Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-08-24
WHITE HOUSE IS MOST
COMFORTABLE PALACE
Roosevelt Reconstruction Plan
Changed It From an Office
to a Home.
From the Washington Times.

From the Washington Times.
While the main floor of the White
House is open to visitors at certain
hours every week day, the second, or
residential, story is carefully guarded
against intrusion by the public, which,
all the more for this reason, is intense
ly curious to know what goes on up
stairs-how the rooms are arranged.
the furniture is like and how the
presidential folks spend their time
4, when at home.
If the new Mrs. Wilson had CHANGED
to become a presidents wife Is or more
years ago, says Rene Bache in the At
lanta Constitution, she would have
found herself mistress of an establish
ment that was half office building. To-
day, however, the White HouSe-thanks
to it's reconstruction by Mr.. Roosevelt.
at a cost of 1855, 000-is the most admir-
ably equipped and comfortable palara
In the world.
When Mrs. Benjamin Harrison be-
= came first lady of the land she COM
planned hat she had left a dwelling
with nine bedrooms to occupy a house
with only five. But the White Hous
now has 10 bedrooms, the remova OF
the presidential business offices from
the mansion to an anneX-incfdentaliy
to the reconstruction already men
! tioned-having made space available
| " LA'S
euestrooms In East Wing.
These five guest chambers occupy
the east wing of the mansion on the
second floor, Eour Of them being direct
ly over the historic east room. The
lfth-adjoining the ~library-was for
merly the cabinet room and is name
diately above the green parlor. All 10
bedrooms, as well as the library, open
upon o wide corridor which runs
through the middle Of the building
i from end to end.
The suite of rooms occupied by the
president and his wife is in the north
west corner Of the building. 1t COM
prises two large rooms n one small
one, the latter being used as a boudoir.
4 The presidential suite is decorated in
blue and gold and the walls of the
boudotr are covered with pale blue bro
caded satin in lieu Of paper. Costly
paintings in oils and water colors are
hung here and there. and all that ori-
entail rugs and hangings, ebony cab
inets, mahogany tables and chairs and
! dainty br~ic-a-brac can do to adorn this
home nest of the chief magistrate and
his consort is contributed by the peo-
| pie with a disregard for expenditure
appropriate to royalty.
The new Mrs. Wilson brought MOTH
ing with her to the White House save
her clothes and q few personal belong
ings. The government furnishes every
CI1nS I0IulE0u lCI louoCNSOPAAiS "a
poses and it is not desired that prest-
| Dental property shall get mixed up
with that of Uncle Sam.
Even Soap ls Furnished.
Even soap and towels are supplied,
and ah, the inen-such quantities OF
lt-hemstitched and embroidered. The
linen press of the White House is really
quite a big room, its shelves weighted
down under a wealth Of whiteness.
The mistress Of the executive man
sion has no wash list" to make out
and check up. Uncle Sam attends to
that, as we'll as to the mouse cleaning.
The kitchen department runs itself, as
If by clockwork. Faultless meals would
be served at regular hours even though
the presidents wife were never to take
tho trouble to give an order Every
thing imaginable is done to relieve her
of anxieties and responsibility 8.
Being a woman, however, she Is sure
to find a great deal of pleasure in look
ing over the treasures of the buffers
pantry. For one item she finds herself
the possessor of "a dozen solid silver
forks and IA dozen pearl handled
knives. These, however, are for best;
they are used only on exceptional oc-
casions. Tie forks are Of exquisite
design-very slender just above the
branching Of the tines and expanding
into a graceful handle which bears the
national coat Of arms, delicately en-
graved.
The gold spoons, in three sizes.
purchased by Mrs. Van Buren,, have
turned white, the gliding having worn
off them.
Elaborate Silver Service.
But there are dozens of massive
pitchers, trays, gravy boats, etc., Of
pure silver; and a four feet long.
with silver mast, padded by Hiawatha,
stands on a silver base. from which
the detachable silver have
been stolen by predatory guests at
state ~banquets.
There is also a wonderful mirror,
originally imported from France by
Dolly Madison, which, in a gold frame
and made of sections. has served at
many a state dinner to represent a
miniature lake running down the mid
die Of the long table, and rejecting the
around it.
1t would not do at all the use the
Dolly Madison spoons and other pre-
cious White House ware at the great
banquets in the White House. The
temptation they wou afford to fash
much. On such occasions plated forks
and spoons are considered good
enough. On the other hand, the china
employed for state dinners is the ia
nous Roosevelt set" The Wilson
family. in private. is content with or
binary plates, cups and saucers.
The Roosevelt set of 'queensware''
originally comprised 5000 pieces and
cost $4,000. There are considerable
~remainders Of the china bought during
the Cleveland and Harrison admins
trations; but the Lincoln. Grant and
Hayes sets are too precious to be used
save on rare occasions, only q few
pieces having escaped breakage.
East Room Once Nursery.
When Mr.. Cleveland was president
and nearly half of the second story vas
given up to business offices, his wife
used an Opaque glass screen to shut of
the SO feet Of wide hallway that be-
longed to her on that floor. and, with
the help Of portieres, ugs and easy
chairs. converted this space into an at
~tractive apartment wherein to receive
her friends. Mrs. Harrison utilized II
as a family sitting room; but. for this
purpose, the green room, downstairs
which is next to the east room, has
been more recently employed.
There is no known improvement of q
domiciliary character worth having
that is not found in the White House
today. And yet, when the Van Burens
uyonf thorA ~ live tho roonSiNr n oofoT