The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-22

ernment had no case and that the charges were
both groundless and malicious, he asked the
court to dismiss them, which was done"
GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPHING.
The Arrangements at the White House. for
Rapid Communication.

The Arrangements at the White House. for
Rapid Communication.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21-Few people who visit
the White House.clmost daily, and are supposed
to know all about the machinery Of affairs there,
and who have asked untold numbers of ques-
tions, understand one branch of the service that
is brought into constant use-the telegraph. On
the same floor with the Presidents working room
and that of his private secretary, but in another
part of the Executive Mansion not far distant,
is located complete telegraph Office 1t is con-
nected with the main Offices of the several tele-
graph lines represented here, and also with the
system of government wires in the city, having
Offices in each of the departments.
The government is the best patron the tele-
graph companies have. Many people suppose
the government does not pay for its messages;
or, having its own offices and operators, it uses
the wires ad hbitum. This is not true. When
messages are sent over the wires of the tele-
graph companies, even by the governments own
operators they are charged to the department
sending them, and are paid for the same as if
sent by private individuals. Of course. govern
ment officials use the governments own wires
here in the District, in dispatching information
from one department to another, as freely as
they wish without cost to any one The tele
phone is not used very extensively in transmit
ting government business, for two reasons-it is
unreliable when figures and proper names are
used, and the telegraph makes record of every
thing, while the telephone records nothing.
The telegraph Office at the White House is
maintained simply to expedite the business. The
operator is paid from the contingent fund of the
White House and the Office supplied from the
same source. When kilograms are sent out to
any part of the country the charge is checked up
against the White House and collected by the
main office here, and kilograms sent to the White
House, collect are similarly treated
Sometimes the services of the telegraph opera
tor at the White House are almost invaluable.
1t is when time is precious. The operator, by
asking the main offices here, can have his in
strument or line connected with any point in the
country, and he sends his messages direct, thus
saving time immensely. Important messages
from long distance received at the White
House direct from the point whence they come.
All messages for the White House. from all
points, and all messages to all points are received
in or sent from this Office, so that no telegraph
messengers are ever seen about the White
House.
Through the perfect system employed. the
President can send message direct from the
White House to San Francisco, Cal or Calves
ton, Tex, and receive an answer in less than an
hour Another advantage in having this tele-
graph office at the White House is that it pre-
serves the highest order of secrecy possible in
telegraph matters