_ " ' 1'111' : OMA11A. JAiI2V 111 + i r Fin IAV , , J 'N'E ' 111 , t8111i ,
and gave It a cold shnulder. It wan a friend
Iii nr d. 1Vh'n the fountalus nt thought
trukk1 wt'nrlly tlia pnslr pot wan stlred
to n 't ' lty hid filled out a column with
tteaiii a and some dispatches. I t tell to my
it to at n tut Mr. Aunht oh the uses and
nbura of ( be paste poi , but for some un
ltnotsn rensu1 n coldness spring up between
them wblt It years of nssoelatinn raped to
dtsp'I.
Ot.D TIME RUSTtd:11S.
1L Ao In proved an apt pupil In the
editorla ! harucss. Ills earlier efforts did
not inert sIth much enrourngement from
Mr. Itosnsvaler , lie did not expect It ,
knowlug Mr. ltosewntcr'a dlsposlllon to
test scr3 writer ht the furrmee of severe
crIttt Ism. But Mr. Amin deternsiucd to
s'In RtI f'MA. An enay , graceful welter ,
artlte ant studious , pnABesslilg a good ear ,
a reb'utI a tuctnory and a 'IVld tine glna-
tine , tit rnnu Ibutions to the svaste basket
grad tinIIy dlntnislied lit quantity and flowed
lute Iho columllis of the paper. lie nc-
qualnted himself thurougldy wllh Mr. itost'-
svater'A vtews of men and meastnes , ab
sorhed his caustic style of expeession , and
In a few years became as much Itosewater
as itosewoter iIIInRl'IL
Mpltli itEC11NT STAIN' ASSISTANTS.
D. W. HayneA , the genial manager of
Boy'1's theater , flourlshed for a brief period
na niannging edhor of The Mornhig lice.
11o' wns a modest , retiring typo In those
tin v. Ile held a rase on the day force in
1etia. The miornlug edllnn had nutgrouu
Us stsaddliii g riot hrs mid d11imeted mute
could be bestawcd
car" and attention than
upon It between 0 nil 7:30 : a in. A night shift
ts ns derided span. It Consisted of two
men. Dor w n5 unaulnau513 chosen managing -
ing edllor , forvtnau nod general factotum.
it caul be said to his credit that his ad-
minlstratIon vas a success. Harmony
reigned night after night. If his force of
one loan shored a dlspnsitltu to rebel
beeauso 1)oc "hogged the honk" or devoured -
voured the bulk of the lunch , he svodd
quell the rising Alarm by alit ( Itnilations
frmn I'tell liss or luslrmcting Ills subordl-
0ate In Imperious toil Pa to ' paste w9tito. '
In Mils way he sut'ceeded In endearing
hfuself to lire 'gang , ' mid on retiring
houi the case left a long string of ptcasant
meniortes ,
Jane's B Haynes , formerly , managing
editor of The lice , served his appreulice-
alilp al the Case In ' 75-77. lie did not stick
to the types very long , but turned his attention -
tention to stenography , mastered the ibis
nod dashea , and was installed as Mr. Rose-
water's private secretary , After epctid-
lug a winter In Lincoln reporting the pru-
recdi > gs of the legislature , lie drifted Into
lute l nine Pacific headquarters , next as
court reporter In this dlatrict , and flnally
returned to his first love , retiring of his
own accord in June , 1895.
These lieu conlrlbuted much to the site-
cess of Tu a lice. True , Mr. Itosewater was
the gulling head , the will force which
shaped the destiny of the paper. hits battles -
tles were theirs. In and out of office they
fought and defeniled hhn against venomous
prrsotal and political encodes. They chant-
Pfonr(1 his interests , drummed up subscrib-
era , tickled advertisers with timely pugs ,
and by their enthusiasm induced their
friends to become advocates of the paper in
workshops mud homes. In those days it
suns impossible to svork under Mr. Rosewater -
water tvllhout tnibibhig some of his zeal ,
hula intensity of purpose and the phtclc and
° deteanlnatiul with which lie faced time
publlc sentlutenl In defense of the weak
h or altackej1 the arrogant and corrupt In
public station. II victory and defeat 11103'
stood by hint , sharing Ids joys or regrets
today and leaking out for a scoop for time
morrow , T. J , FITZM01tIIIS.
$ Omaha , June , 1SS9 ,
ff f
f I'IIIRY S , IIh1,1'rll ,
; I 1'rar'V 11'nsbttgtun
G Cer espondtut.
,
It was lit the autumn of 1382 , I believe ,
that i sent my first special from Washington
to The lice. My instructions from the luau ,
1 aging editor cautioned me against "extrava-
gance ; reminding me that the telegraph
tolls were high , and the interest in Washlug-
t ton mutter with lice readers was limited.
