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novel convenience of electric-light buttons, supposed by many to
ridor, room was made for the enlargement of the State Dining
threaten instant and fatal shock. Bathrooms were installed during
Room. The public reception rooms were made structurally sound.
President Rutherford B. Hayes' term, 1877-81. During Hayes' term
On the second floor, offices made vacant by removal to the new
also one telephone line was brought in, and in 1902 the first telephone
Executive Office Building were remodeled for domestic use. The
switchboard was introduced.
latter building was completed in 1902, but was rearranged in
External changes kept pace with these improvements. Jefferson's
1910.
"offices" were destroyed during the British invasion; instead, the
Recent years have seen many restorations and improvements to
beautiful east and west terraces were erected in 1815. The original
keep the aging structure abreast of the demands upon it. In 1926
eastern terrace was somewhat out of scale with the western one, and
reconstruction of the roof and the attic story was undertaken. The
it was replaced in 1869 with a more suitably proportioned structure.
frames for the new attic floor and roof are of steel trusses and beams.
Early pictures show that from the south the two terraces loomed up
The new roof is of hollow tile with a covering of slate. A year later
as formidable-looking white walls that by comparison minimized the
the Executive Office Building was enlarged by converting its attic
whole south facade. This defect was overcome by banks which
into a third story. It had already been enlarged to twice its original
raised the ground level along the fronts of both terraces, and thus
size under President Taft in 1909-10.
reduced their proportions to a correct harmony.
A fire on Christmas Eve, 1929, did great damage to the office build-
More recently the set flower pots and oiled paths of the Victorian
ing and seemed likely for a time to spread to the White House proper.
era have given way to a less formal arrangement of the grounds.
The office building was restored in 1930. Machinery for cooling the
The Executive Offices took the space occupied for decades by the
offices was introduced in the spring of 1932. In 1934 the increasing
greenhouses, and Colonial gardens were laid out south of the terraces.
burdens of the Presidency required another overhauling of the
The west garden was later set out with roses by Mrs. Taft. Presi-
Executive Office Building. With the advice of the Commission of
dent Wilson planned a straight-line arrangement of the bushes,
Fine Arts the President developed a plan which tripled the available
and put high hedges and walks along the base of the south portico
office space, without any increase apparent in the mass of the build-
on the west side, for the "President's Walk" and the "President's
ing. This was done by excavating the basement and extending it
Rest."
underground beyond the Office to the south, making a new story of
By 1902 the White House began to show the effects of generations
the former attic and extending the first story to the east in the form
of wear and tear. Moreover, the Executive Offices filled SO much of
of a terrace.
the second story that little remained in the way of comfortable dwell-
Outside, the western entranceway to the ground floor was changed
ing quarters for the President and his family. Since the east gallery
to conform once more to the original plans. The roadway to the
was given over to living quarters for the domestic staff, the only
north entrance of the West Terrace was SO curved as to conceal this
space available for entertainment was on the main floor, which was
entrance from the Executive Office yard.
utterly inadequate for large crowds. On major occasions guests had
The most recent renovation was more important than spectacular.
to enter through the stately main entrance, but leave through a
In the summer of 1936 the archaic electric wiring system was found
window in the East Room by a temporary wooden stairway. There
not only to be inadequate but dangerous. Accordingly the White
was no cloakroom; wraps had to be piled in the lobby or in the
House was closed for several weeks while the old wiring was torn
dining rooms. For large dinners the State Dining Room had to be
out and a complete modern system installed, including the lead wires
supplemented with tables set up in the main reception hall. At the
from the State, War, and Navy Building into the White House. A
instance of President Theodore Roosevelt, Congress therefore pro-
complete automatic fire alarm system was installed throughout the
vided for alterations and extensions, and redecorations; also for
building. Provision was made for substituting alternating for direct
the restoration of furniture described above. The firm of McKim,
current, and increased voltage was provided for to take care of the
Mead, and White, architects, effected the changes at a cost of about
many modernizations of the electric service, both in power facilities
$500,000. The east gallery was rebuilt in its present form. By the
and for communication. Much antiquated, worn-out plumbing was
removal of a private stairway at the west end of the central cor-
reconditioned at the same time.
