Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-11-07

John Tyler president Tyler's first wife,
an invalid)!'M Mrs. John Tyler president
Tylers second wife,, Mrs. James K.
FOLK, Mrs. Zachary Taylor ian invslid).
Mrs Willard Fillmore, Mrs. Franklin
Pierce, Mrs Abraham Lincoln. Mrs An
drew johnson Gan invalid). Mrs. q. sS.
Grant, Mrs. Rutherford B. Hayes, Mrs.
Grover Cleveland, Mrs BENJAMIN Har-
odore Roosevelt, Mrs. William Howard
Taft, and the first and second Mrs. Will
son. =,
T|HESE six Presidents daughters
and granddaughters have served as
first ladies': Mrs. Martha Jefferson
Randolph. daughter OF Thomas Jefrer-
son: Mrs. Letitia Tyler Semple. Presi-
dent Tyler's daughter; Mrs. Bliss, Presi-
dent .Taylor's daughter: Miss Abigail
Fillmore, President Fillmofe's daughter:
Mrs. Martha Patterson. President john
sons daughter: Mrs. Mary Harrison Nc
Kee. President Harrison's daughter.
Three daughters-in-law of Presidents
presided at the White House. as follows:
Mrs. Abram Van Buren,, wife of Martin
Van Buren's son; Mrs. Robert Tyler.
wife of President Tylers son, and Mrs:
Jane F. Harrison, wife Of the son Of
William Henry Harrison.
Two sisters of Presidents have had
charge of the White House-Mrs. Nc
Elroy. sister of Chester A. Arthur, and
Miss Rose Cleveland, sister Of Grover
Cleveland.
Two nieces of Presidents reigned at
the, White House. They were Presi-
dent JAckson's niece, Mrs. Donelson.
and President Buchanan's niece. Miss
Harriet Lane. 49,.
The first mistress Of the White
House was Mrs. Abigail Adams. wife
of John Adams, the second President.
While the White House was started
during the administration of George
Washington. it was not completed. in
Washington participated in the lay
ing OF the corner stone of the White
HOUSE, which notable event occurred
on octoher "a. 1872. inst 500 years
set foot On the shores Of America
Back in those early days of the ma
tons history money was . very
scarce article. Such sums as. $4,000
were spoken Of in, terms Of respect
$1,000: were considered. fab0lously
wealthy and were pointed to with
pride and wonder rs they drove down
the Avenue. Terms of millions and
billions only occurred in dreams fol-
liquids were not omitted from the
menu. It win, therefore, not. seem 30
very strange when 1t il related that
the watch dogs of the Treasury" of
tuaL 6tIu8B nus 0SHiO0 oHOcC . AIOA
their seAts, in Congress and voclf-.
Grossly opposed such useless and un-
necessary extravaganza" as. the pro-
posal to- build both a Capitol and a
residence for the President They
could easily serve for both purposes.
suggesting an arrangement, whereby
the presidential family could live in
a wing of the Capitol. or Congress
could use q room or two of the Presi-
dents house. =
Warrington and others of far-see-
ing vision, however. overcame the
small-town views of the Treasury
watch dogs. and the nationally pro-
erected. the then colossal sum of
100000 having, been reluctantly ap-
propriated for that purpose.
kx
IN order to secure the services Of
the very best architect in coun-
try, advertisements were inserted in
the leading newspapers. Offering the
fabulous prize Of $500 for the best
plans for home for future Presi-
dents.
James Hoban, young Irish -archi-
tect living at Charleston, S. c.. won
The prize. his plans being considered
the best Of the many competitors.
His plans are said to have been
modification Of the general outlines of
the palace Of the Duke of Leinster.
located at Dublin, Ireland. In addi>
ton to his prize of $500. Hoban also
was made superintendent OF con-
struction at salary of 100 guineas
per year.
The building material for the man
sion consisted Of sandstone quarried
in Maryland and Virginia and brought
Dy hatboats on the Potomac to the
nearest point to the building site.
ont l., L.
the contractors and David Burns. a
warm tempered Scotchman, who own
ed farm between the mansion To-
cation and the river. Burns objected
10 the hauling of the stones. across
his property. -
Hobans original plans called for a
three-story building, but this sky
scraping recklesSness caused such a
howl of protest all over the republic
that he promptly compromised with
Two stories and basement.
The furnishings of the White House
have ever been a prolific source of
material for debate in the halls of
Congress, some members taking the
position that any article of furniture
becomes sacred when placed therein
and must never be removed. Some
years ago q red-hot. debate was in
progress over the report that the then
reignins President had junked a. cer-
tain sideboard presented to the wife
of former President by a national
organization of some sort. A husky
lunged young representative wound
mp an impassioned speech on the sub
1ect BY demanding: Mr.. Speaker, 1
insist upon knowing what has become
of that sacred sideboard"'
In an audible whisper, the Speaker
said: You can search me. on /
never even saw the blamed thing"
After A few seconds of painful ST.
lcnce Uncle Joe" Cannon turned the
fervid demand into ridicuIe with this
brief comment: Mr.. Speaker. I I'M
derstand that when Abigail Adams.
The wife of our second President.
lived in the White House it was her
custom to hang the family wash in
one of the large rooms to dry; Mr..
Speaker what has become of that
s,icred clofhesline?
While there is no discounting the
unanimity of the American people in
their admiration for the beauty and
implicitly of the White House and
. ;he spacious grounds surrounding it.
vet it is perhaps true that the aver
age person is more interested in the
human element" of its occupants.
+ Il 4
POSSIBLY the most discontinued