It There were troubles among the Indians
S then , and the legielatlon relating to the
rescrvations mud public lands embraced about
all there was of interest for Nebraska and
adjoining country. I remember that naviga
a lion of the upper Missouri was at that time
of some moment , and I gave close attention
to approprlatlons and commissions for that
stream. People about the national capitol
looked upon tune 511ssourl as one of lilt great
a' waterways of our country , and the work of
snag boats 011(1 dredgers was important.
At first The Bce limited me In space as
well as scope of matter , Gradually It grew ,
however , until , a few years before I laid
down the work , In the spring of 1891 , there
was Ihnit to neither space nor subjects , The
lice had taken rank with the most enterprising -
ing journals of the country. The great pub ,
Sic domain bad almost disappeared in fact
as well as in theory ; Indian reservations
were becoming farms ; the red man had left
the war pnth , and navigation of the upper
Anssouri hail become an Irhlesc0nt dream
The great west was a garden spot. herds
of cattle had taken the place of the buffalo ;
the plow hail stipplatiteil the rifle , and eivll-
jz I Ization and dovelopmclt were abreast of the
! prairie fire ,
t I cannot pay too bight a tribute to the news
! sense aitd the courtesy of the Nebraska ( ICR-
gations tr e"n'rss. They niado jJte Jifo
s and the work of the 1Vashluglon correspond-
cot of The lice comparatively easy. The
f paper was never their organ ; it was the
faithful and impartial chro Icler of the events
of the national cnpltnl. It tuns so truthful
mill an enterprising , so sterling In its orbits
to Impart thu earliest and best Infornallon ,
that It was respected by Its enemies , whine
Its friends could never do too mach for it.
Among the best news men In congress
from tlae state svcre Dorsey , Connell , 11c
Slane , Meikeljohn and Mercer. Senators a
Paddock anti M.uiderson were rays 'or suu-
shite to mc-always brimful with news and
over accessible. hut there were other good
news teen and gentlemen from line state In
cnugress , and i ss'ntdd delight to name them
t If to do tutu miss ono would not be par-
tiality. The Nebraska delegnllons at lVaehI
imgton svcre proverbially good fellows for
the craft of which I w'hiS a member , t
IIEh'S INFLUENCE AT R'ASIHNGTON.
Nebraska developed so rapidly ( rota 1542 i
to 1594 that the llnshiigton end of The
Rea was coustdeie'(1 very Impo tant , and my
work was always intelligently aided by the
able editorial support It received ,
The lice took a part In the making of
states out of the territories of Dakota , t
1Vyo11lug , Idaho , tlnitah a and N'astingloll t
I l that made it a factor ht nnllonal affairs ,
The Dnlcntas and 11'yaming , swhero It itua
long been q strong factor , sltnuld feel a
sense of lasting gratitude to The . I I
recall the work I did for thin Dakotas duriug I
their slateltood romtcsta , 51)1115 to lhelr coo1 1
stitutlonal con'eutiols after years of ediica a
llonul work in that direction , hm lYusloc
ingtol , and junking ) lie ground ready far t
tit harvest , and u'hllo at the work In the
territories , the editorial captains of The t
lieu teemed svilh the ablest preseutattons s
of their sterns for statehood 1t was possible {
to prepare , 1 bc11eve Mr , 1 : , itosewuter of
Thu lieu tvrole niost of the series of edl
toriui arguments for statehood , and ho
earned the gratitude of the people of those
1
states ,
'
1 ' ' hutch of Iowa' C
'm'ho lieu wits always as nit
liesvspaper as any publicntlon In that state , a
and was so recognlzed by her 1 chireseuta-
tives at Washington , Senator Allison-it f
is a pity lie , too , cannot b0 made president s
' -oflet gave Tlie lice great credit for the t
work It did In behalf of the dovelopmient of t
hula stale and the aupport h ever tendered 1
to hint , s
11'hen The nee elicited its niagniflctull new t
building the event was one of rejolcing tor
scorea of Public mien In 11'ushingion , 1'ron b
the Illials Ilue on the cant to the 1VIIIla-
metto In Oregon out the west , auth from h
Tlutdtoba , north , to southern KallSa5 , south , It
tlioro was a feeling that the succesp of The it
p lleo was due to popularity obtalued by a
scrvlces rendered their especial 5ectlons of h
country , 141iat u tnugnllCent ) tlejd Thu Dee h
haul llknv well It occupied 1t ! 11'hut a it
mlissiou It has performed , a
hut I have out the /hoe nor the space to fi
add words to the aehiovemleats of sit great w '
a newspaper. And would I attempt to e
phrlse it wy effort would detract ( row Its p
r
, lttrlrc for hthis hntanee esIC ) clnlly tl 0
I actions spenit louder than w ord ,
PL'itltY S. iIt'ATII.