26
27
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"ocrText": "novel convenience of electric-light buttons, supposed by many to\nridor, room was made for the enlargement of the State Dining\nthreaten instant and fatal shock. Bathrooms were installed during\nRoom. The public reception rooms were made structurally sound.\nPresident Rutherford B. Hayes' term, 1877-81. During Hayes' term\nOn the second floor, offices made vacant by removal to the new\nalso one telephone line was brought in, and in 1902 the first telephone\nExecutive Office Building were remodeled for domestic use. The\nswitchboard was introduced.\nlatter building was completed in 1902, but was rearranged in\nExternal changes kept pace with these improvements. Jefferson's\n1910.\n\"offices\" were destroyed during the British invasion; instead, the\nRecent years have seen many restorations and improvements to\nbeautiful east and west terraces were erected in 1815. The original\nkeep the aging structure abreast of the demands upon it. In 1926\neastern terrace was somewhat out of scale with the western one, and\nreconstruction of the roof and the attic story was undertaken. The\nit was replaced in 1869 with a more suitably proportioned structure.\nframes for the new attic floor and roof are of steel trusses and beams.\nEarly pictures show that from the south the two terraces loomed up\nThe new roof is of hollow tile with a covering of slate. A year later\nas formidable-looking white walls that by comparison minimized the\nthe Executive Office Building was enlarged by converting its attic\nwhole south facade. This defect was overcome by banks which\ninto a third story. It had already been enlarged to twice its original\nraised the ground level along the fronts of both terraces, and thus\nsize under President Taft in 1909-10.\nreduced their proportions to a correct harmony.\nA fire on Christmas Eve, 1929, did great damage to the office build-\nMore recently the set flower pots and oiled paths of the Victorian\ning and seemed likely for a time to spread to the White House proper.\nera have given way to a less formal arrangement of the grounds.\nThe office building was restored in 1930. Machinery for cooling the\nThe Executive Offices took the space occupied for decades by the\noffices was introduced in the spring of 1932. In 1934 the increasing\ngreenhouses, and Colonial gardens were laid out south of the terraces.\nburdens of the Presidency required another overhauling of the\nThe west garden was later set out with roses by Mrs. Taft. Presi-\nExecutive Office Building. With the advice of the Commission of\ndent Wilson planned a straight-line arrangement of the bushes,\nFine Arts the President developed a plan which tripled the available\nand put high hedges and walks along the base of the south portico\noffice space, without any increase apparent in the mass of the build-\non the west side, for the \"President's Walk\" and the \"President's\ning. This was done by excavating the basement and extending it\nRest.\"\nunderground beyond the Office to the south, making a new story of\nBy 1902 the White House began to show the effects of generations\nthe former attic and extending the first story to the east in the form\nof wear and tear. Moreover, the Executive Offices filled SO much of\nof a terrace.\nthe second story that little remained in the way of comfortable dwell-\nOutside, the western entranceway to the ground floor was changed\ning quarters for the President and his family. Since the east gallery\nto conform once more to the original plans. The roadway to the\nwas given over to living quarters for the domestic staff, the only\nnorth entrance of the West Terrace was SO curved as to conceal this\nspace available for entertainment was on the main floor, which was\nentrance from the Executive Office yard.\nutterly inadequate for large crowds. On major occasions guests had\nThe most recent renovation was more important than spectacular.\nto enter through the stately main entrance, but leave through a\nIn the summer of 1936 the archaic electric wiring system was found\nwindow in the East Room by a temporary wooden stairway. There\nnot only to be inadequate but dangerous. Accordingly the White\nwas no cloakroom; wraps had to be piled in the lobby or in the\nHouse was closed for several weeks while the old wiring was torn\ndining rooms. For large dinners the State Dining Room had to be\nout and a complete modern system installed, including the lead wires\nsupplemented with tables set up in the main reception hall. At the\nfrom the State, War, and Navy Building into the White House. A\ninstance of President Theodore Roosevelt, Congress therefore pro-\ncomplete automatic fire alarm system was installed throughout the\nvided for alterations and extensions, and redecorations; also for\nbuilding. Provision was made for substituting alternating for direct\nthe restoration of furniture described above. The firm of McKim,\ncurrent, and increased voltage was provided for to take care of the\nMead, and White, architects, effected the changes at a cost of about\nmany modernizations of the electric service, both in power facilities\n$500,000. The east gallery was rebuilt in its present form. By the\nand for communication. Much antiquated, worn-out plumbing was\nremoval of a private stairway at the west end of the central cor-\nreconditioned at the same time.\n26\n27"
}