The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1914-11-18
WILSON GETTING
TO BE AN EXPERT
BUTTON-PUSHER
Nothing of National Interest
Properly Opened" Except by
President
CAREFUL PREPARATION
BY TELEGRAPH PEOPLE
Keeps Scores of Men Along the
Line on Lookout to Prevent
Any "Hitch"

II
| WASHINGTON, Nov. ls.-President
Wilson the other day pressed a but
ton at the White House and 30 Of
ficially opened the new Houston. Tex,
ship canal which was completed on
Sept. T. The canal runs from Hous-
ton 10 Bolivar Roads In the Gulf OF
Mexico. 81 miles.
The president in like manner open
ed the new Kansas City union station
on Oct 81.
The cost OF clearing line for that
one official fash. involving the sus-
pension OF service over thousands OF
miles or wire and the attention OF
scores OF men, Is borne by any tele-
graph company over whose lines II
goes. There Is tacit understands
ing between the telegraph companies
and the White House that the wire
service will be free for all events OF
sufficient Importance to merit the
presidents attention.
The greatest button-pushing event
In the history OF the White House WAS
the presidents fash which blew up
the Gamboa dixie In the Panama ca
nal and allowed the water To enter
the big ditch for the first time.
How They Prepare For u.
| j. t. Bresnahan, OF the Western
Unions Washington Office. Is the
man who superintends the wire
details when the president touches
hutton. The next big event OF this
kind Will be tha- opening OF the Pen
ama.Pacific exposition at San pfan.
cisco next year. and Mr. Bresnahsn
told reporter today just how 1t will
be worked
Several days before the date OF the
official opening the company Offices
at points along the route selected Tor
the flash will be notified that at
certain hour. on certain day, the
president will open the exposition.
About 80 minutes before the time
set the Washington Office will "cut
I'm" wire from the White House and
attach IL TO one OF q certain number
OF wires assigned for exclusive SER
vice between Washington and Chi
cago. II Is the custom to rig two
circuits out OF Washington, to pre-
vent possible accidents or mistakes
that would delay the message.
Chicago Is notified that wires, say
No. 1l9 and No. 104, Washington and
Chicago, will be used for the fash.
During the full half-hour prior TO the
sending of the fash these wires are
kept absolutely clear OF messages, ex-
cept the signals OF the wire chiefs,
who are rigging the circuit. Re
peaters" are placed at frequent inter.
walls along the route. The repeat.
ers are simply instruments used Ia
add further energy 70 the circuit at
different points.
The first repeater" station will oe
at Cumberland, Md. $50 miles north.
west OF Washington. Here an oper,
ator, with delicate instruments, will
be stationed to see that the circuit
, carries the proper voltage owe as
section. Another repeater" may be
stationed at Pittsburgh, or Newark,
o. These men keep the current -ner-
gized. They do not really repeat TIC
presidents flash. The initial impulse
given at Washington carries straight
through to the coast.
When the Chicago office learns that
Washington is using wires 119 and
l04 these wires are promptly hooked
up with other wires through TO
Omaha or Ogden and the word passes
along the line. The Ogden operator
finishes the circuit and San Fran
cisco Is advised to make ready For
the fash.
At precisely the time named the
president steps to button In the
White House offices, gives II a push
and the exposition opens.
Usually there Is very little cere-
mony attached TO these button-push-
ings at the White House. There was
N WI Attrr ka n.
affair, but that was of such far-reacii-
Ing Importance as to warrant Ii. lt
Is likely that the opening of the p l.
anna Pacific Exposition also will be an
impressive affair; there may be
gathering OF exposition officials on
hand to see Il done and carry away
the BUTTON as a souvenir.
In sending the presidents fash
from Washington to San Francisco
40 or so men may give the mat
ter their undivided attention for near
ly an hour. There are the repeater"
men as well as the STATS In the big
city offices like Washington, Chicago,
Omaha and San Francisco.
Mr.. Bresnahan said that to his
knowledge the company never had
made an effort to figure out the act.
ual cost OF sending a coast-to-coast
fash, but that IL Is considerable.
1t is the special nature OF the fash
that wears on the nerves Of the tele-
graph men. III a presidential mes
sage should go wrong they would
account II big blot upon their rec
ords. That Is one reason why two
circuits are usually made to carry The
fash. " Is only the Washington Of
fee which knows. prior TO the send.
ing. which OF the circuits will be used
This is done TO keep the men along
the route keyed up to the proper de.
gree OF attention, so that the idle CIR
cult could be brought into instan.
play II necessary.
AS soon as the fash has gone
through the circuit is dismantled
and the telegraph traffic flows on
over the same wires which but
short time before carried the Preei.