Evening star., 1936-09-13
Fifty Years Ago
In The Star

The White House has had many re-
Furnishings, but none more extensive than
w. that fifty years ago,
Whlte mouse when Grover Cleve-
-p.frrh;.h.d land was the presi-
dental occupant. The
Star OF September IS. 1886, says:
There is no probability of the Presi-
dents returning to Washington this
week, but he is expected back early next
week His cottage in the country will
not be ready for occupancy for a month
or six weeks, But the White House will
be in complete readiness and will be in
better condition throughout than any
time since it received the extensive
improvements under President Arthur.
The work Of renovating and painting in
the house will be completed Saturday
night, but improvements in the conserva-
tory will not be finished for couple
OF weeks. The interior of the White
House has been we'll painted and presents
a very attractive appearance. The car
pets are all down in the various rooms.
The east room has been repainted and
reguilded with the exception of the CELL
ing, and the woodwork in all the rooms
on the first floor has been painted.
1T was found that the color on the
walls of the blue parlor had become
somewhat faded by sunlight. so that in
repainting the woodwork the shade was
changed to match the walls. Colonel
Wilson has had made a skylight in the
private corridor on the second floor near
the Presidents Office so that this hall,
which was always dark and gloomy on
the brightest days, Is now light and
CHEEKY. The opening through the CELL
ing is six feet by eight and at the top
the skylight is four feet by six. The
light comes through beautifully tinted
glass.
AN additional gas meter has been
placed in the basement and there is now
connection with the gas main that runs
between the White House and the Navy
Department and that between the White
House and the Treasury. Although gas
is supplied from both mains, no more
will be burned, as there is but one supply
pipe to the house. In case, however it
should ever be necessary to shut off the
gas from one of the mains, there will
be the usual supply from the other and
the White House will probably never be
without gas. The crystal chandeliers
have all been cleaned, but 1t was found
that about twenty of the glass pendants
we're missing and had to be replaced.
Relic hunters are anxious. evidently. to
secure any trifle from the White House."
"The splendid trait of self-reliance on
which we Americans vaunt ourselves"
r,, says The Star of Sep
Gnarleston tember II. 1886. sis
Recovering. showing she. forth tort at its is
shocked and battered Charleston. The
earthquake which shook half the city to
pieces occurred scarcely more than a
fortnight ago and other tremors have
followed since; yet already the task of
rebuilding has been undertaken. The
people did not sit down with their hands
In their laps, like the people of cities
similarly stricken in the Old World. and
cried to the powers that be for help.
With the aid which began at once to
pour in upon them unasked from the
fuller purses of their fellow citizens of
the United States, they have sustained
themselves merely long enough To look
about them and lay plans for the work
Of restoration. Even though the dis
aster to Charleston has its multitude of
darker phases, 1t has at least one bright
one IN its exhibition to all the world Of
the recuperative power Of an American
city smitten with an appalling form Of
misfortune hitherto almost unknown to
the United States"