Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-28
Will Face the. South Now.


President Roosevelt will face the south in
his new office. unless he decides otherwise.
In the White House all the Presidents have
sat with their backs to the big windows in
the south side of the White House and
their faces toward the north.
This. position will probably be changed
because there are no windows on the south
side of the temporary executive mansion
and all the lights are on the north side.
Therefore, the attendants have arranged
the old cabinet table so that President
Roosevelt will sit with his face to the
south and his back to the windows. the
light coming over his shoulder. The famil-
lar cabinet chairs surround the cabinet ta-
bic. In its new quarters the table looks
smaller than where it has stood for SO
many years. because the room 1t now occu-
pies is much larger than the old cabinet
room at the White House.
Callers at the White House during the
Mckinley administration can recall wildly
the picture of President Mckinley sitting
at the head of this table. Nearly always
there was a lighted cigar in his mouth or
on the table beside him. and the fragrant
smoke curIed upward toward the ceiling.
1t was there that the lamented President
did all Of his work. He never used any
other desk or any other room for his daily
work. Before him We're spread the papers
necessary for the transaction of business,
with pens and pencil ready for memoran-
dunn to cabinet officers or others. During
the Spanish war and afterward many a
senator and representative desiring to have
a constituent appointed as officer in the
army has watched with pleasure the action
of President Mckinley in taking up a small
card or piece of paper and writing a note
to the Secretary of War asking that If
there was no objection such and such a
man be appointed to such and such a place
The files of the War Department are full
of memorandums of, this kind from the late
President. ,,,e
A Historic. Desk.
The other desk that has been used by
Presidents is placed In the same room with
the regular cabinet table, and is at Presi-
dent Reoseyelt's back. to be used by him
if he sees fit. The tiEnbers of this desk
have history unique and deeply interest
Ing. The desk was presented to this country
by Queen Victoria, during the administra
ton OF President Hayes 1t Is Of English
oak which composed the timbers of the
English ship Resolute. This ship formed
part of the expedition sent in search of Sir
John Franklin in 1882: "A plate on the side
of the table tells the story of the ship 1t
was abandoned In latitude To Ar north,
longitude 1OIo % west, on the 10Th of May,
1854, The vessel was discovered and extri-
dington of the United States Mhaler
George Henry. He took the vessel to
San Francisco where 1t was purchased and
fitted out by the United States government
and sent to Queen Victoria as gift of this
country. The gift was token Of the good
will and friendship of the United States,
and such was much appreciated by the
late queen and the British government. In
after years the vessel ' as broken up, and,
by Queen Victoria's directions, the desk
WAS, made from the timbers and sent to the
President of the United States as "a memo
rial of the courtesy and loving kindness
which dictated the offer of the gift Of the
ResOlute. President Hayes accepted it in
q most friendly letter.
The desk is handsomely carved. 1t has
fiat top, with drawers on the SIDE the top
being covered with ordinary covering for
Office furniture of that kind .t-.t
Another ancient piece of furniture that
was moved few days ago to the present
seat of the government is the big globe of
the world that has been part Of presiden-
tial office furniture for many years and
which has so often been consulted by Pres
1dents. The globe was damaged in moving
the workmen apparently not regarding it
as of any historic value. Many years ago
smaller globe was used by Presidents but
In the course of time the present globe
much larger. was prepared by officials of
the War Department. and the old one taken
away. The old one, which had been in, use
for fifty years, is part of the historic collec-
ton of the War Department.