Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-07-02
WHITE HOUSE GIVEN
BIG IMPROVEMENTS
President Taft Has Completed IEis
Suggestions for Repairs and the
Workmen Have Started--Ten-'
mis- Court Has Been Destroyed.

WASHINGTON, July 1.-Destruction OF
the far-famed white house tennis court,
where played the so-called Roosevelt
tennis cabinet" to make room for the adj
ditional working quarters for the execu-
tive clerical staff. began today when the
excavators marked the ground for pick
and shovel.
This is the beginning of the renovation
of the white house and the further Inn
provements ordained by President Taft
Only few hours now and the evidences,
of the normal life of the executive resi-
dence will have given place to the splash
of the whitewash brush, the order Of
new paint and the rasp of the carpenters
saw.
Mrs. Taft and the young people viii
leave Saturday evening for the summer
quarters at Beverly, and in the absence
of the family will be pursued the task
of concealing with fresh paint end pa
per and new upholstery the age of the
old mansion. which has sheltered every
presidents family since John Adams
day.
HAS LONG BEEN CUSTOM.
Each succeeding administration orders a
renovation Of the executive residences.
Sometimes the changes are radical and
elaborate. The Tafts, however, have de-
cided to have it done on a less extensive
scale The cost Of the present Improve
ments will be but little more than one7f
tenth of that of the changes made by
the Roosevelts during their first year tn
the white house.
Seven years ago about a half million
dollars was spent in remodeling the inte-
rior of the white house proper and In
erecting the east and wect wings, incliid-
ing the present executive office building
President Taft will expend not more than
coo for extraordinary improvements In
the main building and $4,000 in increasing
the size of the office. 1t was this en-
largement that doomed the tennis court
The remodeling done during the Roose-'
welt term will be accepted by the new
administration. unaltered.
TAFT VERY ECONOMICAL
The operations will be limited largely
to the recovering of walls. the re-IIp-
holstering of furniture. painting, decorat-
ing and the purchase OF drapertes. Re-
painting Of the exterior in the Character
istic white will be confined to patches
Both in the white house proper and In
the new offices. no attempt at grandeur
will be essayed. Provision Will be made.
however, for better accommodations for
the scores that flock to the white house
daily to see the president.
A special waiting room will be provided
for congressman and senators, but 1t Win
be in marked contrast to the gold-adorn-
ed chamber that congress provides for the
presidents use when he goes to the cap
itol at the end of each session. d
WILL BE NO TAFT SET"
The presidents efforts at public econ
oIny are shared cheerfully, it islsaid. by
Mrs Taft. So far in the direction OF sim
plicity and economy is she willing TO go
that her present intention is not to avail
herself of the customary privilege of pur-
chasing china of new design to be hand
ed down to posterity as The Taft Set
She believes she is able to get along
well enough with the dishes already AZ
the white house. =.