The Florida star., 1908-10-30
TRAVELLING ON
THE TAFT SPECIAL.
How Presidential Candidate and
His Party Live and Work.
TRAM HAS SIX COACHES.

eialist on Board.
Probably few persons realize the ex.
tent to which the acts Of a presiden.
tiAl candidate have been systematized
In recent years. and from the numerous
questions put to every member OF the
Taft party 1t would seem that a de.
scription OF the Taft special train and
the life and dOings that center about II
would prove OF interest The Taft
special, as Il Is termed by railroad
men and others. consists OF six cars
a private car. the Constitution. which
is occupied by the candidate and his
immediate suit; another. the RiVa,
which Is occupied by other members
OF the suit and by some newspaper
men; compartment car. the Alabama,
which is devoted to the use OF other
newspaper correspondents, and a din.
ing car, sleeping car and baggage car.
Mr.. Taft has a fairly good sized
room In the Constitution, and aGjoin-
ing his stateroom is one occupied by
James 7. Williams, Jr., the special
representative OF Chairman Hitchcock.
and by Fred w. Carpenter. Mr.. Taft's
secretary. A third room Is occupied
by Colonel Dan Ransdell, sergeant at
arms OF the senate, who Is In charge
OF the train, and the fourth is the den
Of Dr. j. J. Richardson, the noted
throat specialist OF Washington. whose
ministrations have made possible the
tremendous amount Of speaking done
by the candidate on this trip. says a
st. Louis dispatch to the New York
Tribune. At either end Of the Consti-
tuition are sitting rooms, one of which
Is used as a dining room. The rear
sitting room was intended for the
especial use OF Judge Taft, but II is
usually SO crowded by local commit
tees that he Il compelled To remain al
most constantly In his statcroom. for,
I'm the opinion OF Dr. Richardson,
talking while the train IS I'm motion is
almost as trying 20 Mr.. Taft's voice as
IS speaking from the rear platform at
the various stops.
II
newspaper men, the two Ohi,ial ste
nographers who accompany Mr. Taft
and other members OF his suit The
Alabama, which is devoted exclusively
to the use ut the correspondents. com
taius ten compartments. complete in
every Respect as To toilet and other ap-
purteuauces. and each is occupied 10y
a newspaper writer There each has
his typewriter and supplies AZ we'll as
MS personal baggage, and all day long
the hum of the writing machines I'm
this car Is more suggestive of large
mercantile Office than Of railroad
train.
The Tribune, the sun. the World auI
the Herald 81 New York. thn 'ui.a.u
Tribune, the Cincinnati Enquirer. the
Frank Muusey papers aud tIc As>o-
Ciatcd and United Press are each rep
resented 10y a special correspondents.
The Washington correspondent of tho
milwaukee, Sentinel represents syn
Uicatc Of smaller papers, and the
correspondent ot The Gin
,lnnati Times star G. T. Tun's PAPER.
travels with the party as Mr. Taft'S
press representative aud ;o serve the
men i'm any WY that be
can. one of the most usrfu. members
II the party is the representative OF
the Western Union Tclc-raph com
pany. who handles prl lically all Of
the Wire matter. urrau-iug I'm advance
that sufficient number pf telegraph
operators shall ha uu bond at the
various stuu~ al,n- the r,ld % naudl,
the great amount e. rnrg rl,d tie re
'civcS and files al cury ai3 rruorts
each ui-h, Co The severed CORRESPOND.
antS the time that their copy reached
heir offices
The dining car acyumI, dates AT
mealyme those of the party who ar.
not provided for az ,rn taH..s IN th'
private ears. a.Hl cawmi.iey-arn. stat,
lllicia.S. such a>siS;aU, >rrIk.rs rs u.- !
'ompGuy tac candidate from time 60 Z
lime ana The local newspaper mr2
Who board the train and rid" thruug' :
heir respective localities. The sleep
ng car ahead of the diner {; used for I
he accommodation a. this Sawc class ,
when they remain aboard overnight !
md also for cNvral representa- ives ~ (
he national committee who Distribute I
,ictuucS ,f the candidate. Taft buttons 1
nd literature Another important |
member 81 the party is William Pan I
lcll. the negro who served Mr.. Taft /
IS messenger when he was secretary |
4 war and who IS the particular
riend and assistant Of every one |
board the Taft special
IuSt before each state is reached a
ocal committee. including the state
h.l lrIunn tr..ns nhnlr.l rl1n In IL rr,.,..inI |