The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-11-06
RECEIVING ELECTION NEWS
Preparations at the White House for
Learning the Result of the BallotiDg.
Telegraph Wires That Will Bear Good News to
the President-How Previous Chief Execu-
tiyes Have Learned Their Fate
eciai to the Indianapolis Journal.

which will flash over the special wires lead
ing into the telegraph-room at the White
House next Tuesday night. 1t Is an inter-
esting place, that telegraph-room. 1t was
over the wire from the Western Union tele-
graph Office to this room that the news OF
CIeveland's defeat was carried to him four
years ago. little group Of his followers
and friends stood about him and read the
returns, while Dan Lamont, the faithful
private secretary, tabulated them and
figured ont results. Little by lit
tie the truth became more manifest, and
still more plain-thst New York had gone
Republican. Then it was that one of Mr..
Cleveland's intimate friends is reported to
have said encouragingly: wait until we
hear from Illinois," and it was in reply to
him that the President made that famous
epigram: illinois, h.! 1 want to hear
from New York" He did hear from New
York, and the news was so discouraglng
that the little gathering of tho
women of the Cabinet circle, who had
como together to be ready to offer their
congratulations to the new President be-
fore anyo else should have o chance.
broke up early, leaving an atmosphere OF
AutCuoO uibSuSb NJ tAO w uito llOuocs
President Harrison will not have any
little social gathering to celebrate the
event of Tuesday night. He Will not have
his private secretary with him, and it Is
doubtful if he has any of his Cabinet at his
side. All of the members of the Cabinet
have promised themselves the pleasure of
voting the Republican ticket. and Mr.. Hal
ford, too, will remain in Indiana to, cast
one ballot for Harrison and Reid, in ac-
cordance with his convictions. Secretary
Tracy and Secretary Elkins are the only
members of the Cabinet whose homes are
near enough to make it possible that they
should vote and then return to Washing
ton in time to receive the returns with the
President.
THE WHITE HOUSE WIRE.
The telegraph Office at the White House
is q little narrow room in the northeast
corner of the building on the second floor.
Its chief occupant is Mr.. Montgomery, one
OF the executive clerks. who came into the
White House as the first operator of the
government wire and who has remained
and broadencd his sphere of usefulness
since until he is one of the most RESPONSE
ces. His duties during the year are to
receive any kilograms addressed to
the President and TO send any mes
sages that may be filed by any one con-
nected with the executive establishment;
to conduct in psrt the correspondence of
the executive Offices and to keep the Presi-
dents scrap bO0ks-tbe last by no means
the least of his tasks. The telegraph room
at the White House was opened at the be-
ginning of the Hayes administration. Be-
fore that time the Presidents kilograms
had been delivered at the w bite House by
messenger. Since the special wire was run
into the White House from the Office of the
Western Union Company here, the President
has been able to make direct connection
with any telegraph point when an emer-
Rency required him to consult with any of
the chief executives of the States, or to
take personal action In some great emer-
Rency like the JOhnstown flood. And the
White House wire has been used to send TO
the country any piece of news concerning
the President which was OF great moment.
1t the President wants to talk to the peo-
pie OF the United States he can put himself
in communication with all oil the telegraph
offices in the country in very few min
utes, and in less than q quarter of an hour
q message from him could be posted on
every bulletln-board in every railroad and
telegraph Office in the United States.
The first great emergency In which the
White House telegraph line was brought
into use was the great railway strike OF
1877. President Hayes was constantly In
communication with all parts of the coun-
try during the great strike. When President
Garfield was shot the White House wire car
ried bulletins right from the sick room to
the people of the country. President
Cleveland used the wire freely at the time
of Mr.. Arthur's death, and also at the time
OF the death of General Grant. to make ar
rangements for showing proper respect to
their memory. At the time of the Johns
town flood President Harrison was
White House night and day. taking steps
to relieve the sufferers SO far as the execu-
tive could take action. More recently. when
Mrs. Harrison lay dying at the White
House, the telegraph instrument was used
to carry bulletins of her condition to tho
anxious country. At every election, for
many years, the White House wire has
been used to receive the election returns,
although tho President has not always
been here to read them. Six years ago Mr.
Two years ago President Harrison was in
Indianapolis when the returns were re-
ceived. But during presidential
election the President Is always at the
White House W hen the returns are received.
SOME OF THE NEWS IT HAS CARRIED.
President Hayes heard the news of Gar
fields election over the White House wire
President Arthur received the returns from
the election of 1884 at the White House.
Arthur's heart was not in the fight. He
had been grievously disappointed in his
failure to obtain o denomination, and it
was not to be expected that he would give
that active attention to the result of tho
election that he would have contributed 1t
the ticket had been Arthur and Logan. He
was too good Republican. though. not to
be interested in the success OF his party,
and he Eathered little group of friends
about him on election night, and rend the
bulletins with interest until late hour.
He was in the telegraph-room during the
early evening. but he tired of this after
time, and went down TO the smoklng-ro0m
Oh the first floor, where the returns were
brought TO him BIZ q messenger. This smok-
lng-rOoin was really the end OF the broad
hall into which the Official reception-rooms
open. President Arthur had had the space
near the entrance To the conservatory
screened of and furnished with tables and
Iounging chairs. Hero he sat until long
after midnight reading the bulletins.
Four years later President Cleveland
read the bulletins in his private office. sur.
rounded by members of his Cabinet and
few friends. Mr.. Whitney was there,
and the Attorney general. Mr. Garland,
who has fallen into state of political
desuetude since the Cleveland administra-
ton went out of Office. Mrs Dickinson,
Mrs. Whitney and Mrs. Lamont were with
Mrs. Cleveland, and they remained with
her until midnight. II was after 2 o'clock
when the President ordered the telegraph
wire closed. dismissed his friends and went
to bed. He had known since 10 o'clock
that New York had gone against him. and
that the election was lost. Half an hour
before Grover Cleveland laid his head on
his troubled pillow In the White House