The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-26
CHEAP PATH TO GLORY.
Why Certain People Like to Walk
Through White House Grounds.

Washington Post
During the time the White House was
undergoing repairs the grounds surround
ing the mansion were closed TO all corners,
but now that the work is finished and the
gates are thrown open between the War
Department and the northeast corner there
is rejoicing in the minds of a large number
of people of a certain sort. To this fact
there hangs an amusing tale.
1--WE read a good deal about White House
cranks,' said the policeman who during
the last summer stood guard at the War
Department entrance, opposite the new
office building, "but I have yet TO see a
word of mention concerning certain class
of cranks who, unlike the others, are on
hand every day of the year. and whose OBJ
jects and motives were for long time a
sealed book both to me and the other off,
GERS on duty at the Presidents mansion.
when / first went on duty at the White
House I was for a long time puzzled to
understand the object of certain people in
appearing at certain entrances to the
grounds at certain hours every day and
walking through them. There were certain
people who knew lived far out on the East
Side, but, instead of going direct to their
homes when their days work had ended,
they would walk west Ave or six blocks
out of their way UP Pennsylvania avenue
to the narrow thoroughfare dividing the
White House grounds from the War and
Navy Department building. down that
street to the entrance adjoining the new
office building, through the White House
yard, passing under the carriage way or
portico of the mansion itself. and then out
through the northeast exit. I knew others
still who lived in Georgetown, who, when
they came down town in the morning,
would leave the cars at Seventeenth street,
walk to the office entrance and cut across
the White House yard and on to their place
of business, probably five, six even ten
blocks distant, instead of remaining on the
car and riding there.
For time il stumped me, as I could
not understand the object they had in do
ing q thing so utterly senseless and I'M
reasonable When the contractors began
the work of remodeling the executive man.
sion and the gates were closed to all COM
ers then / had an opportunity of Witness
ing a second phase OF this peculiar phe-
nomenon. Although ii was well known
to the employees of the War and Navy de-
partments, and for that matter. all other
people as well, that the gates were to be
closed temporarily. yet for all that there
was one continuous protest all summer
long against the blockade.
"A great many people entertain the idea
that newspaper men and reporters have
free entrance to everything. and when the
these people used to appear at the office
entrance, pretending they were newspa-
per men and endeavoring to get permission
to walk through the yard. We used to tell
them to transact their business I'm the
Office. and thus brought TO the test some
of them would undertake occasionally to
brave the thing out by entering the office.
inquiring for things and persons unknown
to the Office force. and. leaving. would at
tempt TO strike across the grounds in front
of the mansion. but we always hauled them
to taw and made them leave the way they
came. Oftentimes they would become en-
ragged and threaten to use influence,
which they said they had In high places. TO
get US dismissed.
Finally / took TO watching some OF these
people, and when did l noticed that In
a good many cases they would meet peo-
pie whom they knew on Pennsylvania ave-
nue. just as they left the grounds. InQuir-
ing further and watching closer at last
discovered the secret Of this remarkable
desire on the part OF so many people 20
cross the White House grounds in a certain
direction
ssStanding or walking on Pennsylvania
avenue. either on the north or south sides