Omaha daily bee., 1908-09-26

bear his name. This took place
on october 10, 1892, the 300 university of
of the landing Of Christopher Columbus.
Eight years were consumed in building the
presidents palace and Washington had
been dead almost a year when the second
president, John Adams, and his wife, Abb
gail, took possession of the mansion.
Plans and Cost.
Despite the cries of extravaganza, $780,
600, had been granted by congress for the
building and furnishing of the house, in
those days no small sum.
The plans of the building, submitted in
a competition for a prize OF $500, were
drawn by a young Irish architect OF
Charleston. s. c., named James Hoban.
Since it gained its name, the White House,
from a coat of white paint bestowed after
it's sacking and burning by the British in
the war of 1912, some inlanders Of rever-
entail mind cherished the fond idea that
the building is of marble. 1t may lose in
artistic and poetic value for them when
they learn that it is built Of sandstone from
Maryland and Virginia quarries.
Irishmen are proverbially hospitable. 1t
was not Hoban's fault that the occupants
of the nations house had space limitations
placed upon their welcoming and social in
stincts. His first plans called for a three
story building, and in the third story were
to be the sleeping apartments. An eco
nomical democracy decided that this was
giving the executive too much, that two
stories and a basement should satisfy all
requirements. That Hoban planned well Is
shown in the fact that until 1902, when the
executive offices were removed to the an
mex provided for them, the building was
unchanged except for the addition OF
porches and conservatories and for repairs
Social Functions.
When the Adamses took possession in
1900 Washington was, according to an Eng
lish writer, a place of brick kilrss and Ia
borers' huts, with streets and avenues cut
through the woods. Mrs. Adams found the
great house without bells and lacking the
principal stairs. The large unfinished au'
dience room she used as a drying room In
which to hang the clothes, as there wai
no yard and no fence. Nevertheless
despite many inconvenieEces, she held the
first day of the nineteenth century a re
ception in what she called a drawing room
To be mistress and hostess In the Elk
ecutive mansion requires no small socia
ability. Among the many women-wives
daughters and nieces of the presidents
who have presided as such, a few names
stand out conspicuously because OF tn
briniancy, wit or gracious beauty Of tn,
lady. Perhaps none will be better remenl
bered than that Of Dolly Madison, who 70
sixteen years was practically the first iad'
in the land.
Thomas jefferson was a widower, an,
during his first term of office one of hi
daughters, both of whom were marriei
and absorbed in domestic duties, died. 7,
comfort President Jefferson in his sor
row, the other daughter, Mrs. Randolph
spent the winter with her father, but O
course there was no social gayety. Durin.
this visit Jefferson's grandson, jaime
Madison Randolph, was born, the frs
White House baby.
Ransacked aud ScOrched.
As the wife of Jefferson's secretary O
state. Dorothy Payne Madison naturall
enough assumed the duties which late
were hers as wife Of the third president
II was during her husbands presidenc
that the English ransacked the Whit
House, but before Mrs. Madison wa
driven thence by their coming, she ha
saved the Stuart portrait of Washingto
and the original document of the Declare
ton OF Independence. and had earned
reputation for heroism not fully shared b
others of her household. 1t was after thi
pilaging by the British that the mansion
newly painted. became the White House
a popular name legalized by Presiden
Roosevelt. whose official communication
are dated White House. instead OF "ES
ecutive Mansion"
During the Madison administration
niece OF Mrs. Madison's was married 1
the White House. but the first daughte
OF a president 20 be married there wa
Maria Monroe, daughter OF Madison's sue
cessor, James Monroe. The wedding wa
very quiet, as official Washington was Il
mourning for Commodore Decatur, VIII.
had been killed in a duel, The report o
what would otherwise have been a grea
social function Was Included in a few line.