The broad ax., 1908-09-05

Fha
years pass a new residence for ~
president OF the United States win ="
come a necessity. So many az -.
rooms Of the White House are az
have always been devoted to prbI,.
and Official business that the presidsn,s
and their families, the tenants A. MIL
OF the people, have always beer lin
tied as to sleeping rooms.
A Future Possibility.
The cloudy idea which I'm the fr,,,,.
may be embodied In another strpctr.o
is that the nation should supply tTe
residences for the chief executive a.
oficial and a personal one.
The White House, rich as It Il IN HE
toric associations, could be used a.
the public Office building Of the nrasI
dent, be more accessible to the reDa-,,
public than it now Is and be the o.,
fetal theater Of state functions IN
addition, and separate from this tn
executive and his family sbould ho
given a private residence in some do
The item in the appropriations hin
which some interpret as looking FOR
ward TO this provides for the purchase
OF a tract OF land for park purnosas
This tract is about two miles north
Of the White House and easily accessI.
bic by the Sixteenth street boulevard
Over q Century Old.
1t is almost Jog years since Georra
Washington presided at the LAYING N
the cornerstone OF the executive man.
sion in the federal city" as he called
the city which was afterward to bear
his name. This ceremony took place
on Oct. Is, 1892, the three hundredtb
anniversary Of the landing OF Christie
pher Columbus. Eight years were con-
sumed IN building the presidents nal
ace" and Washington had been dead
almost a year when the second presi-
dent, John Adams, and his wife. Abb
gail, took possession Of the mansion.
Despite the cries Of extravagance
100000 had been granted by congress
for the building and furnishing Of the
house, in those days no small sum.
Architect Of the White House.
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 Ho-
ban. Since 1t gained its name. the
White House, from a coat Of white
paint bestowed after its sacking and
burning by the British in the war Of
1872, some inlanders Of reverpntial
mind cherish the fond idea that the
building is Of marble. 1t may lose in
artistic and poetic value when they
learn that II Is built of sandstone from
and Virginia quarries.
1t was not HOban's fault that the oc-
OF the nations house had space
limitations placed upon their welcOm-
ing and social instincts. His first
plans called for a three story building.
and in the third story were to be the
sleeping apartments. An economical
decided that this was Civ
ing 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 annex provided for
them. the building was unchanged e1-
rept for the addition Of porches and
Conservatives and for repairs.
A Historic Herb Patch.
Close to the Dutch garden which
decorates the south side Of the White
House Is a little space where herbs
have been raised ever since the first
Of the executive mansion
marked or a spot for a flower IN
closure. There grow minis, savOry,
narjoram and other plants, many OF
which, tradition says, still come from
he roots originally planted. All the
fishes for the presidential table are
reasoned with the products Of this 1T
lie patch, and the present mistress OF
he White House Is as careful Of this
Iection Of the grounds as Of the hand
Jomest flower bed. She has taken
'oots Of spearmint. marjoram, sweet
oasil, tarragon and thyme to Oyster
Bay, and she now has at the summer
lace one Of the best herb gardens ID
long Island. Parsley. OF course, ng-
Tres IN the collection, including
french variety, unusually pungent.
Few Treasury Pillars.
Long delayed work Of tearing out
he thirty ionic pillars which ornament
he east front Of the treasury building
nd replacing them with granite col
INNS is now going on, and soon the
asst Of the sandstone work will have
and the entire structure
VII be Of granite and marble.
The contract was let for S29S,965 anu
ais for the replacing Of the sandstone
iIlars with monolIth granite.
The granite must match that Oh
Which the north. south and west wings
re constructed and was quarried aI
Giliord, n. n.
A Costly Building.
The contract calls for the completion
{ the work by the end Of this year,
ut In view OF the delay the time VII
. extended
Tha granite nTIIara are a perfect re-