CInditnall , 0 , iino i , 180G ,
a
JAVll/s H. 11,11'\115 ,
I'ormrei' Ilunnithig Editor ,
Nearly nineteen years ago 1 first entered
the service of The lice. It was not the
uewspapei' It In today , nor wits Ontaha a
metropolliau city then. The census gave
uA barely 20,000 pcopIC , and there were no
patcnents , cteeUle lights , motor lines or
other sights of a great city.
The office was at that time In a tvo-
storv brick building met lower Farnani street.
In the hnsctuent an astlnualle vertical
engine furtished power to run a ttvo-re-
vahttoit ) lee press , which reeled off The
lvcuing lice , then a seven column folio.
On the gro0htd floor wore the business offices
and tu Job hill deparunenL The high ,
circular rouuter , the large Iron sate covered
tviih duaty bound tiles itgatnsl the east wall ,
and the ponderous canton stove that blocked
tutu svny to time nicehiaticlal department are
not yet bitted from toy memory of the
early days of The lice ,
Up stairs seven printers worked near the
frui l wludovs , w1111e ntiil vay of the build-
lug was lho editorial sanctum , a veritable
glass house. Its dinienalonn were possibly
15x20 and its outer teaks were male of a
double tier of uvndow sash , admitting what
lithe snnllght could penetrate the dust upon
the panes , and in a measure shutting out
the noire of Tans FIttniorrls' uonparell shoot-
lug-stick. It nlso tieadencd the awful roar
of a truck upon which the forms were
carried to the rear of the building and there
lowered to the press room. 'file elevator
111)011 which these torus were ilfled and let
down ought to be described. There was
hover auytItlug joat like It. The prhiciple
upon w1dch ft worked infringed upon that
of the chain-pump , and the dumb-ividter ,
When the fortis svcre late the elevator in-
varlably rebelled , while if the torus were
011 tiute the elevator behaved toll. Bt Its
haste one day It dropped a form sv'lth the
velocity of it ! tile-dryer and the atnosphere
was lumtedlalely tupiegnated wIth sulphuric
vapors ,
AN EGYPTIAN PVItAMID ,
nut that truck. In shape it w'as fasldoneti
somewhat after nu Egyptnln pyramid , At
the base it was about eighteen Inches deep
and lute sides slatted to a peak. Against
either side a form or page of type was
1111100(1. 1 was retained as sole operator of
this truck. Every trip made by It incurred
the displeasure of the proprietor ; the noise
was Insufferable. Flually rubber wheels
were put on the truck and from that day
the editorial page of The lice began to attract -
tract wide-spread attention ,
11'ell 1 remember the day I stepped into
the sauctaun , and atblressing myself to Mr.
Itosewater said that after long and careful
rmisideralIon of the subject the conclusion
had been reached by inc that there was
uotbing more for m0 to learn in the
nuchnnlcal aid truck departunents and re-
spectfdiy flied an application for a place
lit the brain department. Much to my
surprise , Mr , liosevater looked with favor
upml the proposition. Soon after , he put
hoe to sv'ork , lie said :
"There are flue exchanges ; on that table
are the haste and scissors. "
Long , weary molds were passed it quest
of "Occblental Jotliigs , "l'eppermiut
Drops , " "Coruiublal Sips , " and an occasional
short story. It was , however , a dlflicult matter -
ter ht those days , to please Mr. Itosewater
lit tue selection of short stories. He ih-
ttmated to me one day in tones that wore
full of commiseration that he 'would select
the short stories ,
Vary soon thereafter , as was gds custom.
Fitzmorris called for a batch of thue copy ,
Mr. Roseu'ater handed him a short story.
11'hen it appeared in the paper , Abe Sauer ,
the business manager , rushed up stairs and
bell upon sae for clipping advertisements
and paiuling them oft for ndscellany. I
denied it , An Investigation followed , The
short story wldch Mr , liasewaler clipped
proved t0 be a masked reader for 1Varaer's
Safe cure. The matter was dropped.
TILE BEE'S MARVELLOUS GROWTH ,
Iii those days the city and state sulTerea
the effects of time panic of 1873 and grasshopper -
hopper scourge of 1875 , and no western newspaper -
paper ssas prosperous , Hut 1880 to 1857
brought unexampled growdlt to Omaha and
Nehraska. The newspapers were in clover.
'flee Bce outstripped all competitors. Thou
avas trade its longest stt ides toward the
goal of metropolitan jotrnalism. Since ttmat
tune it has hebl high rank among the chief
papers of the nation. Its volume of news
is as heavy as that of newspapers in titles
of " 00,000 populatici. It has done more for
Omaha than any other agency ,
The Bee Is now twenty-five years old.
