The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-12-19
FIRST FUNCTION At
NEW WHITE HOUSE
President and Mrs. Roosevelt
Give a Formal Dinner
MANY CHANGES ARE NOTED
Old Mirrors In the Vestibuie Have
Been Removed and Larger Ones
Reaching Almost to Ceiling
Put In Their Places.

Washington, December 1s.-The Presi-
dent and Mrs. Roosevelt gave a dinner
at the White House in honor of the cab
met. A large number of guests were in
vited. 1t was the first formal function at
the White House since its remodelling
and gave the guests an opportunity to
view the many changes which have been
made In the interior of the mansion. The
table was set in the state dining room,
which has been considerably enlarged,
thus obviating the necessity of holding
the large dinners in the east room to
which resort was made during the last
season. The room is finished in English
oak The table was set in the form Of
a semi-circle and the decorations were
red and white roses. The guests were as
follows: Secretary of State and Mrs.
Hay, Secretary of the Treasury and Mrs.
Shaw Attorney General and Mrs. Knox.
The secretary of the navy, the secretary
of agriculture and Miss Wilson; Secre-
tary of the President and Mrs. Cortel-
you Colonel and Mrs. Bingham, Captain
and Mrs. Cowles; the president of the
senate, the Speaker of the House and
Mrs. Henderson; Senator Allison, Sena-
tor and Mrs. Hale, Senator and Mrs. Aid
rich, Senator Proctor, Senator and Mrs.
Foraker, Senator and Miss Cockrell, Sem
ator o. II. Platt, Senator Beverage,
Senator and Mrs. Quay, Senator Morgan,
Senator T. C. Plat, Senator and Mrs.
Fairbanks. Senator and Mrs. Kean, Sem
ator and Mrs. Alger, Representative Cam
non, Representative and Mrs. Payne,
Representative and Mrs. Dalzell, Repre-
sentative and Mrs. Napkins, Representa-
tive J. S. Williams, Representative and
Mrs. Bixey Lyman ]. Gage, Mr. and
Mrs. Charles Emory Smith. Mr. and Mrs.
Edward II. Hartman, Mr.. and Mrs.
Stuyvesant Fish, Mr.. and Mrs Henry c.
F'rick Col ana Mrs William r. Nelson,
Mr.. and Mrs. w. Emlen Roosevelt, Cen
eral Young Mr.. Charles F. McNim Mr..
and Mrs, William d. Foulke, Mrs. Hitch
cock
Found Many Changes.
The guests found many changes had
been made in the interior of the house
since last summer. The greatest object
of interest was the east room, which had
been finished in white enameled wood
work, with Corinthian pilasters and
panels, and the windows being draped
with curtains of a subdued yellow The
old chandeliers have been removed, and in
their place are others designed in the
form Of a cascade of crystal in loops and
festoons of cut glass, each chandler be-
ing composed of 1000 pieces In the corners
of the room are golden stands, surmount-
ing which are clusters of Roman electric
lights, while the old-rasnioned mantel-
pieces have been supplanted by others of
vari-colored marble. The red, blue and
green parlors also have undergone a
complete renovation, and make a rich
showing in their respective colors. Each
room has been supplied with new furni-
ture of exquisite workmanship. The main
feature of alteration noticed as one enters
the house Is the removal of the staircase
partition, which formerly separated the
vestibule from the long red corridor back
of it. thus making one large open space
and giving room to accommodate the
large crowds which attend the receptions.
Clusters of Roman lights on golden stands
also adorn this portion or the house. The
old mirrors In the vestibule have been
removed and larger ones, reaching almost
to the ceiling, have been put in their
places. The general effect of the lower
portion of the house, with the exception
of the state dining room, and the several
parldrs, is white, conforming to the out
side appearance of the house, and in
KEEPING with the name of the mansion
itself.