Omaha daily bee., 1888-07-05
100000 WORDS A DAY.
How the News Of the Chicago Convcn-
ton Was Sent Abrnnd.

= y
can be compared with it, because il COW
cred the same number Of days; but lin
1850 the lines were distinctly drawn be-
tween Grant and Blaine, with the field
holding the balance Of power, and there
was not much speculation as to the out
come. In this convention there has
been the field and the Blaine senti-
meut, which has kept the air filed
with speculation for two weeks.
Men have been frecr to talk dur
ing this convention than they were
eight years ago. Then there were bit
ter factions which had no communica-
tion with each other. 1t was q contest
measured by endurance. This has been
one in which good nature abounded and
diplomacy played the leading part.
The managers of Sherman S forces have
been found in the rooms of the Allison
men, the Gresham men, and wherever
there were republicans. The advocates
of the other candidates were just as free
in mingling with their opponents, aud
all this encouraged speculation. There
have been between 250 and 800 special
correspondents in the city, represent
ing the daily press of the country, and
as large u number of newspaper men
who had no place at the working tables
in the convention hall but were inter-
ested spectators from the gall
lories. All of these men
have been writing columns of
matter. spcculatiug upon the outcome
of the convention. To meet the demand
the telegraph companies provided extra
wires and large corps of efficient OPP
orators, and it can safely be said that
never before has there been a conven-
tion or any other event which sent out
SO much news as has gone from Chicago
tD thn conn "a nd bp would II, tbn lnS
ten days.
Superintendent Clowry, of the West
ern Union, says there has never been so
large telegraph service anywhere as
that OF their company in the last week.
The special matter from special cor
respondents alone amounted to 100000
words day from the time the conven-
tion assembled until its close.
The Western Associated Press sent
sent out the regular report of the con-
vention over leased wires, and tele-
graphcd more than 10000 words day.
I he other press associations together
sent out about the same amount of mat
ter. In all, the wires of the Western
Union company have carried about 600,-
900 words a day, and reports and specu-
lations on the convention IN the last ten
days which have been sent out from
the Chicago office, amount to about g.
OOO,0O0 words or more than double the
amount sent out from the st. Louis con-
ventioq.
Superintendent Clowry says that the
telegraph companies never had the
same facilities for reporting q conven-
tion to the country before or anywhere
else. In the ante-roOm of the convention
hall were thirty direct circuits to thirty
of the leading cities and towns of the
country, and these were manned by
forty competent operators. All matter
for afternoon papers, all bulletins, and
all important kilograms filed were sent
direct from the convention hall. Super
intendent Clowry had table directly
in front of the speakers stand, and
George Balm sat there with him making
up bulletins He had two assistants to
him with the figures on the ballots.
Connecting that table with the operat-
ing room below was a pneumatic tube,
which carried all bulletins and all asso-
ciated press matter to the operators.
Bulletins were sent by tho Western
union to every city and town along
| their lines free of charge during the
sessions of the convention so that the
whole country was kept informed rs to
| what took place. Some mounted mes
sengers carried matter for morning pa
main office at the corner Of Washing
| ton and LaSalle streets, where $50 op-
orators manned the wires, and kept
| running day and night. With the re-
| lays between 600 and 700 men were en-
| ployed by the Western Union company
| to take care of the convention reports.
| Arrangements were also made
| throughout the country for close
| attention to the working of the wires.
| Special locomotives and hand-cars were
| in readiness at all times to repair
| breaks which might occur and inter-
| fere with the service. But the weather
| was favorable and the service has been
| unsurpassed. No city can compare with
| Chicago for telegraphic facilities for
| reporting great conventions. The city
| is the greatest distributing point in the
| country and located as it is, can reach
| all parts of the country by direct cir
| cult without repeating matter, as it
| would have to be If sent to New York.
| From Chicago we can reach New York
| and San Francisco, st. Paul and New
! Orleans by direct wire, without re-
pcating messages anywhere.
When the convention was taking the
| last ballot for president morning light
ming operators sat at their instruments
| below, with their fingers on the key
ready to flash the nomination over the
! whole country and the world. Mr. Balm
| and his assistants in front of the speak
| er's desk kept tab on the vote, and the
instant enough votes were recorded for
| Senator Harrison to give him the nom
| ination the signal was given, and away
| it went to the outside world before the
convention realized what it had done.
| The nomination was read from the
| speakers desk in the house at Washing
| ton before the Indiana delegation begah
| to shout in the convention and in thirty
| seconds from the time he mad enough
ovtes his nomination was read in San
| Francisco. 1t was cabled to London and
read in the metropolis of the world two
minutes after and before the vote was
| announced in the convention.
Superintendent Clowry says that he
has heard il said that there was but one
operator in the wigwam in 1860 when
Lincoln WAS nominated. In 1868, when
| General Grant was nominated in
Crosby's opera house, the Western
| Union officers and operators had the
use of proscenium box, and four oper-
ators sent out the report of that con-
vention from the hall. In 1872, at Gin
| pipnnti n intnrast