Close students of Its career , Its reverses and
later successes , smut concede that a consistent -
sistent , vigorous policy ha defense of the
rights and Interests of the common people
and avowed hostility to unscrupulous political -
tical agencies has placed The lice upon a
foundatiol anti svou tor its founder anti
edllor a place in the hearts of the people
of this state. In ay opinion it is Indeed
bortraate for the city of Omaha and for
the whole state that there as a novspaper
of such wble Inttuence and of such unquestioned -
questioned imlegrity of purpose wining at
all holes to defend the publlc interest
appose all schemes of political crooks and
expose the duplicity of officials svho betray
their cotistiluenla ,
Time Bee has always dole this. It has
never forfeited the eoull4enco of Its readers.
Ileloin lies the whole secret of its success ,
Omaha , June , IS9G ,
IIINttl' I ) , I'S'I't11IIU111C ,
I Uuee 'l'empornry City Editor.
I presume every American boy , normally
constituted , with perhaps an extra literary
kink Ian ids mental make-up , has had an C
ambition to becomle an editor , and has In- u
lulged this ambition whenever and where-
over oppcrtunity offered. Froul time cropd
five , semi-occasional periodical publlshed at
llto uge of 10-appropriately pridell on
foolscap with the aid of a lead pencil and °
I protuding tongue ; for which publlcatlon ,
tiny add , his lumiedlnte relatives were
ho only subscribers , and of which his
inching mother was the only reader-from
Ida earliest manifesittion of tile symtiptomli ,
say , up to tine age of Id , and his first
anmiyuous coiuutuitlcatlon to tie city press
over the qualm and curious soul de pl one
t
of "Vox Pohuli" ) he has binply bean phi-
t
ning tia wlmgs and preen lug II IniselC for
he glo'lous career of a full fledged editor ,
Al line ago of 16 , I sent to time editor a
our dally paper , The Ontalla lice , an item
news over time nom do plnino a ! 'Vox 1
'opnll"-or cnurso , I was proud anal c
nappy wlteti it appeared In print time tel- n
uwtng morning , It was considerably'
pored as to language , to be sure ; still , the 1
cntrnl Idea-the Great and Itnntnoits s
bought expressed-that is to say , the Item 1
news-wits there ill nil its glory ; my I
manuscript hind Itcetl accepted. Later on ,
vltrn I fell iii lose , I tackled tine editor on n
mctry. tut that manuseript , for 501110 s
ocepit reason , was not accepted. C
LONG LOOiED FOR OPI'OIITUNI'rY ,
Finally , there was presented an oppor-
unity of a lifetime , Mr , liosewater's city h
dime , svho wits also his only reporter-for a
0ovspaper man lit that tlnle played many II
parts-hail been gtven a vacatiuur ltd prei
louts to Ira tleparluro had visited time Ifigb a
ditol to engage tile of the larger buys In
e assuutu lla duties , 1 was the lucky chap n
o be itn'iletl , and I accepted with alacrity. a
or two svbnle weeks 1 w.o uut only to m
s'rite just , what I pleased , but vIi t 1 ti
wrote was bon11d to be publlahed , MoreL
ver , I was to have $20 per week into the III
argain. a
' 1'110 first mornlug 1 was at The flee otfico t1
right and early , Mr. Itoses atcr dropped
Ito Illy 2x4 salletultl to wi511 me good
meriting and 51100058 In my expem'hnomit ,
mid to indicate mity route , Incidentally n
0 renturkcll that u quartet of taale voices b
ad serenaded him time uigitt before * and s
might be well to say , an appreciative word o f
bout lheh' singing. 1 did , 1 said that et
air roy'stcrurs had made Inst night hideous
'ills their catawauls , amid had selected the hh
ditor or this paper for their cspeclal ahp ) h'
articulur victim ; that men with such t
1
voices as theirs ought not to he permitted
to rue at large , etc etc. The fact is I
uss a songster myselt , anti belonged to a
rival quartet , When i arrived at the of.
flee next mornitg I met Mr. Rosewntef
gain ' , out to past a letter. lie gave me a
stoti glare and hastened ids footsteps , 1
afterwards learned that this letter was addressed -
dressed to lire absent reporter conunanding
his Inunediate return. Mr , lloscwatcr had
scarcely male his exit when time SCCiutti
basso called and stopped Ida paper-stnppeti
it off short serer to go again , lie also said
In his most raucous voice , that he' wanted
to see time responsible editor of that dirty
sheet , 1 told kits that the responsible
editor had just stepped nut , but that ho
Inighl consider me the irresponsible editor ,
if he were so disposed. Ile laughed-a
itolldw , mocking , Lloot1-curdlimg sort of
laugh-and vanlshcd.
