Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-07-07

Il One of the workmen presented the
president with fragment of the old
stairway which led to the former exec
utive offices. The staircase contained
4 the only wood which remained in the
4 white house after it was burned by the
British forces under General Ross. In
1 tearing it away from the walls por-
ton was discovered plainly showing the
ravages of the flames. A section OF this
was sent to the national museum to be
preserved as relic, and the president
also obtained a piece, which will be
4 handed down In his family as an heir
/ loom.
Every day relic hunters have been
busy around the white house. They beg
scraps of the papering and tapes ries
off the walls of the east room, the blue
or any of the apartments now being re-
modelled.
The president inspected with great
satisfaction the final details for the re-
arrangement of the interior. 1t has not
yet been decided whether the colon
nades connecting the two wings to be
added to the white house shall be en-
closed In glass and decorated with
plants and turned into AN art gallery
for the preservation of pictures of the
presidents and members of their fam
lilies, for which the. old white house af-
forded no room. The basement will be
transformed into a series Of dressing
grand marble stairway will ascend to
the drawing room floor of the white
house, and will then be carried up to
the living apartments. This stairway
will be surrounded with tasteful ball
comics. At all large receptions in the
future the entrance will be on the east
side thru the collonnade. and into the
dressing rooms. Heretofore the eNecu-
tive offices had to be used for this pur-
pose. The improvement contemplates
tseparate rooms for the diplomatic corps,
the cabinet people and specially in
vited guests. This stairway will open
on all the drawing rooms, and the state
ly procession of the presidential party
down the grand stairway will be visible
from the blue room. Heretofore only
few of those clustered in the main cor
ridor could see this entrance.
Not only will the new white house
afford vastly greater accommodations,
enabling Mrs. Roosevelt TO enjoy the
luxury of spare room" or two in her
establishment, but for the first time in
it's history the home of the president
of the United States will be fairly safe
from disaster caused by fire or panic.
1t may not be generally known that
the white house has for years been one
of the most dangerous fire traps in the
country. When big receptions have been
given by the president thousands of
guests were compelled to incur risks
which they would not be permitted to
take in any theater or public hall in
Christendom. Imagine 1000 people
crowded into the east room and other
apartments so thick that 1t is with diff
Guilty they can move about. Remember
that the only available exit is across a
narrow temporary bridge thrown thru
window from a cramped corridor and
leading over deep area. Then assume
a fire starting. or an alarm of fire to
cause panic, and 1t is easy to picture the
catastrophe that would surely follow.
Every time a presidential reception has
been held Secretary Cortleyou, Colonel
Bingham and other officials who knew
of the great danger have almost held
their breaths in anxiety till the people
were safely out Of the house. They knew
that a panic would not only precipitate
a terrible disaster, but would bring dis
grace upon the United States for in
viting the diplomats and other guests of
the nation into such trap. Luckily no
such disaster has ever befallen, and
now the interior of the white house is
be made modern, safe and beautiful
One of the most valuable souvenirs of
the white house is that secured by Col
onel Crook, the veteran disbursing clerk
who has been on duty at the white
house since the first administration of
president Lincoln. Recently the work.
men removed the floor from the room
which Secretary Cortelyou has OF late
used as an Office, but which most of the
presidents have occupied. Colonel
Crook had the carpenters saw out a
portion of the flooring for him. He was
particular about having a certain spot
in the floor, and none other. The
boards which he obtained are those up
on which President Lincoln stood when
he made little speech to his advisers
after he had been indicted into Office.
Cononel Crook was present and remem-
bered exactly where the president stood
and when the floor was removed he ex-
pressed a desire to have the spot as a
souvenir and his request was granted.
He has had the planks turned into SOU
venir canes, which he is giving to his
many friends. The relics are highly
priced by all fortunate enough to get
one Of them.
IL