The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1911-03-23
WRITES OF ms TRIP
Mr+ Starnes. the Prize Corn
Grower. Again Visits
White House
He Gives . Coed D~~er1peacn 81 The
Building and Tell. Why n Wa
First Painted whisr-The Eass
Roon TsesI for Ree~pasoas-a
Piano That COST sf5.ooo.

asoofn 1sed Tor He<Tpfson@-A
! Piano That COST sf5.ooo.
(conttnned from March stA.)
After ne had visited the Navy yard
10 Vas time 10 be going 10 the hoseI
for the night vas coming Oh. On
our way from the Nary lard We pass.
ed through the National Botanical
Garden.
! The National Botanical Garden. q,
the foot OF Capitol Inn. is open 10
the public from 10 5 O'Clock. t.
conservatoTies contain large eoIIee-
tons OF rare plants from all parts
OF the world. The travellers tree
Madagascar. the Hottentot poison or
deal tree from the Cape Of Good
Hope. the Jesuit's Bark (ehinchon }
from South America, and specimens
from the Sandwich stands, Japan,
Queensland. Norfolk Island. Sumtra
and scores OF other distant lands az
ford abundant interest. North OF the
conservatory liz the Bartholdi Foun-
tain. which was exhibited at the Phil
adelphia Centennial IL In the work
or the French sculptor, Auguste
Bartholdi, famed for his Statue of
Liberty in the New York harbor.
We had TO hurry through the Gar
den for 1t was time for it to close.
But on the following morning when
We were met in the hotel by Prof.
Martin We decided to go to the White
House. We could not visit but one
room for the rest of the White House
Is not open to visitors.
The prevailing characteristics OF
the White House is stately simple
ity Whether from Pennsylvania
Avenue one sees the columns of the
portico, or from the lawns in the
rear catches Glimpse of the south
ern balcony with colorado and wind
ing stairways empowered in vines
and sweet-scented flowers
The White House is constructed
Of Virginia freestone; is ITO feet in
length, so feet in depth and consists
of a rustic basement, two stories and
an attic, the whole surmounted by an
ornamental balustrade The north
front has portico of lofty Ionic col
umns, forming a porte-cochere, and
the south colorado balcony.
It was the first public building
erected at the new seat of govern
ment. The architect was James Ho-
ban, who drew his plans closely after
those of the seat of the Dukes of
Leinster, near Dublin. Washingtols
himself selected the site, laid the cor
ner stone October IS, 1892, and lived
to see the building completed it is
told that in company with his wife
he walked through the rooms but
few days before he died in 1893.
John Adams was the first occupant
in 1880. In 1914, in President Madi-
sons term, the house was fired by
the British troops, and only the walls
were left standing. With the res
toration, the stone was painted white
to obliterate the marks of the fire. |
and outside of the Official usage it
is as the White House that the Ex-
ecutive Mansion is universally |
known.
Alterations and additions to the
building were made in 1923 An
leads to the new executive |
office; and the public entrance is |
through a colorado in the east This
admits to basement corridor on the |
walls of which are hung the portraits
of all of the mistreses of the White
House up to the present time. Broad |
stairways lead up to the main cor
rider, from which access is had to the
East Room, and the Blue, Green and
Red Rooms, which take their names
from the predominating color of the
decorations and furnishings We did
not visit any but the East Room,
therefore I viii describe none ex-
cept it
The East Room, or state parlor,
used for receptions, is a magnificent
apartment, 40 feet wide, 80 feet
IN length and the ceiling % feet
nigh, from which depend three mas
sive crystal chandeliers. The four
carved mantels are surmounted by
walls and ceiling are in white and
gold, with holdings and tablet orna-
in relief. and window
lraperies are of old gold The two
,oyal blue Serves vases were pre-
'ented to President Mckinley by the
French President IN commemoration
If the laying of the French-Ameri-
IAN cable. The crystal chandeliers
formerly in the White House are now
n the Capitol. The East Room now
contains richly decorated piano
which cost $4,000 and was present
ID by New York firm of piano
makers.
Yours truly,
w. ERNEST STARNEs.
Hickory. N. G.