The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-06-15
THINGS 1 NEVER KNEW ABOUT
THE WHITE HOUSE


nor Il the White House Charles
Pierre LTnfant, q Frenchman, chose
the site James Hoban, a Dublin
Irlshman designed and built 1t
whites and Negroes representing II
different countries had a hand IN
its construction,
II cost the govt $50, the price of
q gold medal, to have the White
House designed Congress spon-
sored a national contest for the de-
sign. Hoban won 1t The prize
was either the $50 medal or $500 in
cash, Hoban periodically chose the
medal In his AZ years OF SUBJ
seuuent work in Washington, Hoban
never designed another building.
No one today can tell where the
cornerstone of the White House is
placed. Successive layers of white
paint, from which the mansion gets
its name, have effectively concealed
It from sight and knowledge
Part Of the money for building 1t
came from lotteries. Congress was
very niggardly in its appropriations
in those days.
George washington, who helped
supervise the construction OF the
White House until the week OF his
death, always referred to 1t as the
Federal Palace or Mansion :.
With typical modesty, which should
- 20 n
ticians of our day, he never called
the city of Washington by that
name. To him, whether in pub
lie or private, washington was al
ways the Federal City.
It took 8 years, from 1892 to 1900,
to make the White House ready for
its first occupant, John Adams, but
the place was so uncomfortable
Adams and his wife, Abigail, spent
as much time away from it as they
could at their own estate in Massa-
chusetts.
The Shutdown strike is neither new
nor novel 1t was tried way
back In 1900 by the crews working
on the White House. They were Or
dered to move out of the shacks on
the White House grounds in which
many lived with their families, so
these unsightly structures could be
RACED They refused because they
had nowhere to move and staged the
first sitdown strike in protest.
Diplomats now consider Washing
ton the prize post 1t wasn't so
in the old days. washington and
particularly the site of the White
House were considered so unhealthy
the British govt decreed its repre-
sentatives should be awarded addi-
tional pay for serving there =.
It did not become the White House
officially until Theodore Roosevelt
moved in. He ordered that simple
name engraved on his official let
terheads after 1t had been almost
completely rebuilt.
Tina White House staff has never
been known to betray an important
secret Woodrow Wilson, whose
screen by Daryl F. zanuck under
life is being dramatized on the
the tatle, Wilson" inadvertently
made known his decision of the
White House staff, but not a word
leaked out in advance Of the Of
ficial declaration Some men,
bers Of the staff also knew of his
plans to wed Edith Boiling Gait
well in advance of the event but
kept the secret well.
The White House occupant must
forget many Emily Post rules as
soon as he moves in. He precedes
his lady on all public occasions
except when getting into an auto
mobile or other conveyance E.
Some occupants, notably Wilson and
+. r. badly snarled up protocol by
either forgetting or disregarding this
fine point of official etiquette in
favor Of common courtesy.
Gruff old Andrew Carnegie dur
ing his lifetime saw to 1t that the
White House had plenty of Scotch,
no matter who was president :.
He'd order it in kegs from Scotland
and have 1t sent directly to Wash
ington and the Chief Executive with
his compliments President Will
son however, refused to accept the
Scotch, and Carnegie discontinued
the practice.
Andrew Jackson, for sentimental
reasons, turned the White House
around by putting the formal en-
trance on the north side, facing
Pennsylvania avenue. He wanted to
save his good friend. E. P. Blair,
some steps. Blair had built his
house on the opposite side Of the
avenue to be near the President,
and jackson reciprocated by put
ting the entrance that much closer
for his boon friend.
The busiest phone in the White
House is not the Presidents :.
The chief usher gets many more
calls because Of the innumerable
duties and functions which fall to
him Petty pilferings are high
or at the White House than In any
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