The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-07-25
THE LITTLE TRIANoN.
Presidential Cottage is to be Demol-
ished.
Philadel9hia North American)

philadelphia North Americana
Just as France and her kings had a
great Trianon and little Trianon-an
immense palace and a petite maison-
so for half a century the United States
has provided its presidents with an i'm
posing official residence in the shape of
the White House, and also with more
modest official retreat a rambling, an
tique country cottage, located in the
National Soldiers home, two miles
north Of Washington.
1t is the only country home officially
provided for our presidents, and since
the time of Lincoln it has been at the
disposal of each chief magistrate. Now
it is to be torn down. It is an obstacle
in the path of the improvements con-
| templated at the home. The plans for
I the demolition Of the cottage and the
/ erection of an imposing marble hall
upon the site await the signature Of
! the secretary of war.
| Pressure is being brought to bear
upon him not to sign the paper which
viii retire from oblivion one of the
most interesting sights around Wash
! ingtOn. Before finally approving Of the
plan it is hoped that President Mckin-
/ ley viii interfere, and as the home is
! the official country residence of the
! presidents of the United States-the
only one, tOO-there is a prospect that
/ the president viii not sanction the pro-
posed change
The cottage was originally erected in
1910 by George Washington Riggs, one
I of the first citizens of Washington. and
I the founder Of the Well-knOWn banking
firm of Riggs & Co. which. since its in
/ ceptiOu, has transacted the banking
/ business of nearly every president. NJ.
Riggs built the house as his country
home.
After the Mexican war General Win
field Scott returned with his victorious
army, and among the spOils of war
brought from the Mexican capital was
the sum Of $4,000 in gold, exacted by
General Scott from General Santa
Anna as indemnity for the firing on
an American flag of truce by the Mex
icans. General Scott offered it to con-
Eress, but congress was averse to ac-
/ Cepting il. The war department was
content to let General Scott keep the
money but this the general would not
do Finally he solved the problem by
personally purchasing the Riggs es
tate and converting It into a Nationa
Soldiers home. Congress accepted tni:
gift, and passed a law which each sol
der in the regular army is taxed ~
cents a month for its support.
The Riggs cottage was turned owe
to President Lincoln during the sum
mer Of 1851 The president vas 81
charmed with the spot that he moved
his family from the White House anC
occupied the EOlAdse EdEM SuiElilltA uAt
til the end. The cottage was chris
tened 1.-THE Presidents Cottage" a
first. but by LincOln's own direction ]
was then named after General AndeT
/ son of Fort Sumter, and is still official
ly designated as Anderson cottage.
When Lincoln was assassinated tn
cottage was held in such reverence
that 1t remained empty. When Gran
, became president he occupied the cot
tage at intervals Of few days, bu
/ never permanently Hayes was tn
, first president after Lincoln to max
the place his permanent summer home
Garfield never occupied the cottage
= but all the time Chester Alan Arthu
2 was president the cottage was agar
used as a summer residence w hel
Mckinley was first inaugurated Their
was some talk of his moving to tn
Soldiers home, partly because OF It
{ beauties and cOnveniences and paTtl
9 because he has a war record of his owl
which might make the place attractiY
, to him for sentimental reasons Mrs
{ Mckinley preferred to spend her sum
Y mers in Canton. so the president neNe
: occupied the Anderson cottage
President Lincoln's bedroom IS o
the second floor of the cottage and /
{ the largest room in the house. Nv
I large front windows open directly upO
the porch. and a splendid view OF IN
4 I city of Washington is obtained I'm
e medfately beneath the bedroom is Pres
) ident Lincoln's sitting room. Til
opens directly upon the front porch o
/ the cottage
- There are twelve rooms in the cot
T taee. This includes seEeral addition
p which have been built to the mai
cottage since 1910 In the present shape
L however. the cottage is idenUcally IN
. same as it was in 1861 when Lincol
G took possession. After the grounds wer
purchased from the Riggs estate tn
cottage remained undisturbed. and, a
D IL has been regarded as something Q
a patriotic heirloom no changes IN IN
structure have taken place.
The cottage is frame. but the exterio
E mas been covered with the stucco plas
{ ter so popular with the builders cen
furry or SO ago. one of the old soldier
Who spends most of his spare time de
vel0ping the artists soul within hiT
i | las painted about forty pictures. whic
4 hang upon the walls and IN the halls