The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-12-19
SEASON OPENS.
First Formal Dinner Given at
the White House.

Washington Dec. 19-The President
and Mrs. Roosevelt gave a dinner at the
White House last night in honor of the
cal inet to which a large number of
other guests also were invited. 1t was
the first formal evening function at the
White House since its remOdelng, and
gave the guests on opportunity to view
the many changes which have been
made in the interior of the mansion.
The table was set in the new state
dining room which has been enlarged,
thus obvating the necessity OF holding
the large dinners in the east room to
which resort was made during last seS-
sion. The rooms has been finished in
English oak. The table was set in the
form of a sefni-circle, and the decora-
lions We're mainly red and white roses.
Among the guests were Secretary
and Mrs. Hay; Secretary of Treasury
and Mrs. Shaw; Attorney General and
Mrs Knox: Secretary Of Navy Moody,
Secretary of Agriculture and Miss Will
son: Secretary to the President and
Mrs. CortelyOu; Colonel and Mrs. BiEg-
ham; Captain and Mrs. Cowles; the
president of the senate pro tenn; Speak
er and Mrs. Henderson, Senator Allison,
Senator and Mrs. Aldrich, Senator Proc
tor, Senator and Mrs. Foraker, Senator
and Miss Cockrell, Senator o. H. Plat
Senator BeVeridge, Senator and Mrs.
Quay, Senator Morgan, Senator T. c..
Plat, Senator and Mrs. Fairbanks, Sem
ator and Mrs Kean, Senator and Mrs.
Alger, Representative Cannon, Repre-
sentative and Mrs. Payne. Representa-
tive and Mrs. Dalzell, Representative
and Mrs Hopkins. Representative John
s. Williams, Representative and Mrs.
Rixey, Lyman J. Gage, Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Emory Smith, Mr.. and Mrs.
Edward H, Hartman, Mr.. and Mrs.
Stuyvesant Fish, Mr.. and Mrs Henry
c. Prick, Colonel and Mrs. w. r. Mel
son, Mr. and Mrs. w Emlen Roosevelt,
General Young, Commissioner and Mrs.
w. D. Foulke and Miss Hitchcock.
The guests found that many changes
had been made in the interior Of the
house since last summer. The greatest
object of interest was the East room
which has been finished in white enam-
eled woodwork, with cOrint-ian pilas-
tiers and panels, the windows being
draped with curtains of 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
chandelier being composed of 1000
pieces IN the corners of the room are
golden stands surrounding which are
clusters OF Roman~electric lights while
the old fashioned mantel pieces have
been supDlanted by others of various
colored marble. the red and blue and
plete renovation and make rich show
ing in their respective colors- Each room
has been supplied with new furniture of
exquisite workmanship. The main fea
ture of alteration noticed as one enter
ed the house is the removal Of the stair
case partition which separated the yes
Thule from the long red corridor hack
of it. thus making the whole one large
open space and giving a free s:;ece for
moving and accommodating the large
crowds which attend the evening recep-
ton. Clusters of Roman lights on gold
en- stands also adorn this portion of the
house. The old mirrors in the vestihule
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 Darlors. is white. con-
forming I'd the outside appearance OF
the house and in keeping with the nams
of the mansion itself.