The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1913-05-06
HOME IS COSTLY
OVER EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS
HAS BEEN SPENT UPON 1T.
Every New President Has Had White
sonse Practically Refurnished or
New Furnishings Added.

| u
s!onse Practically Refurnished or
New Furnishings Added.
Taxpayers of the country are hard
ly aware of the fact that since the
official residence of the presidents of
the United States was first built on
the site it now occupies in Washing
ton they have contributed nearly
| $1,000, 900 in real money towards it's
building, care, repair and refurnish-
ing at various times. Nor does this
large sum take into account the add
ed expense to the country of nearly
$1,00O,00O more expended at vari-
Gus times for a variety of purposes.
In all, the white house, which in the
early years of its history was known
as the presidents house, has cost the
country about $8,0OO,OOO, says the
Washington Star.
The present session of congress
will have before it for passage anoth-
er appropriation bill for the repair
and upkeep of the white house. Each
year this same measure becomes a
law, but this year, because new
president has become the occupant
of the nations executive mansion,
there are to be added to it other
sums, which are desired because
the new occupant, who has larger
! family, desires that more room be
built in the attic, which in reality is
third story.
This year the appropriation bills
for the white house will therefore In
clude in addition to the yearly $751;
900 an additional $4,000, which will
be used for alterations to the third
story, extraordinary repairs and re-
furnishings, new roofs on the east
and west terraces and the construc-
ton of a water supply for the
grounds. The bill was passed by the
house but not by the senate.
Nearly every president who has be-
come a resident of the white house
since it was first constructed has had
it practically refurnished or has add
ed materially to the furnishings.
This was not because the furnishings
were not adequate, but because of
the wear and tear. Then, too, at
various times in its history the fur
nishings have become obsolete in the
view of the various mistresses of the
white house, and this has brought
about many alterations in the interior
decorations and furnishings.
As decade followed decade it is not
to be wondered at that vast sums
have been expended upon the white
house. The nations eyes are con- |
stantly fixed upon it and here comes |
thousands of citizens yearly making /
piIgrimages to the real seat of the I
national government. The horde of
yearly visitors makes it imperative
that certain of the rooms be COM /
pletely refurnished and redecorated /
almost every year.
The first white house was far from |
being a pretentious affair. Nor were
the grounds at all what they have /
since become, in spite of the fact |
that a great deal of money was spent |
Oh them from year to year Like /
the residence itself the grounds SEEM
ed to constantly require lot of work
to make them a proper setting for
the house.
Visitors to the first white house +
often remarked upon the meager- /
ness of its furnishings, and did not |
hesitate to place the blame upon con- I
gress in not providing sufficient mon
ely with which to supply the chief eX-
ecutive of great nation with prop |
erly built and furnished official resi- !
dence. On the other hand. some Wis
itors spoke frequently of the elabor-
ate interior of the building, and de-
clared it was not commensurate win
democratic principles that the presi-
dent, the public's servant, should re-
side in so handsome a place.
In 1914 the British visited Wash
ington and burned nearly all the
government buildings, including the
white house, from which President
Madison had fled only a few hours
previous to their arrival The fire
did not wholly destroy the mansion,
but left it in such state that it was
deemed wise to practically recon
struct it from cellar to attic. Some
of the walls, however, were found to
be in good condition, and these were
retained and the building virtually
rebuilt according to the plans Of the
original structure In fact, the arch
itect of the first white house was in
charge of the rebuilding.
Kills MARINE MONSTER