Evening star., 1903-08-29
Elhiinoc
Heard
@Oeen

White House, and especially portions OF
sills. joists. &C: When the renovation OF
the historic building was completed these
little houses were torn down and the lum-
Der and other material sold or given away
to get the rubbish out of the grounds to
make ready quickly for the winter social
season. Among the lumber thus disposed
of were many pieces Of historic timber from
the different rooms of the White House.
My friend secured some of the lumber of
small building from subcontractor ana
had 1t hauled to his place in the suburbs
to be used for a new chicken house he IN
tended to build. Since erecting the house
he is proud of the fact that here and there
in the timber of the building are pieces o.
White House wood some of it showing the
old handmade nails stiii -clinging to or
nailed into the wood. The sills that came
out of the east room were In as good con-
dition as when put In there just after part
of the building was burned by the British
in 1872. There Is mighty little lumber half
as good on the market today and probably
never will be again. as only the best timber
was used throughout the building at AL
times"
X X X
When Mother Jones. organizer Of the
United Mine Workers-the terror of capt.
talists and opposer of trusts-visited Wash
ington recently she related to circle of
friends and acquaintances numerous incl
dents and events connected with her recent
march, with an army Of the child employees
Of the textile mills of Philadelphia. Pa,
from that city to New York to confer with
President Roosevelt at his summer home at
Sycamore Hill. The march consumed sew
eral days. and each night the members Of
the army established camps on vacant
grounds. with the permission of the owner
or the mayor of the town where they came
to halt. Princeton. N. j.. was in the line
of march and the army camped there for
one night.
When the army arrived in Princeton
Mother" Jones went straightway to the
home OF the mayor, inquired if there was
any objection to the establishment of q
temporary camp in the town and asked
that the official point out some spot her
army could use. The mayor assured the
venerable lady that she was welcome to
princeton. and expressed the belief that
there would be no objection to her using
any ground that she found vacant
After thanking the mayor she again took
command of the army and started toward
the outskirts of the village. Some distance
ahead she espied the home Of ex-President
Grover Cleveland. The house is surrounded
by considerable ground. and, to Mother
Jones eye. was peculiarly adapted to her
purposes. She left her boys in the road
and entered the premises. Repeated rap
ping brought German man servant to the
door
rs Mr.. Cleveland at homer? inquired
Mother Jones.
MOI replied the man. in broken English
Mr.. Cleveland is at Buzzard's Bay"
We'll. l certainly am sorry; l did want
to see him." she remarked.
suppose" she continued. you have
heard that Mr.. Cleveland is entertaining
desire to be elected to the presidency
again."
Il have heard some like that" the man
answered, his countenance denoting un-
easiness.
Learning that the servant was aware that
MI. Cleveland had been spoken Of for a
thrd term, Mother" Jones said:
Il have a small army of chiIdren-pros-
pective voters-whom I wish you would
allow to camp on the lawn for the night
know that Mr.. Cleveland, If here, would
gladly accommodate u.s."
The man expressed great fear of losing
his position should he grant Mother"
Jones request. but intimated. that since
Mr Cleveland might need votes to put him
posed he would be carrying out his mas
ter's wish to allow the boys to camp on a
part of the land.
Permission had been granted. the man
duties in the house and Mother Jones
waved to her boys that the coast was
cleared and that they might rest their
weary bones for the night on the premises
OF an aspirant for the presidency of the
United States. The army entered as bid
den. some carrying coffee kettles, while
others were struggling with various other
articles composing camp equipment.
The entire army. about fifty-ive strong,
had become comfortably seated on the
lawn before the caretaker of the Cleveland
mansion thought of his guests He finally
appeared on the spacious porch surround
Ing the house and beheld the boys One
look was sufficient; he took in the situation
at glance and was. to say the least, nom
pluSsed. He knew not what to do There
stood the caretaker wringing his hands and
exclaiming in loud terms, "All is over with
me-"
town had been informed as to the location
OF Mother Jones' camp. He was also in
a terrible state of confusion. He ran the
entire distance from his home to the scene
OF the camp. Large beads Of perSpiration
stood out prominently upon his brow, his
collar had wilted, and, in fact he was a
much-depressed specimen of humanity 1t
was some time before he regained his
speech, but when he did he approached
Mother" Jones and inquired why she
had caused so much trouble She merely
replied that, as he had said she might use
any vacant ground she found, and as Mr..
the chair for another four years. she
considered the Cleveland grounds the
proper place to put up for the night.
After no little difficulty. the mayor, still in
a greatly ag1tated state, persuaded
Mother" Jones to seek another camping
site
X X X X
Recently" remarked a local business
man. Il had brought to my personal OBJ
servation the rapidity with which our fire
fighters respond to alarms Of fire. I uye
out in Columbia Heights. and early In the
morning a few days ago my wife was
awakened by a man in the alley back of
our house yelling Murder As she jumped
out OF bed and ran to the window she
glanced at the clock and noted the time
Just why she did so she says she canno.
explain, but as she glanced out of the win
dow she saw that stable in the alley was
blazing. and that the man in his excite
ment had cried Murder instead Of Fire
The mans cries also awakened ex-Chlcr
Dutton, who. seeing the stable on fire. ran
down stairs and telephoned fire alarm
headquarters to sound Box &c.
The first company of the department to
reach the fire in response to the alarm
was No. IL engine company located four
or hve squares away. Several seconds IN
side OF three minutes from the time nv
wife was awakened by the mans cries ard
glanced at the clock in our room that COM
pany had hooked up its horses to the appa-
ratus. run the several squares to the scene
OF the fire; attached the steamer to a plug
and was throwing stream of water on the
flames. Allowing a minute for the time
required to get Mr.. buttons message to