Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-03

was in communication with his lieutenants
at Chicago. too, and heltalked with them
over the White House Wire. Most Of the
bulletins were taken to Mr.. Arthur In his
office or library by Mr.. Phillips, his secre-
tary, or Mr. Montgomery. When the news
of Blaine's nomination Eame-news which
had been anticipated by those who were
G wat s9rs the the New YorR Was
standing in the telegraph room, and ne car
ried the message to Mr.. Arthur MI Ar
thur was never demonstrative, and he took
b ae Sow S0G t0 h Arhar
the news Of Cleveland's election sitting with
a group of friends in the lower hallway OF
the Executive Mansion, q, apart or whlcn haa
been converted intofh smoking corner.
During Clevelnnd's Term.
During the term OF MI. Cleveland there
was no great occasion which called the tel
egraph into play; though, for that matter
there is never lack of important business
for 1t to do. All of the elections which oc-
CURED during the four years were bull
letined to the White House direct, and Mr..
Cleveland and his cabinet people read them
usually In the library. When the st. Louis
convention was held there was compare
lively little interest in the bulletins. be-
cause the action Of the democratic party
was cut and dried. But when the election
news was coming in there was lively IN
terest In 1t among the White House people:
Mrs. Cleveland's interest was quite as great
as that Of her husband, and the wives OF
the cabinet officers were invited to dine at
the Executive Mansion and to hear there
the result Of the voting. 1t was pretty EVIL
dent before the evening came. with its de-
tails of the result that the tide was against
Mr.. Cleveland The President had not given
UP the fight when he sat in his ONCE at
members of his cabinet. and studied the re-
turns as they were tabulated for him by
Col. Lamont. Mr.. Cleveland sat up until
o'clock that night. reading the bulletins.
Most of his friends left him at. midnight.
At half-past 2 o'clock Col. Lamont gave
the orders to close the telegraph room.
How Prcsident Harrison Heard the
News.
Four years later Mr.. Harrison went
through a similar experience. He heard the
election news rather quietly, the death OF
Mrs. Harrison having withdrawn him from
public view and even from the counsels OF
his political friends. When the Minneapolis
convention was held there was quite
jolly group at the White House. The Presi-
dent received the returns In his office; but
in the telegraph room there was a group
of newspaper correspondents who had been
invited by Mr.. Halford to remain at the
White House and learn the returns. Mr..
Halford read the bulletins to the group and
Mr.. Wanamaker took them to the Presi-
dent. When the nomination was made the
President made a pleasant little speech to
the newspaper men. The contrast between
that day and the day when the news of
Mr.. Harrisons defeat reached him was
very striking. Mr.. Harrison took the bad
news philosophically. When he was elect
ed four years before, he went to bed long
before the final and satisfying returns had
reached Indianapolis.
The White House Wires.
There are four wires to the White House
ard four keys on the operators table.
When there is an election rush the local
manager of the Western Union usually goes
to the White House to help copy the bull
letins. One Of the wires which comes into
the telegraph room is the regular Western
Union wire which runs from the main office
of the telegraph company to the Presi-
dents house. 1t Is over this wire that the
President talks with the people in California
or Maine or Florida when the public serv-
Ice requires 1t. 1t was over this wire that
Mr.. Harrison held a. long conversation with
Gov. Beaver Of PENNSYLVANIA, who had
stepped off a railroad train at a small sta
ton in Pennsylvania on his way to Johns
town because the President wanted to talk
to him. II Gov. Beaver had received word
that the President was waiting in the little
station, communication between them could
hardly have been more simple. The train
stopped; the governor stepped into the sta
ton and sat down beside a telegraph opera
tor; the President spoke, messages to the
governor and the governor talked back
always through the telegraph operator and
possible by connecting the White House
wire at the main office of the telegraph
company here with wire leading to the
principal relay station In Pennsylvania
and then with a wire leading to the small
station. This gave a continuous wire to
Gov. Beavers stopping place. No one who
has not talked with another person over
telegraph wire can have any idea of the
ease with which conversation is carried on.
1t Is much easier than conversation through
an interpreter, and quite as rapid. When
the President had concluded what he had
to say, Gov. Beaver got on his train and
continued his journey.
How the News is Received.
The Postal Telegraph Company also has
a wire into the White House, and 1t is con-
nected at all times with a wire leading in
to the office of one of the press associations,
that when any important news Is re-
ceivcd from any part of the world as a part
Of a press association report, 1t can be
transmitted direct to the White House The
President knows of any great event In any
part of the world before the newspapers
have an opportunity to put out announce
ments Of 1t on their bulletin boards. There
Is friendly rivalry between the two as
sociations In giving the President a news
service without charge.
In addition to these two wires, there Is
an extra loop to the Western Union office
Is a wire running to all Of the government
departments. Much of the business be-
tween the President and his department
chiefs each day is carried on by telegraph
On the day of an election all of the early
bulletins come In over the regular Western
Union wire, sandwiched with the regular
business Of the day. Usually these bulle-
tins are not important. They tell of the
weather (Which in New York state partic-
ularly has bearing on the size of the
vote, and they tell whether voting is ac-
tive or sluggish In addition to these teIe-
graph bulletins Of the Western Union, the
news bulletins of the press associations
are sent to the White House by messenger
About 8 o'clock in the evening the real
news bulletins begin to come In. They come
as fast as two men can handle them They
show by comparison of the vote with the
vote OF previous election about how
things are running. The little white sims
are taken to the President by his private
secretary. AS long as the President is in
terested in reading them they are copied
When the result Of the election is no longer
In doubt the President goes to bed and the
telegraph office is closed
Mr. d. F. Montgomery, who presides over
the White House telegraph room, is one
of the best known officials on duty there.
His abilities are by no means confined to
Pol nCrr h yafr o.