Identifier: picturesquewas00moor (find matches)
Title: Picturesque Washington: pen and pencil sketches of its scenery, history, traditions, public and social life, with graphic descriptions of the Capitol and Congress, the White House, and the government departments ..
Year: 1884 (1880s)
Authors: Moore, Joseph West
Subjects: Washington (D.C.)
Publisher: Providence : J.A. & R.A. Reid
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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her distinguished personages, is at the western end ofthe corridor. It is magnificently furnished, and at its table over fiftypersons can dine. When state dinners are given, the White Houseis brilliant with lights and flowers, with court costumes and splendidtoilets, with fair women and stately men. The table is set with thesumptuous state china, on which is finely depicted the fauna and floraof America, and with masses of silver and delicately cut glass. Goldand silver candlesticks and mirrored sconces in broad silver framescontain wax-lights, which brightly illuminate the table, and specialfloral designs of exquisite beauty add rich color and perfume to thebanquet. Corsage bouquets are provided for the ladies, and bouton-nieres for the gentlemen. The President leads the way to the tableat eight oclock, and the dinner of many courses continues for threehours, during which time the Marine Band, stationed in the vestibule,,discourses soft, delicious music. ROOMS OF THE WHITE HOUSE. 141
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THE WHITE HOUSE, 1 RU.M THE SOUTH. In the second story are the executive offices, the Presidents re-ception-room, where he receives those who call during the day onbusiness or to pay their respects ; the Cabinet room, and the variousfamily rooms. All the rooms on the east side of the house are usedfor the government business, and all on the west are private. The Cabinet room is spacious and well arranged for the purposefor which it is intended. Here the President meets the membersof his Cabinet every Tuesday and Friday at noon, and around a longtable, covered with books and documents, they discuss affairs of state.The President sits at the head of the table, with the Secretary ofState at his right, and the Secretary of the Treasury at his left hand.The Cabinet meetings usually continue for two hours. The Presidents reception-room is a large, finely furnished apart-ment, oval in shape. The windows are hung with silk curtains, andthe furniture is of mahogany, upholstered in red leather.

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