The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-12-22

other, and where the arrivals and de-
partures of royalty attract great |
crowds. Nevertheless, there do arrive |
in Washington, from time to time, |
distinguished visitors, bound for the |
White House, who must be given an |
official welcome of formal character.
On the other hand, the President of |
the United States, if he is to keep in |
touch with all sections of this enor-
nous country, must be an extensive |
traveller while in office. 1t is likewise
the custom for the chief executive to
Washington, and to go to his place OF
legal residence to vote at each cleo
ton. All these comings and goings
have of late years been invested with
more or less ceremonial features. Time
was when only the presidents closest
personal friends went to the railway
station to see him off on a journey,
or to welcome him home, but of late
years it has been the practice for all
the members of the Cabinet and num-
erous other prominent governmental
officials to be on hand on such occa-
sions. Obviously such assemblages re-
quire special facilities. The new sta
ton provides these, and will do away
with the unpleasant necessity for uti-
lizing the presidents private car or
! special train for such purpose.
! The special apartments where the
president will henceforth hold his in
formal receptions and make his pre-
parations for travel in comfort, occu-
ply the eastern end of the vast pile of
marble and granite, extending the full
width of the building. At the south
east corner of the structure is the
main entrance to the suite consisting
of an arched carriage portal of simple
but imposing architecture. The func-
ton of this portion of the building is
indicated only by the scultured repre-
sentation over the doorway of the seal
of the United States, surrounded by
flags. Entrance to the presidential
suite is also possible on the east front
where several doors open from the
State Suite to a corridor or portico
spacious enough to permit half doz-
en- carriages to be drawn up before it,
Passing through the main entrance
above mentioned the visitor finds him>
self in a dimly lighted vestibule which
communicates with the main reception
room which is the dominant feature of
the presidential suite. From this re-
oeption room also open most of the
doors that permit egress to the east
front. On either side of the vestibule
is an ante room designed primarily to
afford seclusion should any of the
members of the presidential party de-
sire it, Opening from one of these
small rooms is a beautifully appointed
lavatory.
The large reception room is render
ed doubly impressive by the high cell
= ing which is at a height nearly equi-
valent to two stories. This reception
room is calculated to make presiden-
tial visitors feel at home, for it is al
most as large as the historic East Room
the White House and is in its general
dimensions very suggestive of that sa-
lph' nc HOOl 10 l1OoellC anu JIG WOOu
work is mahogany in conformity with
the furniture in the apartment, which
is likewise of that rich red and highly
: polished wood. The fresco ornamental
ton and other decorations of the re
= ception rooms are very elaborate In
p character and present blue and gold as
= the predominating tints of the color
r scheme The figure of the American
= Eagle with the shield and the Stars
and Stripes have been worked into the
decorative scheme as significant of the
character. of the apartment The row
of large windows opening to the east
p afford ample illumination for the State
] Suite by day, and at night both CON
} cealed and exposed electric globes
food the apartment with soft light. In
the reception room are three handsome
chandeliers suspended from the cell
ing while on the side walls are eight
ornamental brackets Of corresponding
ly massive design,
! The presidential suite communicates
through vestibule at the north end
} direct with the train shed and CON
cOurse-this latter having dimensions
OF 7bi by 1880 feet and being the lar
gest room under one roof In the world
80 large, indeed that II Is claimed
that II could accommodate the entirt