The times., 1898-11-16
THE PRESIDENTS SAFETY
New Electric Alarm System
in the White House.
REPORT OF COL. BINGHAM
Operations Upon Public buildings
md Grounds - Isolated Quarters
Occupied by the War Department.
No work Done on the House VIII re
Lincoln Died-The Sherman Statue.

The police and secret service arrange
ments at the White House for protect
ing the President and Executive proper
ty against cranks, vandals and other like
characters, have been completed, and the
authorities now regard Mr. Mckinley as
comparatively safe from harm and mo-
lestation from those sources.
Col Theodore A. Bingham in his re-
port for October, just submitted to the
chief of engineers, of operations upon pub
lie buildings and grounds, gives details
of the police electric alarm system late
ly added to the Executive Mansion He
says:
THE necessary electric wiring for COM
pleting the police call service at the Man
sion was placed in position. two 6-con-
ductor cables being run underground
from the Mansion for the watch box con-
nection.
"A telephone was placed in position in
the watch box and connected with police
headquarters through the cable running
underground from the Mansion to the
Treasury Department Building.
This new police call service consists of
five push buttons located at different
! points on the ground floor of the Execu-
tive Mansion and connected with the
watch box at the southeast corner of the
| house. whence connection is made with
police headquarters by telephone. as stat
ed
by this system just established all it is
| necessary for the President or any OF his
officers to do is TO touch the button;
the police and secret service will do the
rest"
1t is possible by this service TO summon
TO the White House within thirty or forty
minutes the police reserves from nine
station houses. besides detectives from
headquarters. secret service men from the
Treasury, and, If necessary, within an
hour a force of regulars from Washing
ton Barracks armed with Krag-Jorgen-
sen rifles. Gatlng guns and rapid-fire can
non, not to mention the force of Treasury
watchmen, who are provided with Win
chesters, TO be used in case of an emer-
gency. Thus IL is possible to surround the
mansion at quick notice by an armed force
numbering anywhere from 800 to SO men
Surely. said an army officer yesterday
the Car of Russia is not better protect
| ed than our President"
| In his report Col. Bingham also calls
attention to the unusual care which has
| its furniture and minor carpentry. plumb
| ing, gas fitting: also the painting of the
! exterior. which was done by hired labor
the materials being purchased under con-
| tract.
| 1t is also stated that on October % last
the Lemon building. No. i729 New York
| Avenue. was leased by the War Depart
| ment. This" the report adds. makes
| eleven buildings other than the State,
| War and Navy building now occupied as
| offices by that department"
| No work has been done since December
| 1896, on house No. 5l6 Tenth Street north
west. where Abraham Lincoln died after
| being fatally wounded in Ford's old thea
| ter Ton the opposite side OF Tenth Street.,
and none will be undertaken until ii is
| determined whether Congress will take
| any further action with reference to the
| building
| No work was done on the statue of Gen.
John A. Logan since the erection of the
| bronze pedestal. and none is contemplated
| during the present month.
During the month pile driving on the
site of the equestrian statue of Gen Will
| liam I. Sherman was completed. and
| struction.
The wharf at Wakefield, the birthplace
| of Washington was almost demolished on
| October Is by a gale and high tides. The
| timbers carried away were scattered
| along the shores of the Potomac for three
miles in each direction. The wharf can
not be repaired until Congress makes an
| appropriation for the purpose.