The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-01-09
WHITE HOUSE KITCHEN
IMPROVEMENTS HAVE BEEN INTRO.
DUcED IN RECENT YEARS.
The Great Firepiaccs, Brick Ovens and
Heating Crannies OF the Original
Kitchen Are Still There, But Not
Used-Uow n state Dinner Is Cooked.


The present kitchens in the White
House are directly under the family
dining room and buffers pantry In the
northwest corner OF the basement. The
original kitchen. which was used as
such from the time that Nine. Abigail
Adams was Its mistress until Mrs. Lin
coins regime, was in the central part
OF the basement, In what Is now the
engine room. The great fireplaces,
brick ovens and heating crannles are
still there, but the room Is just under
the shadow of the wide front porch,
and must have been dark place for
work at Its best. That was probably
the reason why Mrs. Lincoln had 1t
changed to its present sunny corner.
when Mrs. Harrison came in she
found 1t very different place from
what 1t is now. The floor was then
sunken and broken. there was wooden
waiscoting, and all the woodwork was
infested with that bane of the Wash
ington housekeeper, reaches. The rats
and mice had literally taken possession
and for n while It seemed that they
were going to retain 1t in spite of all
that she could do. She tried every eX-
terminator In vain, and then she gave
the entire basement n general renovo-
ton. In the kitchens and laundries
the sunken floors were taken up and
the remnants of the decomposed wood
en- planks, with cart loads of filthy
dirt, We're removed. When n solid
foundation of Potomac clay was
reached she had the present firm ce-
ment floors put in. All of the wood
work was torn out, and the clean,
white tiling which now makes these
rooms so bright was substituted. This
did away with the rat and mice nuls-
ance, but 1t was not until Colonel
Bingham, the present efficient super
intendent of public buildings and
grounds, put in his perfect sanitary
system of plumbing that they were
able to cope with the roach pest,
There are two kitchens, a small one
to the west and the main one leading
out of it, which is about forty feet long
by twenty-five feet wide. Both rooms
have the cement floors, while the walls
are wainscotted TO the height of six or
eight feet with white tiles. These
rooms are supplied with every modern
kitchen appliance. over on the south
side of the large room is a great hood
ed range covering almost the entire
wall and provided with numberless
baking and warming ovens. In the
centre of the room is a long deal table,
and suspended from the ceiling direct
ly over it is a mammoth circular swing
on which are hanging the cooking
utensils, brass kettles and pans shin
ing like FURNISHED glass. Over on the
north side of the room are two closets
reaching from ceiling to floor. Their
upper parts are shelved and filled with
tinware and crockery, while the lower
is divided into flour, meal and cereal
bins, with other compartments for SUI
gar, salt, spices, etc. over to the south
side are the sinks and appliances for
dishwashing, while on the north, un-
derneath the big windows with their
ground-glass panes, are the side tables.
In the northeast corner of the family
kitchen, which is furnished on small
er scale in the same manner as the
larger one, is the dumbwalter, where
the food for the dining-room is sent up
to the buffers pantry.
AS may be imagined, 1t is something
Of an undertaking to prepare all OF the
viands in these kitchens for the state
dinners which are given each winter
in the Executive Mansion but that it
Is done in so faultless manner reflects
credit upon those who manage it. The
state dining-room is a stately, spacious
apartment, but it can only seat forty
number of guests who must be enter
tained at these official functions For
that reason during the past three years
the tables for these dinners have been
laid in the long Tiffany corridors-an
expedlency which should make us re.
alize the necessity OF a larger dwelling
house for the President of this great
nation.
On a night of state dinner the en-
tire floor of the mansion is turned into
a fairyland of beauty. Every nook,
corner and available space is filled with
palms, tropical plants, cut flowers and
patriotic decorations. Chains OF yari-
colored electric lights are swung across
the ceiling, over the mirrors and fire.
quently outline the floral designs. The
table Is as handsome as rare buds and
blossoms, cut glass, priceless china,
silver and fine napery can make IL.
The dinner usually comprises from six
TO eight courses and is about two
hours in being served. The White
House cook, who is a capable, middle
aged German woman, bearing the
given name of Anne, prepares all the
food, with the aid of her two assist
ants On the night of the dinner the
dishwashers are reinforced by the
three laundry women, as, despite the
tales which occasionally go the rounds
Of the newspapers Of the fabulous
amount of plate in the Executive Man
sion, the limited number of spoons,
knives and forks makes 1t necessary
to wash those which are used in one
course to supply the next. The walt
ers on these occasions are hired from
the establishment of one OF the up
town caterers, as the regular White
House force Of servants is not large
enough Of itself.
These dinners are. OF course, official
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