The Savannah morning news., 1902-07-17
THE CHANGES
INTHE WHITE H0lISE

President Roosevelt's last act before
leaving Washington last Thursday,
says a Washington special to the Phil
adeIphia North American, for his sum-
mer vacation, was TO walk over the
White House and inspect the progress
of the improvements. One of the work.
men gave the President fragment of
the old stairway which leads to the
former alcoves.
The staircase contained only wood
which remained in the White House
after it was burned by the British
forces under Gen. Ross. In tearing it
away from the walls a portion was
discovered plainly showing the work
of the flames.
section of this was sent to the Ma
tional Museum, to be preserved as a
relic. Every day relic hunters have
been busy around the White House.
estry of the walls of the East Room,
the Blue Room or any of the apart
ments now being remodeled.
The President inspected with great
satisfaction the final details of the rear
arrangement of the interior of the
White House.
1t NAV be decided that the colon
nades connecting the two wings to be
added to the White House shall be en-
closed in glass and decorated with
plants and turned into an art gallery
for the preservation of pictures of the
Presidents and members of their fam
lilies, for which the old White House
affords no room. The basement will be
transformed into a series of dressing
and reception rooms.
From the center a marble stairway
will rise to the drawing room floor of
the White House, and will then be car
ried on to the living apartments. This
stairway will be surrounded with ball
comics.
At all receptions in the future the
entrance will be on the east side
through this colonnade and into the
dressing rooms. Heretofore the execu-
tive offices had to be used for this pur-
rose. The Improvement contemplates
separate rooms for the Diplomatic
corps, the cabinet and another for spe-
cially invited guests, or those whose
names appear in the list as lin the
Blue Room"
This stairway will open on all the
drawing rooms, and the procession of
the presidential party down the grand
stairway will be visible from the Blue
Room. Heretofore only those gathered
in the main corridor could see this en-
trance.
The present private stairway will be
removed and its space and the corridor
on which II opens will be thrown into
the adjoining apartment, and will form
the new state dining room and a hall
only twenty-five feet shorter than the
East Room. The family dining room
will be as at present, on the north
west corner of the building The
President will take possession of his
new office in the Office building on Oct.
!. but the White House proper will not
be ready for occupancy before Dec.
When Mrs. Roosevelt returns she
will find her household arrangements
radically changed. Only a few of tbs
large force of ushers wills be on duty
at the mansion. The force will be TN.
der the direction of the present CHIEF
usher William Stone.
There will be a first assistant both al
the White House and at the offices
But only when large entertainments
are in progress will the full force Of
ushers and presidential guards be as.
sembled.
Mrs. Roosevelt will not come t.
Washington until the end of November
| when she will superintend the final de.
tails of finishing and decorating the
mansion. According to letters received
here she is enjoying her rest at Oyste,
Bay. and is steadily regaining hel
strength.