During the day the reuialniug members
of time quartet dropped ht one after the
other amid cancelled their subscriptions ,
The cheerful idiot who edited a colanm fu
oar "loathsome contemporary" called time
"Public Fountain , " took up the cudgel on
behnlf of the quartet , aitd through the
nlciliunt of his col utuu iIItinimtled tlmaI the
nil interim reporter of The lice was not
yet dry behhul the cars. I retorted that
that wait because I was In the habit of
wnshdug my ears , and thought it votmld
be smlltary if lie rvould occasionally follow
the oxnitiple. 'H'ash 'emit in the Publie
Fauutain1 said , "along with your dirty
limesVhat met appropriate freak of
ehauce it Is , any svay , that such a fouttlaltt
slauld be run by a squirt ! "
RELIEVED ihAithY IN ThIE 1ThY.
On receipt of hia chief's letter Mr. AI
Sorensen , the reporter for Wilomu I was
substittlliug and whmo is now on the staff
of the Oregonian , shortened hula leave of
absence and hastened home , but not until
I had time to be thoroughly Ilcited by a
salnon steeper named Taylor ; not until
Mr. ltosewaler's life had been sevel'al
tlutes threateited met 0ty aocotitlt , and not
until 1 had involved Tile Omaha flee Ian a
$20,000 libel suit. Then time editor came
out In one of hits fanaua editorlals , over
his own signature , and expimthmed to a be-
w9idered publlc just what hall happened ,
lie coninteuteti severely neon my inaptitude
for a journalistic career , and attributed
his recent sorrows to u'imat he called may
"trlck uumle performmnce , And yet 1
ssseur vhieu I hurled niy repurtorlnl thun-
detbolts Indiscrlniinately at the public , It
seas more for the fun of nimiufactirhig
thunderbolts than for the purpose of iu-
juring those who happened to be iii time
way of them , nut that phrase , "trick-mule
pei furmauccs , " stuck iii my craw. If time
much vauuled liberty of the press would
amt permit gentimneu to Indulge in a little
frsonal badinage tvitltout gelling mall
aboutrll ; , egail ! I'd join a pt'ofcsslol w'lrich
would Ir So I quilt journalism and entered
the law.
Ely a sbhgular colncidence , and what I
fairs believed at the time to he retributive
justice , may first case eu emerging frmn
law school svns a stilt for libel affainst The
nee. MiItosewater hind called a United
States consul to Shanghai a cross betwccu
a drunkard and a mono naaulnc. Now , obviously -
viously , this language was libelous per se ,
and tended to bring may client Into public
scandal , infamy , and disgrace , amid to vex ,
harass , oppress , hnpoverish and wholly rule
him , line said client , to his damage , $20,000 ,
Another $20,000 libel suit , you observe. I
intended to show , Mr. Rosewater a "lrlcit-
mule performance" worth two of my earlier
achbevenients. But as I pondered over
the accumulating depositions Wilich Mr.
Itosewater comnmaeliced to take in different
parts of time couut y , I was forced to be-
Hove that umy client had hecn svhnt might
be called au inebriate. It might be , also ,
that h0 was something of a molomnulac ;
but I pinned my faith to the difllcllty of
proving that ha was a cross between the
two , At all events I rvould make up lit
sittiperatiji what I lacked in the way of
e'Ideuce.
ONE OE' THE FIRST LIBEL SUITS.
So I told the jury that when Itosewater
launched his paper he had ransacked
bugology to god some Insect which ssould
typify his aspirations in life and had hilt
upon the bee. That the bee's only object
in living was honey , which rhymed with
money. That its weapome of offctse aud defense -
fenso seas not a sword , nor yet a bludgeon ,
but only a sliver , which 1t carried , concealed
hr the nmost conspicuous , and , at the same
time , the most intellectual portion of Its
anatomy. That my client would possibly
have swallowed the venom of the bee iii
tine shape of a bolus , but objected to tatting
it hypomlcrmically by way of a sting , That
It was true my client drank occasionally ,
Ltd enly for his stomach's sake , according
to the admonition of SL Paul , whichi meant ,
of course , tilat he drank for God's sake !
But that whatever else lie inigltt be he
w'as a thoroughbred , and neither a cross , a
utongrel , a santbo nor any other llnd of an
Infusion , and I hoped that their verdict
would enable him to live on a liquid diet
for the remainder of his days. The jury
was out sonic home and returned a verdict
in favor of the plaintiff for just 5 cents-
the retail price of a glass of beer. I do
not know how my client manngeti to gel
drunk on it , but he did , lie flaunted throat
'edict in every saloon In Omaha as a
vindication of his character , and a solemn
adjudlcatinn that lie was mint the kind of a
cross be hail been cracked up to be , The
Bee htatltited that verdict as adding cou-
aiderable insult to very little injury. I
flaunted that verdict as the only verdict in
any mnoumt which had ever been obtained
against The flee for libel , and as the d02-
sling result of my Individual prowess.
