such a howl on the score of
"extravagance" when they were pur-
chased, are still in use, but, alas! they
are getting white in spots, being only
silver gilded. All the rest OF the
metalware is solid silver except the
knives, most of which are plated, wit h
handles OF mother-of-pearl.
Through the length Of the White
House runs corridor nearly twenty
feet wide, save that on the lower floor
it stops short at the East room,
which, S0x4O feet in dimensions, ex-
tends the full width of the building.
On the first floor this passageway is
separated from the great vestibule by
the jeweled screen already mentioned
and on either side it opens into var
ious parlors and into the State and
private dining-rooms. The private
dining-roo of the President adjoin,
the vestibule, although not connected
with the latter, and is the most home
like apartment in the mansion, with a
round extension table, leather-cov-
cred mahogany chairs, big open fire.
place, and two huge mahogany side
boards, richly carved and adorned
with a magnificent display of cut-glass
and silver.
On the other side of the corridor,
and next to the East room, is the
Green room, papered in delicate
shade of green and with window hang
ings of pale green satin. The Blue
parlor adjoining. is the handsom
est room, being oval in shape
furnished in blue and gold, its ceiling
to match, the windows hung with
blue satin, and the walls covered with
blue silk Along the border of the
frieze are clusters OF incandescent
lights, which give charming illumi
nation. Opening into the Blue room
is the bed room, which affords an
exit to the balcony, where the Occu.
pants OF the White House sometimes