Evening star., 1902-09-13
WHITE HOUSE REPAIRS
Col. Bingham's Report on I'M
proVementS.
CHANGES IN PROGRESS
CONSTRUCTION OF THE PRESI-
DENTS OFFICE BUILDING.
Alterations in the Executive Mansion
Continued - Removal Of Green
houses and Conservatory.

charge Of the public buildings and grounds,
has made a report 10 Gen. Gillespie chief
OF engineers in regard TO the various works
in connection with the reconstruction OF the
White House.
The work in progress for making alter
ations in and additions to the executive
mansion was continued Gays Col. Bing-
ham, the following being the work ac-
complished during the month:
West terrace formerly substructure Of
conservatory)-Cement floors were laid in
all Of the rooms under the terrace and all
the partition walls lathed and plastered
with three coats. rassageway was form
ed for private entrance TO the new office
building. A large arch WAS taken out at
the east end and three large beams put
in its place
Basement foor-The boiler pit was COM
pleted, the boiler set in place and the pine
connections made. The stewaru room was
divided into three rooms with stud and
metal lath and plaster partition. All the
plaster throughout the basement was re-
paired. Two arches under the south por-
tico were walled up with cut stone TO form
toilet rooms. The ceiling at the east end
of the corridor was changed from fiat
ceiling to one with groined arches 10 cor
respond with that in the remainder of the
corridor. The doorway at the east end OF
the corridor was enlarged. The new stair
way leading from the small kitchen to the
buffers pantry on the first floor was par
titoned of. The work Of connecting up
water and heating pipes WAS continued.
East terrace (new)-The foundations for
this terrace have been completed and the
stone base course laid Excavations have
been made for circular driveway to lead
from the east Executive avenue to the
trance to the terrace. During the progress
OF this excavation a terra Gotta con-
duit containing the telegraph and tele-
phone cables which connect the man.
lis,T,a RI mo M
and the State, War and Navy De
partments was uncovered and II was
lowered and placed beneath the pro-
posed surface of the new roadway. and a
new manhole built in place of the one that
had to be destroyed, the entire work being
done by the contractors under the super
vision of the lne-man of this office with
out interruption to the working of the lines.
On the First Floor.
First floor-The plaster OF paris corRice-
and panel work and the ceilings OF the
vestibule, main hall. state dining room and
private dining room were nearly completed
and about half finished in the east room.
The ceiling in the private dining room has
been changed from a fiat ceiling TO a groin
ed ceiling. The two large windows the
west side of the state dining room were
shifted and reconstructed TO come
directly under the windows in the second
story. One of those windows was bricked
up and a large brick fire place built against
it. tile floor of white marble was laid in
the buffers pantry and half story ceiling
put up to form a china closet in the room.
The four large chimney breasts in the east
room We're cut back flush with the walls.
and four new terra Gotta fiues put in. The
stone steps for the large stairway leading
from the basement to the first floor were
set in place and half of the stone steps OF
the stairway leading from the first TO the
second floor were set. The elevator shaft
was carried up to the required height above
I he nd ~ ted tn to
receive the elevator machinery. Two half
stories were formed near this elevator shaft
to be used as linen closets
Second fioor-The floors of all the rooms
and halls in what was the private part of
the house have been leveed with the use
of furring strips. These We're covered with
fire-proof deadening felt, and on top OF this
a hard wood floor was laid
Attic foor-The floors Of the new rooms
In the attic were leveled and new top floors
laid. All the partition walls were plastered.
The heating, water and drain pipes were
carried up to the new rooms. The drain
pipes from the roof were overhauled and
light shafts were built through the roof TO
give light to the bath rooms on the second
floor.
The Installation Of tubes for the electric
light wires and for a limited bell and tele-
phone system for the mansion has been in
progress In connection with the other work.
Greenhouses and Conservatory.
Greenhouses and conservatory-The work
of tearing down the conservatory Is COM
pleted and the rose house. grapery and fern
house were also torn down in connection
with the remodeling of the White House
and the erection of the new office building.
All the old material was hauled TO the pro-
pagating gardens south of the Washington
monument grounds, for use in re-erecting
the houses there. Owing TO the tearing
down of the conservatory and greenhouses,
which necessitated the removal of the plants
therefrom to the grounds, the repotting Of
the plants was not commenced until the
middle of August and this continued
during the month. the plants being arranged
in the grounds temporarily until the houses
now under erection in the propagating gar
dens are completed, and. until they are fin
ished the propagation of spring towering
plants usually propagated at this time OF
the year cannot be commenced. The White
House greenhouses are to be rebuilt as far
as possible, with the material from the o,d
greenhouses in the White House grounds
which were torn down in July and August
They are to be five in number, 15 feet
long by IS feet wide, each connected with
potting room and work room 20 by 40
feet and with cellar In which will be
placed the boilers for heating. and one
double house 40 feet long and - feet wide
divided by a brick and glass partition one
side 20 feet wide for roses and the other
side feet wide for fern house. The work
of re-erecting these houses was commenced
on the 9th ultimo and has been continued
to date
for six electric lights to he erected in the
proposating gardens south of the monu-
ment was completed and six brick hand
holes were built for conducting the cables
to the poles when erected.
Presidents New Office.
Building for office Of the President-work
for the construction for this building was
continued during the month. The brick
walls We're finished and the tin roof corniced
and balustrades put up and painted. The
coal vault in front of the building was ex-
tended TO give greater storage room. The
metal range on the partition between the
rooms was completed and the wall and par
titions on the first floor were given two
coats OF rough plaster. The finishing coat
OF white p.aster was commenced. The heat
Ing. water and drain pipes and electric tub
Ing were extended throughout the building.
Marriage Licenses.
Marriage licenses have been issued to the
falyn