All this occurred sonic twenty years ago ,
it is wonderful boy' our opinions are moth-
foil by the experience of twenty' years , and
how more and more tentative they become
Is the years go on , I am not $ o cocksure
of anything as I used to be. As for new's-
aa11ers , I frankly confess that I , personally ,
rvould not know hoe to Improve on the
poorest of them , and I submit that such
modesty on tine part of one of your regular
suhscribers is as rare as it la heautiful ,
Talk about a censorship of the press ! Of
urralgning the sward agaitst the iaell ! '
Never again , For weal or woe the pen
henceforth Is to be tine maluer of our last's
and the arbiter of our destinies. Never 1
again. Time dogma that human lives can
u ulrol hmman thought or determine shat t
mmtn shall believe or what a man shall
ay , so long as he Lelie'es in what ho says , !
s a meiaeval hallucinatlon , like the I
ivbllty of kings. As well fulntnnte against 1
aiii ocean thundering along its shores !
'ovcr again , Yon can bltndold justice as
f old , but not the stars , thank God , but '
sot the stars ! Ii. D , ESTAI1R001 { ,
Chicago , May , 1896 , s
c
I C
Jtii's : CId9311'1N'I' AilIHtOSIh ,
t
First Lt'rriMIIItie Corrospoudent , F
'
I am asked to relate briefly my connection t
s'ith The flee ! n its lufaney , Well , after ' '
wocty-five years of practickmg "the ox-
pulsivo power of a nov affection , " my
nomory semis not to run in The lice line ,
a
At least , at thls remove I do not sea myself t
arge about the cradle of what Is now , of t
nurse , Nebraska's chief source of sweet-
era. Perhaps the Missourl river bridge o
In the way , At that tlnue surely it ssas
a mach ht time way that Omaha amid Council
fluffs couldn't see each other. Indeed , as
recall time young journal of ' 71 , ltd 7
measure it beslde itself Iuluy , it was so i
nail a child , and its father so large lit s
nergy and ability that it did not need "
much outside aid to make a forss'ard move , n
1
I had made Omaha my first indepemudot
'
tine in the spring of 'Cd , fresh ( coma college R'
nil law school , store knowledge of boolts 11
aut of the world , more theory than practice a
I law. And though with hterveubig years II
mid time early' pus ) ( of the city from mud s
ole toward metropolis , fair returns catno G
Iy svay , a foss' years en the edge of the lane hi
mid time fascimttona of journalism had led s
ne la think myself bores rather for letters r
Ian briefs , So I had retired from the
ar early , and not so much "on a coin , r' '
temlco" as Incompetence , though I had n
one "cheek , " end seine aptness In saying ii
eml timings-Ihe only "virtues" essential r
I u'iumiig justice many a legal itovice 1
thlnlts" before ho has begun to think , b
But elicit put of the law , I at once found o
I ) sclf an amateur In journalism , a little G
eforo time hlrth of The lice , and sorgehow e
trangety' drawn toward men and journals o I
opposite political leather to a large ox-
tilt 1chaps the cause lay In tie 11100 P
ill dormant germs of Independence in 1ny P a
attire , sad a threatodng indifference to
c
arty for party's sake , and a reumaindcr of ii
tat puguaclty which "licked" my cousin of
1 '
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1 ,
tl iiE.
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hl x A'y
i 'fl s. y
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4
THE QAS COFFEE ROASTERS.
® a.si111 ' Coffee iii ire ,
a
The Gas Coffee Roaster is the greatest invention oft he century It is the result of the
latest scientific experiments for the roasting J of coffee without the IoSS Of its natural utilities.
Every one is familiar with the old method of roasting , is nothing more nor less than a
dr } , ing-out process of about thirty-five minutes over a coal fire. That takes i out the essence , c
which gives coffee that delicious flavor and aroma.Vith the gC ls iotistei the coffee is constantly -
stantly passing through a gas blaze- requiring only eight to ten minutes for a perfect roast and
preserving 15 per cent to ? 0 per cent more of the essence making a ml t ell heavier and richer
drink.
