The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-10
HISTORIC WHITE HOUSE
1T Is NO LONGER THE EXECUTIVE
MANSION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
First Time Since the British Invasion
that the Building Has Been De-
serted by a President.

Washington Letter in st. Louis Republic.
For the first time, with one exception,
since President John Adams entered 1t
over a century ago, all executive business
is being conducted outside of the White
House On occasions almost without num-
Der Presidents and their families have been
absent from the executive mansion for
various lengths of time, but, with the nota-
BILE exception of the British invasion Of the
capital. the occupancy of the house in
Jackson place by President Roosevelt and
the entire executive force is the first in
stance where no part Of the administrative
machinery was in operation in the presi-
Dental residence since it's establishment.
The nearest approach to the present con-
dition during the first few months of
the administration OF President Chester A.
Arthur. Following his induction into office
on the death of the assassinated Garfield in
the fall Of 1881 ana until Jan. l, 1882, when
Arthur held his first public reception in the
White House, General Arthur made his
home at the residence of Senator Jones. of
Nevada. This residence is, perhaps, better
known as the Ben Butler house, from the
fact that 1t had been built and owned by
the statesman from Massachusetts.
With the President in the Jones home
were his private secretary and a small
office force, and IL was here that his first
message to Congress was written. At the
White House, however, not an inconsider-
able amount of official business was trans
acted, the late Maj. o. L. Pruden being, as
executive clerk, practically in charge of the
official force there.
in 1.-THE gray house on the hill" as the But
Ter house was called, the White House I'M
derwent extensive repairs and a complete
renovation. This work was begun shortly
before the shooting of President Garfield
and was carried forward during the sum-
mer and fall. With General Garfield at
Elberon during the months subsequent to
the shooting was his private secretary, j.
Stanley Brown, but the remainder of the
force was at work in the executive man
sion.
President Hayes occupied for a time a
house near the Soldiers Home and Presi-
dent Cleveland spent much time at Red
Top" and at BuZzard's Bay, but the ex-
ecutive machinery remained in each case in
the presidential residence.
During President McKinley's first term
he and Mrs. Mckinley and part of the office
STAFF spent a portion Of several summers
in the cottage home of the McKinleys in
Canton, but the bulk of the administration
routine business Was disposed of in the
White House.
from the presidential mansion for several
somewhat prolonged periods, but the official
business went on in the White House dur
| ing their absence.
GRANTS ABSENCE.
The absence of Presidents OF the United
States from the official home Of the chief
executicve was the subject OF one presi-
| Dental message to Congress. Near the
| close OF the second term of General Grant
as President the matter of his frequent abb
sences from the White House was brought
| up in the House of Representatives and
| developed heated discussions. The great
| chieftian. who, in the civil war. never
rested until he had seen the matter, what
ever it was, settled, at once had prepared
a message which showed from the begin
ming of the national government, the re-
| spective absences and the duration there
of of Presidents from the seat of govern
| ment, and by the list 1T was shown that in
the number and In the aggregate length
/ of time away from the White House
Grants had been exceeded by number OF
| his predecessors. The matter was never
| again heard Of again.
| The Taylor mansion, better known as
| the "Octagon, because of its peculiar
| shape. at the corner of Eighteenth street
and New York avenue, and later, the
| house at the northwest corner Of Penn
| Sylvania avenue and Nineteenth street,
| were seats or the administration junction
| of the government following the burning
| of the White House in 1914 the executive
| mansion being repaired only in time for
the entrance of Mr.. Monroe, who sue
| ceeded President Madison March 4, 1917.
| The burning of the White House by the
| British took place on the night of Aug
"a. 1914. The battle of Bladensburg hal
| been fought, and the American forces
| largely made up of raw miitiamen, and
| pitted against LOCO marines and $500 vet.
Grams who had seen service under yelling
| ton, had suffered repulse and fallen back
| on Tennallytown. Flushed with victory
| the British entered Washington. and in the
| White House, one historian states, they
| found a table set for forty guests in ex.
| pectation of the victorious return Of the
| defenders of the city. This, however, is
| not borne out by facts and by the letter
| of Dolly Madison Of that time and of thai
| very day. These letters show that she and
| Mr.. Madison, who was at BladensburG
during the first half of the battle. wer,
| fearful of the outcome. The soldiers founC
| and after RECALLING themselves and pillaginG
| the mansion the torch was applied Only
! the walls were left standing
| The battle OF Bladensburg, where the
| American troops had hurried 10 meet the
! British, under General Ross and Admira
| COckburn. began at l o clock and ended al
4. The British entered Washington abou
| p. m. In addition to the burning OF tbs
| White House and the Capitol including tn,
| Congressional Library. the treasury tn,
| State. War and Navy departments. th'
/ building of Mr.. Carroll and other property
| was destroyed that night.
CROSSED THE POTOMAC.
For several days before the advent of the
British carts loaded with public documents
and private property were streaming across
Long bridge into Virginia. the English ir
the meantime having sailed up the Patux
ent river and landed at Benedict. thirty
miles from Washington The movement OF
valuables began on Sunday and was con