The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-12-06
The Renovated White House and the little White House.

The government has expended some I
thing like $4,000 in improving the White
House and its surroundings during the
past summer The house is to be from
this time forward exclusively the home of
the president and his family. Outsiders
viii not be admitted to it. save in rare
Instances. or when they come on per- 4
sonal invitation. The need for private
home for the president has been felt for
long time. 49, ~ +, ~s-s-~.. - e'-,--. @.-'5e
The White House as altered will consist
exclusively Of living rooms. reception
rooms. dining rooms and guest chambers.
AL of the presidents official business will
now be transacted at what has been called
1.-The little White House." which adjoins
the main building on the west, on the
edge Of the grounds, facing the war. state
and navy building. Connecting this office
building. with the White House. is a colo
made and covered passage way, built on
the foundations of the we'll remembered
conservatory.
The completed plan will show the
White House in the center, with colon
nades a;reaching out, one west to the
Atreet$ facing the war, state and navy
building and the little White House.,
and the other. east to the street facing the
treasury building. The. old driveway
through the main White House grounds
from Pennsylvania avenue~to the plllared
north front, will be little used In the
future.
The little White House" cost $4,000,
and is of course, temporary In character
1t Is built of brick. Is one story high. with
full basement, and liberal air space above
TO shut out the penetrating heat or the
the summer sum- 1t faces north, along
the walk leading west across the White
House grounds from the main building to
the street which divides the grounds from
the war, state and navy building.
In the basement there is a cement vault
oS {nnc in J1yhjr H.
able papers relating to the executive office
will be stored.
The main floor Of the building Is very
conveniently arranged. Entering from
the north, or main. door, and turning to
the right. one finds his way into the news
paper mems room, which is In the north
west corner, facing the White House
grounds, and commanding the approaches
from the east and west Nobody can en-
ter the building by this main door with
out being seen by the correspondents. In
shis connection, however. it should be said
that there is u private cover4 entrance
to the building from the east, by way OF
the' colorado from the White House,
which will always be used by the president
and by such persons as may come from
The White House with him.
To the south OF the newspaper room,
and with windows looking out on the
street between the White House grounds
and the war, state and navy building, is
the large room where the presidents
! corps OF clerks, stenographers ETC., hold
FORTH This room is ntted up with long
rows of desks, and with the newspaper
1ocm, occupies the entire west side OF
the building.
Adjoining the clerks room is a large
square room, which will be known as the
war ROOM" Here will be kept maps,
charts, ETC., and here will be the tele-
graph and telephone instruments connect
ing the president, at will, with the outside
world. : On all important. occasions, the
Western Union company puts the White
House on "a special wire, so that the presi-
dent may have prompt news regarding
matters in which he is interested. Presi-
dent Mckinley made frequent use Of this
privilege during the trying days Of the
Spanish war.
Immediately east Of the war room in
the center Of the south side of the build
ing, is the office Of Secretary Corteyou,
large, square, furnished with two huge
fat table desks, one for himself and one
FOR Assistant Secretary Barnes. Rugs
and an open fireplace complete the essen
tial features of the apartment, which is
coloniafiin style and finishing. r. 49,
Secretary Cortelyon, s room is connected
with the pfesfdentss room by@a small and
rather narrow hallway. In the center Of
the presidents room is a large desk, which
with a rev CnalrS ana DOCK cases compete
the noteworthy furniture display. This
room Is in the southeast corner Of the
building, and has large windows looking
east to the White House, near by. and
south over the beautiful White House
private grounds towards the Washington
monument, the mall. the Potomac and the
green hills of old Virginia beyond
North from the presidents room, and
connected with it by large folding doors
and an arched passage way is the cabinet
! room. These two rooms I'll completely
the east portion Of the building. They
may be thrown together by folding doors.
In the center Of the cabinet room is fine
table. long enough for the president and
his official family, with chairs to match
AS already has been said. the building
rs a whole, is not imposing, and many
people visiting Washington and seeing ii
for the first time will be disappointed
Some day congress will again grow liberia
and then something permanent and ap-
pealing more strongly to ones ideas Of
the eternal fitness of things will take the
place Of the present structure. The i'm
portart fact In connection with 1.-THE lit.
tie White House" is the removal of al
official bushes from the White House
proper, and the conversion of that build
ing into private home for the president
and his family w. w. Jermane