Three pounds of Gas Roasted Coffee GUARANTEED e ual 1'11 strength and flavor
to four pounds of same coffee roasted b y any other process on earth. If you want to save
money and get the best , ask your grocer for Paxton & Gallagher Co.'s Gas Roasted Coffee
and take no other.
r 3 ) J
"Anse , " while yet I w as a cliilL In political
pairings it is the minority that can afford to
he a little reckless ; it lends time attack and
gets most "fun" Out p ( the fray. The dash
and piquancy of the herald of that day ) mad
pleased me , ail. Ifs editor , Ur , George
L Id il1cr , had boeu Icitd to toe , and e'en
those who disliked the paper seemed to
read it first ,
FIRST AI'I'EARANCE OF "BOBSTER. "
So my earliest contributions to press
coltimns were offered to the herald amid not
"declined with thanks , " Like my later
Lincoln letters and articles in the young
lice they covered the press name "Buhster , "
an appellation neither dignifled nor significant -
cant , and , like maany another name of Its
class , a thoughtless pickup. Throngit the
year preceding , 1 had been reading ail
1)icken's aloud at ] tome , like a model young
husband and this was kme of his ntnor
characters. Meantime the first boy had
come to toy fireside and not swishing to
adorn him with "George Washington , "
"Abraham Lincoln , " or the names of the
prophets , we dubbed Ito "Bobster , " till
we could do better , And being faudiiar
that nickname fell to my first offering for
print , and lingered with those that foilowcd
it became a tinily' signature to letters from
Lincoln during that memorable session of
the legislature when time integrity of distinguished -
tinguished state oflcials came hit question ,
thus recording a great deal of unpleasantness -
ness , much of the matter and the view
taken not cnlculated to brhig into play the
most amlable side of an amateur correspondent -
spondent ,
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.
The Nebraska coustitulloual convention ,
gathering in June , 1871 , followed close upon
that protracted meeting of the legislature ,
which meddled wltll trouble tram January
to Juue , I think , And shortly after the
opening of lice convention , that lady found
upon Its desk a new Omaha dally paper.
It was very modest to size , but It bore the
name of Edward Itosewater as edilom' and
proprietor. As an active member of the
long parliament , " his name llad 1)0001110
well known to the people , and known to
stand for sonrtbitg positive-for thugs as
10 honestly thought of them. So it was at
ouco rightly surmised that The Ilee ,
tmotigh small , rvould leave something to say
-all it had room to say-and w otld say
t svitliout first asking consent of the po
illcal grandmothers. Thus , the paper , front
to iultlal issue , conmaudcd respect and
conpehled attention ,
Anil early correspond- -
asp time
Uobslcr , " minnie its
emit from the convection at Lincoln , drew
0100 additional attention to the mesv applicant -
cant for favor. The name surely had Ito-
otne a part of the people's record of time
great inpeachmnead trial , and won respect ,
or dislike , within nlniost every home of
lie state at that tinme , And perhaps cur-
ent readers of The neo will find most
'reminiscent" interest in my connection
vilh it thorough a present recall of son o
'conventional" characters and incidolls ,
Slice the spring folloving , I have resided
utstdo the state , and today cannot place a
calf dozen of time emhient Nebraskans svho
at together to revise the colsliftlion of
heir state , Some , I suppose , have gone
vhero the constiUl of , If orthodoxy , b0
rtilodox , Is fixed b yond revision , Hence
know not whethelr limo survivors all ) rave
utlived their Pro 'm Illtleness , or lived
up to their pramlMb ) /utur .
ABOUT CONSTITUTION MAIERS ,
As a body , that coavetliotl cerlalnly do.
ired to dt time best thing for Nebraska ,
is members were ) lot adveniirers , hul
ertimauent home buultlers west of the Mls
purl , many of then even then known as
old settlers , " Somo'old soidlers , who were
of yet old men , IIQl1 , ldeats there. One of
Iaml , General Silas A. Strlcklattd , was
resident of the convention , a gentlemnan
s ever genial to others as his habits were
ostilo to himself. I tlaugit 11e had been
better general on the geld than in coin-
nand of the convcntlon ; ills arulabllity
ometimes surrendered against judgment.
eneral Manilerson was unotier of martial
earimg , one svho always knew whether lbo
as "afoot or ott horseback , " and w'to has (
Idden rho Political itorse well.
Consplcuousiy lucre was a generous aL
gatlul of party Imes , boot In time list of
tembers and on the floor. Time people
ad sent In able legal lights of both she .
epublican and democratic brand , such as
lessr5. Mason and Lake on the ow side ,
tessrs. Woolw'ortil and Wakeley on ) lie
titer , and in the ntdst thereof
enerai Estabrook , who then stood tall
cough to see over the heads
his follow' nuember8 , and not very
articular to answer at limo roil call of any
arty. There were certainly other true and
ble mien lit the hotly ; but I tldnk all would
olcede lust these tilt dozen left out would
aye left lhu slate unfortunate in her Ilst t
coustitutlouai advisers , Judge Thomas of
Brownville was an excellent working member -
ber and John C , Myers , house leader in
the Butler case- was he not a member ?
