Evening star., 1909-03-04
Site for the White House
Chosen by Washington.
PLANS BY IRISH ARCHITECT
Maryland and Virginia Contributed
Part of Erection Fund.
JOHN ADAMS FIRST TENANT
Congress Provided SIS, 1000 for Fur
niture to Enable Second President
to Move In-Then Lighted by
Candles-Many Changes
Made Since.
PLANS BY IRISH ARCHITECT
JOHN ADAMS FIRST TENANT

The White House is located upon the
site picked by President George Washing
ton and Maj. Peter Charles rEnfant when
they laid out Washington in 1871. The
features of the plans of IEnfant we're
that the Capitol and the President S
house should tower above everything else
James Hoban an Irish architect, drew
the plans from which the White House
was built and he superintended the erec-
ton Of the building and its restoration
after it was burned by the British In 1S14.
Hoban completed the plans for the
building July II, 1872. and on that date
his designs were picked In competition
with those of number of architects.
The corner stone was laid October Is,
1872 Funds for the original construction
were raised from the sale of lots In the
federal city and from moneys furhlshed
nv MARYLAND and Virginia for erection OF
public buildings. 1t was not until April
1890. that Congress made an appropria-
tien of any sort for the building. The
amount then voted was $4,000 to PROVIDE
furniture so that President and MRS.
Adams could move In. President Adams
was the first occupant OF the pulioiiiS,
moving I'm in November. $500. In looI
Congress appropriated $4,000 for repairs
TO the building. In late years CONGRESS
has been liberal in its appropriations,
conceding the President everything he
asks for.
The partial destruction of the building
nv the British in 1914 necessitated large
appropriations for restoration, "EISn men
Congress made at different times: ,ddn ne
south portico was not finished until lS52
costing $4,000. The beautiful east room
was finished and furnished in 1875 out OF
an appropriation of S25,OOo. Three years
later the north portico was put up al Oil
expense of about $2o.OOo.
When Candles Were Burned.
The first occupants of the White House
xot along at night with candles and the
lighting apparatus Of the early days or the
country. Gas was installed in 1s4S and
a system of heating and ventilating In
1883. For the first seventy years of the
existence of the building the average
yearly cost for furnishing was S6,OOo.
The original building contained terraces
something like those now connected Win
the building except not so imposing. lney
are thought to have been erected during
Jefferson's administration, as Jenerson
had his Office in a small building near
where President Roosevelts ofhces are
now located. Congress appropriated
money In 1919 to enlarge the ofnces west
of the Presidents house. 1t is supposed
that the west terrace and buildings were
turned into greenhouse in the sos. While
the east terrace, where were located the
conservatory and stables, was removed
to make room for the extension 10 the
Treasury building.
The :nain building continued to be
both the ofiices and residence of Presi-
dents until the fall of 1902. In the
spring Of that year Congress approprl-
rary oflces for the President And S4I5-
600 for remodeling and fefurnish-
ing the White House
Work Done in Four Months.
The contract was let for the work,
the stipulation being that everything
must be done within four months, SO
that the family could again occupy the
building and the President the offices.
I'm that time great problems were to
be worked out.
While the work was going on in the
summer Of 1902 President and Mrs.
Roosevelt were at Oyster Bay. Upon
their return in September they were
Quartered temporarily at No. % Jackson
place, Lafayette square. 1t was in
this building that the President settled
the great anthracite coal strike. In Oc
tober Mr.. Roosevelt moved into the
new executive offices at the extreme
family moved into the enlarged quar-
ters of the White House, the former
executive Offices there having been
changed into bedrooms.
White House is open to the public. The
private parlors are closed except b.
special arrangement. In the basement
OF the White House, where it is daily
way to the east room, is the exhibit OF
china and table ware of the various
administrations, from Washington
down. This constitutes one of the most
House. The Presidents Offices are not
open to visitors except by engagement.
Interior Of the Building.
A description of the interior of the
White House as 1t is today. to be COM
plete. naturally begins with the basement
On the western half of the ground floor
are located the stewards several depart
n1ents. the storerooms for foodstuffs,
the large and small kitchens, anterooms
for the employees. and the heating. hot
and cold water apparatus. and the re-
frigerators. On this floor also is situated
large oval apartment, formerly called
the diplomatic room" on the south side
or the main building and Immediately
under the south portico.
This room. never used for this purpose
now, was originally intended for the re-
ception OF diplomatic guests. The reason
Tor the abandonment OF the diplomats
anteroom as such is fourd In the fact
that the White House since it was built
has faced right about the south side,
originally intended as the 'front.' now con-
tanning the back door This was caused
by the city OF Washington insisting upon
building itself In northerly and westerly
direction, the main thoroughfare of the
city, Pennsylvania avenue passing the
White House on its north side. The large
kitchen, where the food for state or other
large dinners Is cooked Is In the north
western corner OF the basement floor
and Is completely equipped with modern
culinary apparatus of the most approved
pattern. The smaller kitchen. III which
the meals for the Presidents family
when dining privately are cooked. lies
Immediately west OF the larger kitchen
and II also contains a complete outfit
The stewards office, storerooms and re-
frlgerators are located in the southwest
corner Of the ground floor, and these as
well as the kitchens, are surrounded by
leading from the ground floor contains
the laundry and ironing rooms the maids
dning-room and separate quarters for
man and woman servants.
Caring for Reception Guests
The ground ioor of the building proper
contains on the eastern side two large
anterooms for ladies and gentlemen that
for the ladies on the south and the one
for the gentlemen on the north. These
rooms open by a hallway from the east
terrace. through which the guests for the
large receptions pass. The east terrace is
occupied by coat and cloak rooms con-
taining boxes for 900 wraps, umbrella
stands and other conveniences. This part
of the ground floor of the main building
is laid with stone. and a broad and easy