The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-07-27
WASHING EAST ROOM WINDOWS
Certain PaneS at the White House
Gfxen a Innc-Needed Cleansing

-AaA -aAAS|s al sE4e ~ AaAE
Given "A Long-Needed Cleansing.
For the first time in twenty-six years
the four windows ea- the east side of the
White House were washed yesterday. For
more than a quarter of a century no one
has ever been able 10 look out from the
East Room through these windows and
see the beautiful flower beds directly
east of the mansion or the Treasury just
beyond Seven Presidents have lived at
the White House during that time, yet
it so happened that none Of them ever
ordered that soap and water be used upon
these windows At last Colonel Bingham.
who sees that everything about the Ex-
ecutive Mansion is Kept in proper cOndi-
ton. has directed that the dust. dirt. and
cobWebs OF nearly a generation shall be
removed from these panes-
Visitors at the White House seldom no
tice the popularity Of these windows.
They are visible from the outside OF the
building, but are obscured from sight on
the interior People do not frequently OBJ
serve, when approaching the mansion
from the east, that there are five win
dows TO be seen. and that upon entering
the East Room there is but one visible
During the latter portion of General
Grants second term as President the
A-elSA IsJoLAl was EtEElOQGIeU- ana q NUMBER
Of needed improvements were installed
Four heavy posts were set on the east
and west sides of the room and two large
girdeTs were placed across the ceiling TO
strengthen the building. -Four windows
on the east side we're closed I'D on the
inside, but to preserve the artistics effect
OF the exterior they were left undisturb-
ed on the outside Green shutters were
placed on the inside of the windows. and
the windows always appeared as If they
We're closed As a matter of fact they
are boarded up on the inside, and over
the place where the light formerly came
in through the windows are hung the four
large, handsome oil paintings which add
to the appearance of the East Room.
Covering the north window is the por-
trait of Abraham Lincoln. by w CGgs-
well over the one next south is the life
size painting Of Martha Washington,
painted by Z. z. Andrews, in 1873. just
south Of the window now open and COW
ering the third one closed is the picture
Of George Washington which was pre-
served by Dolly Madison ia 1914 when the
British soldiers entered Washington and
President Madison and his household
were compelled to fee. According to the
words Of MadisOE's old negro servant,
"Massa Jimmie done beat en- all run
min" but Mrs Madison, who priced the
portrait OF Washington very highly. or
dcred the painting removed before she
left the White HOuse and It YVES saved
from injury The fourth painting cover
ing the closed windows is that of Thomas
Jefferson, the work Of Z f. Andrews. in
1SSs
Zach one Of these pictures is encased in
q large silt frame, and before the win
dovs were closed there was no place to
hang q picture of the size of these in the
East Room They are familiar to all Wis
it1rs II the " hjIe House
The cases of these windows are Of solid
mahogany. Recently some of the pInes
have become iooseued and several are
cracked. They have been taken out and
yesterday washed and repaired. There are
nine large paneS in each window