Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-07
THE SENATE PRESS IOBBy.

The press lobby on the Senate side is de-
cidedly comfortable place, very much fire.
quented by correspondents whose hours of toll
commence after supper and whose afternoons
are given to repose. 1t is not difficult to sleep
on the Senate side, for, as q rule, the proceed
lngs IN the chamber are of the calmest descrip-
ton. The lobby, through which there ia n
thoroushfare to the room of the committee on
rules, Is pleasant apartment, fully sforty-five
feet long and at least twenty-eight feet wide
dark-tinted, sober-looking but seryiceable
Brussels carpet renders noseless the footballs of
those who draw salaries for digging news out of
Senate proceedings. and swinging doors prevent
their conversation from annoying the Senate or
the occupants of the gallery. A good deal of
news is written in the lobby and the conyen-
fences are all that could be desired. A long
and broad table is covered primarily with green
baize and above that with writing pads, pen
racks. ink stands. sponge cups and other noe
essary adjuncts to a great center of author
ship. The furniture is mostly of the
walnut and maroon-colored leather va
! riety, and two specimens-capacions easy
chairs-are almost continuously occupied
There is nothing needed to render the
| toilet arrangements more satisfactory, and
those whose desire it is to see how much their
| appearance Is improved by a wash can scan
their features In either one Of the two gor-
geously framed mirrors which cover a consider
able portion OF the wall area. Thirsty news
gathers can find comfort Of a chilly kind in the
water cooler near the door, and il they want
anything stronger they can go down to the
! Senate restaurant where there is, SO the folks
| say. any reasonable quantity OF very red liquor
In charge of the gallery is one of the best
known newspaper men in the city-Mr. Clifford
| Warden a stranger might call him, but to the
| profession he Is known as "Clif." He is as
! obliging as mortal can be. Assisting him is
one of the most competent and thoroughly po-
lite young men in the Capitol or anywhere else
/ Mr.. Hugh Is. Rowland.
THE STATIONERY.
| Whatever stationery the occupants Of the
press galleries need in their business and use at
the Capitol they are furnished with at the pub
lie expense. just how this privilege had its
| beginning no one seems to know, and the prob
abilities are that Topsy-like, it '.jes growed.
! The privilege existed for some time before il
had any authority in law, and was continued,
doubtless, in the interest of public policy and
on the ground that the members Of the gallery
! we're as thoroughly representative of the
| people as those who had desks on
the floor below. There has been a
| good deal said about the matter, but
| ii is a comparatively trifing affair. The sup
plies of stationery are by no means as lavish as
! many people suppose and they fall far below
| those Of days gone by. OF the crowd Of men
| who are entitled to admission to the gallery not
more than sixty are regular attendants and
| steady workers. They are provided with note
paper, envelopes, paper on which to write their
| copy, pencils, tablets, pens and ink. A few use
the small note books which are judiciously dis
| tribsted on the House side. None carries
! away any Of the note paper or envelopes, for
each sheet and each envelope bears the .press
gallery" stamp. The supplies are in charge of
the respective door keepers, and both Of those