Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-06-23
A CIRCUIT OF GOSSIP.
How News 10 Circulated In the G0v.
eminent Departments.

eminent Departments.
MISS DArsr's NEW DRESS on THE WIRES As SOON a
SHE REACHES HER pKsK-rHB cxNTKRs OF rNroR-
AArroS-PERsoNAL ACQUAINTANCE NOT ESSENTIAL
HOW STORIES ARE STATED ON THEIR RoUSDs
"A circuit Of gossip" That was the description
given to q STAR reporter. As an explanation Of
how the little personal matters circulate about
the great Department building, IL has the merit
OF being graphic. Most people whose attention is
called TO the matter must wonder how It is pos
siole In large building, occupied by q force OF
employees ranging all the way from 900 TO 2, 500
persons, that Information OF what individuals are
doing and saying Is so generally dinused. Miss
Daisy enters one CT these large buildings some
morning attired In q new dress. She proceeds
quietly to her desk and begins the work OF the
day. Her dress the style and material will be
discussed by all the ladies in the building before
the time for lunch. Perhaps she went to the
theater the night before with Mr.. Bloomer,
ana her fellow clerks In the building are apt TO
know that as well as the Interesting fact that
they had lunch on their way home. Should Mr..
3. IAN Into tue habit OF dropping around occa-
sionally during the day to Inquire AFTER Miss
Daisy's health the clerks In the remotest corners
OF the building soon have bulletin TO that effect.
Otner clerks who don't have new dresses or young
men, or who don't 60 to the theater are published
50 10 speak, in the same mysterious newspaper.
Their past life and their present mode OF living are
spread before the eyes or their associates almost
as on printed page. The actual personal &C.
Quaintance may be limited, and large proportion
Their desks. by actual measurements may be a
quarter OF a mile apart, yet they have the knowi-
edge OF those personal details which would seem
tor.
HOW rs IT DONE.
Who prints this journal OF intelllgences What Is
the name OF the editors The answer to these
questions has been given in the opening sentence.
1t was the explanation STARreporter heard from
a N hlna IF mar nl.sr-
Circuit OF goSSlpS Is only another way OF saying
that there are centers OF Information toward
which news Gravitates and from which It ema-
nates 1t may be man or q woman. Some pe0-
pie say rather unkindly that the women do all the
gosSiping but since the session OF the woman's
congress In this city there is an evident
about making reckless observations relative TO the
opposite sex.
But whether men or women are the central
the circuit exists 1t runs around the long CORR
doris OF the executive building and is nearly always
busy. sometimes each door has it, own sy stem,
but generally one circuit In building Is all that
can operate effectively. The persons IN charge OF
the centers are supposed to hear everything and
know everything within certain bounds People
come and tell what they know, and receive In eX-
change the news from the entire building. The
centers meet at certain times and canvass the en-
returns 10 their station fully posted
SCOPE FOR SCANDAL.
There is nothing too small or too great to escape
the notice OF these Department gazettes-and, In
fact In this particular they are not at all different
from people OF similar occupations whose field Is
the reception-room or the clubhouse department
LIE furnishes tine scope for that fascinating spe-
cialty OF gossip, namely, scandal The opportuni-
ties OF knowing All the particulars OF the little es
capades which humanity Is liable to are perhaps
superior to those which exist In society. In the
social world the held or observation Is oroadened,
and there Is good deal OF conjecture In reaching
conclusions as TO the relations which exist be-
tween certain people. But, after all, perhaps the
absence VI positive knowledge imparts favor TO
the affair anu gives reins " the Imagination. In
Department lille, especially when all parties con-
cerned are employed In the same building, the
means OF becoming acquainted with private
and personal affairs are remarkably good,
SO the STAR man told. All the little details
are gathered together and eventually ind their
way 10 one OF the centers and then Lew start Is
made on a more extended journey. Tue Original
Information may b. somewhat changed IN IorIn
aud perhaps altered m matter by the time II has
gone very far on the circuit. Alterations and ad,
Interest to the story may be expected.
HOW THE STORIES START.
Persons are often heard TO say "Ihere Is great
deal OF talk about the Department" which simply
means thai the wires OF the gossip circuit are In
good working order. Il heard so-and-so,"
Is another other form or else the ,ol familiar
substance is the same. The system
is especially adapted for Departments in wnlcn
there Is any attempt to enforce ruIes which are
designed 10 keep tue clerks at their desks during
0flice hours. All that II necessary In such Case
Is to tell piece OF news " one person and In an
incredibly snort time the great building Is ringing
with It. The more spice or scandal In the story
the faster IL travels and the easily the cir.
cult works
The STAR mans informant thought that the
telegraph, the telephone AMI the rapid newspaper
presses are wonderful agencies In the quick trans
mission Of news. He Was OF the opinion, however.
that the Department system OF transmitting
news might give the newspaper managers several
points md then beat them tneir own special Held
Some times gossipcrcui may g lefS but It Is
not very often, and then a failure Is discounted
by the frequency with which matters OF ilnpor-
lance are anticipated. The enterprise displayed rs
sometimes almost prophetic ana may b. Ia ad-
vance Ut the actual happening six months or more.
Perhaps the Information may De entirely untruSt-
worthy, but the proportion OF mistakes as CON-
pared with the bulk or matter that goes over the
circuit makes q very favorable showing with
that transmitted through the agencies OF the
clubs and society circles.