The National tribune., 1909-09-23
White House Architect Dead.

Charles FOllen McKim. senior partner
in the firm! of McKim, Mead & White,
died last week at his home in ST. James,
y. ". of heart disease. He had been
in poor health since February. 1908.
when the strain of work and the trou-
bles that had come to him when Stan
ford White was shot by Harry Thaw
broke down his health.
Mr.. McKim was well known in Wash
ingtOn. His architectural genius is re-
hected in a number of structures in the
National Capital, notably the Capitol.
White House and Public Library. Many
years ago he assisted in the restoration
of the old English architectural work
on the central portion of the Capitol.
His firm planned the construction of the
east and west wings to the White House
during the Roosevelt regime. The re-
modelling of the White House brought
a storm of adverse criticism, which still
crops out occasionally. 1t was stated.
and it is true, for the original plans
show it, that Mr.. McKim was only max
ing the White House over to suit the
original plans. While the White House
was planned on the same magnificent
lines which made Washington a by
word for a century. it is also true that
the plans were never carried out. The
White House was built just a great big
square barn of a looking building and
of gray stone-SandStOne, in fact. PeO
pie wanted it left exactly as it looked
when 1t was completed and as it was
restored after the British gutted it with
fire. 1t is true there was not enough
room in il for the family. to say moth
ing of having Government offices in it,
but the offices could have been taken
elsewhere, and the house left to the
Presidential family. Then we could
have had the old White House as
landmark and as it has looked in every
wood-cut and engraving since its COM
pletion for John Adams in 1900.
The remOdeled White House is much
more imposing looking, of course. There
is a lot more room in it, too, but you
never can get anybody who ever knew
the old house TO say that it is as sub
stantial looking now as it was before
the spirit of innovation struck it.
The very first shock came, however,
when Mrs. Cleveland found that there
was not enough silver in the White
House to set the table decently, and
had the Dolly Madison spoons melted
up and made into twice as many as
the heavy, beautiful sOlid-silver things
owned by the renowned Dolly. That
seemed to be positive vandalism. 1t
was done. for the writer saw the re-
ceipt and vouchers for the making over
of the spoons. 1t was done by a WASH
ingtOn jeweler, and he guaranteed that
to make the set just half as heavy, and
that they should look exactly the same
as the old ones-a perfectly plain. slen-
der-handled spoon with a simple bead
ing of silver dots around the edge of
the handle.
The old silver milk pitchers and
sugar bowls that were used by Dolly
and all the later Mrs. Presidents have
bulging sides, which have worn into
holes, and they have been soldered over
and over again. They are still in use
Mrs. Cleveland didn't like old fashioned
things, anyhow. She sent all the old
china to the garret. and when Mrs
Harrison came to the White House she
dragged the old stuff downstairs and
had it all patched and mended up in
good shape. That was in the old days.
when Congress was penurious and the
| United States had not become a world
| power. Now we entertain so lavishIy
| that each President is obliged to buy
| new china, SO as to have enough to set
the tables for at least 100 people. The
old china is now placed in cabinets in
the basement and catalogued, so that
you can tell at a glance exactly who
| has used the quaint old stuff. The
| Roosevelt china is white, with a corn
colored band edged with blue about
the rims of everything, and each band
united by the great seal of the United
States in colors 1t is really very neat
and pretty.