Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-09-23
For President AgedT wins
Have Lived 81 Years.
A. G. and G. A. Hall are VET
eran Telegraphers Since 1049.
Corn inss vassaIboro, Me- Flashed
Nomination Of Lincoln.

Washington. Sept. 22.-Telling the
old tales over, recalling the days When
there were no telegraph instruments
anu stage coaches We're more ire
quent than. railroads. G. Alfred and
Albert G. Hail. Thursday. celebrated
at the residence of the former. l2l6
18th street, their S1st birthday. They
are twins, and though time has
wrought many changes in their faces,
it IS difficult TO distinguish thcm
Probably no twins ever lived who
have he'd more varied and interesting
experiences than hese. They operat-
ed instruments before the modern
orse system was invented. carried the
first two Republican banners in the
District and flashed the first message
announcing the nomination OF Lincoln
at Chicago in 1860
The brothers started operating IN
1919. when they were is years cid and
the telegraph was known only five
wears. The only line into Washington
then was the Balm Chemical, Which
WAS sl,pptanted in 1852 by the orse|
companv and the brothers went with
the nov firm.
.sThere were two lines to Baltimore,
said one MIR Han. but you could
SEM only one message. It was not
Known at that time that a circuit
could be made with the ground, That
was discovered accidentally few
wears later. The two lines were
Thought to he necessary in order to
complete the circuit.
NV knowledge of biography came
in for good service once" said G. A.
Hell. I was in Chicago as the Dis
triet's representative to the Repuh-
lie4r convention. 1t was the first time
the District was allowed a repre- senta-
tive at a Republican convention and
this time we were allowed tour. The
other three didn't go, so l had four
Votes.
81 got acquainted with the telegraph
cperator-there was only one at the
convention-and the day a nominal
ton was to be made | arranged with
him to send message for me before
the ballot was finished. When the
third ballot was little more than hall
over | flashed this message to my
brother, who was cashier of the old
gas company: Lincoln nominated on
third ballot
my brother took it to one of the
use 1t because he was afraid it was
incorrect. You see, they were not
used 10 getting things over the wires
in those days. Another queer thing
about that convention is the part
had to play, against my will, in nom
mating permanent chairman.
was on the committee on permanent
organization, made up of 81 delegates.
Horace Greeley WAS on the COM
mittee and asked me why l was tax
ing no part in the balioting. told
him because l was younger man
than most of the others and would let
the older heads settle 1t. Pretty soon
it was discovered that, without my
vote. the committee was split, 10 Tor
Cleveland of Connecticut and ID Tor
Ashman of Massachusetts,. ! voted Tor
George Ashman and they made II
unanimous
Both brothers deny they We're the
first telegraph managers in the DIS
trict, but they believe that since they
started in the business before they
reached their 20's, they are the old
est operators alive.
Both are Masons. G.. A. is the old
est past master, the oldest member
of the Grand Lodge, and the Oldest
member of the Scottish Rite Lodge
in the district.
Both held important positions in the
government service. G. A, was Tor
many years in the post office, first as
inspector, later in the regular service.
During the war, he was United
States prize auctioneer in New Or
leans, where ne sold. in the 2 months
| he was there, several million dollars
| worth of articles captured by the Fed
eral army Mr.. Hall was an assistant
| assessor in the district, for Is years.
A. c. Hall devoted himself to bust
! ness. mainly, but in 1867 he was elect
ed collector for the district, the first
Republican ever chosen in the Capi-
| tai
Neither has ever voted for President.
They are residents of Washington ana
have therefore never been given an
opportunity to vote. A. G. Hall recent
~ established his residence in Doyles-
town, Penn, and will cast his first
Presidential vote, in November.
The twins were horn, Sept. 10, 1881,