In alt.home.repair, on Wed, 3 Mar 2021 10:44:38 -0800 (PST), Dean
Hoffman wrote:

The first attempt at White House air conditioning was after President James Garfield was shot. Engineers rigged up
a system with a fan blowing air through some wet cotton
screens.
https://www.whitehousehistory.org/keeping-cool-in-the-white-house

Very interesting