The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-03-28
White House Credit
to National Dignity
OF the United States

The furnishings of the White House
are as elegant as those Of any palace
and have. in many instances, a his
tory that dates back to the days OF
Washington. Adams and Jefferson. :
The White House is a model home
1t Is kept as spick. and span as money
can make it, and there exists a system
for the management of the household
that, works with the regularity OF
clockwork. But should the president or
his wife desire to make any change in
the furnishings of any Of the rooms of
this historic mansion, they have but
to call upon an army of men whose
chief duty is to see that the home of
the chief executive of the land is kept
in repair to suit the taste Of the in
cumbent.
Congress makes an appropriation
each year Of about $35, 900 for the sole
purpose Of furnishing and caring for
In other ways the presidents house,
and any changes desired will be speed
lily made.
1t has been a tradition Of both po-
Htical parties that the presidents
abode shall look spick and span, that
none Of the furniture shall show a
scratch or a worn spot, that none
Of the draperies or decorations in
use shall be allowed to fade or grow
threadbare.
The furnishings of the White House
are Of great value because of the his
tory attached to them. In the east
room, which is familiar to all visitors
in the White House, is the magnificent
gold" grand, piano. a splendid instru-
ment entirely covered with gold leaf,
and valued at $22, 500. On the inside
Of its cover is an oil painting of the
muses. executed by a famous artist. II
Is used in the concerts so often given
in the east room during the season.
In this room are also to be found two
beautiful blue Sevres vases, which
were presented by the French republic
in commemoration Of the laying of the
tranco-American cable during Presl-
dent McKinley's administration. They
are valued at $1,000 each.
The window draperies in this room
are Of heavy yellow silk; the BAN
quotes are gilded and carved and are
covered with silk velours. -Four beau
tiful console tables with marble tops
stand in this room. On the maptels
are marble busts of WASHINGTON,
Franklin. Jefferson and Lincoln. The
chandeliers in this room are said to be
the most magnificent ever manufdc-
tured. There are three of them and
each contains $500 pieces of crystal.
In the blue room, which is oval in
shape, and is the presidents reception
room, Is to be found on the mantle the
massive gold clock presented by Ma
poleon l to Lafayette and by him to
George Washington. The clock is kept
running every day and is said to be an
excellent timekeeper. There are also,
on each side Of this clock, the two
bronze vases presented to Washington
at the time Of the presentation Of the
clock. and there are mere also the two
triple gold plate candelabra, which
were given to President Jackson by
General Patterson, Of Philadelphia.
The furniture of this room is in white
and gold, upholstered in blue and gold.
Portraits Of Lincoln, Adams, Harri-
son, Johnson and Jackson adorn the
walls Of the green room. In front of
the white marble mantle is a screen Of
old Gobelin tapestry, in a frame Of
gold, surmounted by a spread eagle. 1t
is a beautiful piece of work, and was
presented to the White House by the
Austrian government in 1875. Two
Japanese vases, which are to be found
in this room were q gift Of the Japan
csc government to the White House
during Chester Alan Arthur's admins