The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-04-03
IRI ASHINGTON. d. C.-President
wv Roosevelt began his reign in the


XEI AsHINGTON. d. C.-President
wv Roosevelt began his reign in the
most modest fashion. Among
his first purchases was a set of vases
for use is his bedroom. that fresh
flowers might adorn his surroundings
when his eyes opened after sleep. There
were ten of these. and they cost a dime
each. 1t looked then as if economy
were to be the watchword. But in
thirty days time this idea was dis
PEELED by the purchase of a set of
champagne cocktail glasses that cost
S445. From that time until now the
lid on the treasury chest across the
street has been open.
II is the cruel work that has made
the White House resemble "a grand CEN
trail depot that Congressman will assail
when the White House appropriation
CONES up for debate. 1t was believed
10y. the architects and builder when
Mr.. Roosevelt took possession that the
White House was in perfect condition.
Certainly, 90 the casual visitor. II
seemed a delight to the eye. It's long
corridors were insimple taste. It's
historic rooms were furnished plainly,
but tastefully. The absence Of fawdry
trappings and the conspicuousness OF
chaste simplicity were charms that ex-
chfd universal admiration.
Standing beneath its roof one men
yally photographed the outstretched
hand Of Abraham Lincoln. as the great
statesman came down the aisIes. or the
cordial smile Of the clear eyed Dolly
Madison, tripping to meet an old
friend. The restless eye now passes
YEARLY from geegaws to General Leon
ard Woods portrait in the vain effort
TO find something that one remembers
having seen before. Its golden panels,
fanciful effects: its blue green. yell
low and purple lights and shades in
voluntarily suggest TO the mind memo
ries Of the gilded halls that character
ICED the early days Of Leadville. where
the rafting Of poker chips ceaselessly
went on.
The White House. in its present ap-
pearance. causes a shudder to pass
through one as he looks at the re-,
morseless changes that recently have
taken place.
No American would be critical of the
generosity Of congress ia appropriat-
ing such large sums 10 be spent by the
president as he sees hit if the money
had been used in giving to the nation
substantial results. The most exact
ing watch dogs of the treasury We're
silent when the appropriation bills
We're posed. IT was and has been
&c emed wise ard right that the presi-
dents home should be supplied with
every convenience; that its furnishings
should be Of the best material; that
the White House from cellar to attic
should be typical of American clean
Illness, comfort and elegance.
The question naturally arises: How
could workmen put into a house about
100000 in boards. iron. steel, paints and
Narnish from June 20 10 Sept. 30? E?
The records show that sixty and one
half days of eight hours were spent by
the workmen. in other words asa
working hours ate 100000 i'm timbers
and steel. Since that time deficiencies
have been met and new allowances
made that bring the total cost of the
renovated White House up to 100000.
This latter sum, of course, embraces
the cost of the new furniture and trap
pings. It embraces a piano for the
east room that cost S15.60O, a rug made
In India at the presidents request and
the largest rug in the world: chairs that
cost S400 each. miles of carpeting. the
most expensive kind 10 be found: eX-
quiSite cut glass ware and dog irons
the price Of one being enough 10 buy
furniture Tor a moderate mans entire
house Then comes the 8 600 spent
FOR the stuffed heads Of one grizzly
bear. two mountain lions. two bison
two antelope, one black bear and one
caribou. These have taken the places
Of famous paintings of Lincoln. Of
Washington. Of Jefferson and other men
famous in American history.
To make room for articles of Mr.
Roosevelts own desire. the portraits Of
many men and women. historic and
iIeroic. have been stored away in Gel
lars. subways and other obscure places.
Mr. Roosevelt permitted no sentiment
10 enter his mind when an idea oc-
CURED to him. a half formed desire Of
his is warrant for instant action. There
hangs in the blue room a portrait OF
Washington that the various societies
I'm Washington forced the president to
restore to a place of honor after he had
slowed il in one Of the subways. II
Mr.. Roosevelt should happen along to-
morrow and take a notion that "Chuck"
ConnOrs' tintype should be there. or
the Washington portrait would go
Last March the president asked for
an appropriation Of $4,000 for White
House needs. That sum was wanted for
servants. flowers and things of that
character; but he did get $50. 500 and
now he asks congress TO appropriate
$4,000, that i'm 1905. If he should be re-
elected, ne may spend il for similar
matters. When that item comes up
for discussion some rude things are TO
be told about the unconcealed desire Of
the president 10 make entertainments
at POtsdam and Windsor. look like chit
dren's play houses. as compared with
those at the White House.
Already the social affairs that have
taken place during the season have
been Incompatible in their gsudy
grandeur. Think Of $500 electric lights,
each having from twenty TO sixty can
dle-power. bursting upon ones vision
when he enters the White Housei The
effect is dazzling
In Chicago. when President McKin-
ley was the City's guest on oct. 9, 1899,
state street. from Harrison TO Lake.
was lit up with such brilliancy as TO
make IL look like a fairyland. Foreign
newspaper correspondents at the time
said no such scene ever before had been
witnessed in this or any other country.
The distance lighted embraced nine
blocks. and Yet only $500 globes were
used New orleans. during her Mardi
Gras celebrations, never has made
requisitiOn for more than 5000 globes;
on Canal street. The largest building
in New York uses 1900 lights only. But
the White House needs . 800 that its
Eilded walls and antelope heads may
not be hidden from visitors.
In 1885 the cost of gas and electricity
At the White House was about S11 600
annually. The cost this year will run
ND TO twice that figure. IN 19O2-OS.
while the White House was undergoing
repairs and while the president was