I think so-a man able above his inches ,
though someu'liat erratic. Ex-Governor
Boyd , too , was there , wearing good clothes ,
a plesaut smile-at least to the corre-
spndent-and a candid judgment , though
not many words , Culoael Cropsey was also
a uieutber of weight and khidly spirit. I
felt a sad moment svheu a few months ago ,
my eyes met ills dentin notice in same
journal.
GAVE PIIiLOSOPIIICAL REFLECTIONS.
Indeed , time convention was sontesvhat In
evidence o0 the theory that sonic forgetfulness -
fulness of party limes brings to the service
of state and nation their ablest servants.
A0d if I may say it without reflection upon
ally , I will say that , ha my atfectionato
watcidng for Nebraska's welfare these
lsvculy-five absent years , I have sometimes -
times thought the splendid state was suffer-
lug through the fact that many of the mcl
best quallfled to serve her In public places
were excluded by party hues. I nmeam
simply that at limes it has been her misfortune -
fortune that some of her good men were
democrats , or , perhaps , that so few of lhenu
were. 'Cake it either svay.
I stould ) like also to recall rite contest
for suffrage , regardless of sex , width was
championed by General Estabrook , the effort
to kill the grand jury sysleln , which effort
was itself killed by Judge Mason amid others ,
time ittove to remove judicrul elections front
general elections , uuinorlly represemitation ,
etc , etc ; but anniversary apace , I presuune ,
is liumlted , and I close. For a short time
following time conomttion , I assisted The
lice editorially , and may connection was
eluded , with no dream that The lice was to
become the foreaost journal west of the
Missouri.
If any old friend care for my later
activity It has been ten years with Cldcago
daily journals , 'villa varied coutribmlions
elsewhere , and the past fourteell seasons
on the ieelL're platform , my hnnto , since
leaving Omaha ha time spring of ' 72 , ) raving
hecn here at Evanston , 111. , time charming
lake shore usd done µ 1t1out to-
Nebraska h well me ; nod -
day I think all she needs is plenty of rainwater -
water , and that her politicians get what
they deserve ,
JAMES CLEMEN'r AMBI1OSE ,
Evanston , Ill June 4 , 1896 ,
c
- - - - - -
JUIIN If. I'IIIIICR ,
Ittiui er of The Ilex ,
"I want sonic one who can row like a
Hanlol and swlmlm like a ducic , " said Mr.
Rosewater , editor of The Onialla flee , as 11o
announced that the wires were all dove
between Oniaha and the east , and it was
owing to the flood ht the Mlssaniri which
was that mornitg making the ( amious cutoff -
off exactly opposite the Unlma Pacltle shops ,
and the roar of which sounded loud , as he
0110110(1 the outer door of The lice office and
looked low ard Council illuffs ,
"rho river threatens to Ewa timrough
Spoon Lake and leave 1)0111 ends of the
Union Pacific brltlge ou time Nebraska side.
livery telegraph pole near there is dovn ,
and all the enlhankhtment iii rapidly melting
away , I want sonic ono to go over the
river and get time whole thing , amd It must
be done with a boat , "
"I nun your maul , " was my response , and
lit a few minutes I was In an iron skit !
rowing out anmaag time lumber booms , 'Ilte
smelting works were so deep to the water
llmat it was ditiicult to puss under tlto door.
way of the largest tndltllng , The Union
Pacific shops were 1n a like condition ,
Keeping close to the shore , I crept on
up stream until tile sand hills were reached
they disappeared long ago ) , I'ren ono of
lbcau , and covered by several feet of earth ,
part of a boat , probably thirty feet In
length , projected over tllo seething staler.
This ghost of Carollali1)9 great oxpeditiun
or the more recent voyages of Lewis and
Clarke , vanished in a few days , for tla
river was then swailosving land by time
acre ha that vicinity.
Front tilat boat I shot into time boiling
uirrett , and , surrounded by cakes of ice
our and five feet thlck , with the wreck of
VetnlIllloll and Green Island around use , I
nlrugghd to gain lime railway embankI I
cent on the opposite side of the river , and
by a desperate effort I wait successful , and
Western .EtetricaL
S uppt' Co. 1516 IIoward Street. i
Iebbers of lvcytlain ; Elcdriclll ,
Manufacturers and dealers in Electric
Light , Telegraph and Telephone supplies , Motors
and Dynamos.
4
Complete installation of Electric Lights
and Power Plants a specialty.
Buildings rewired in the safest and most
correct approved manner by competent electrical engineers
gineers no boys ) ,
6 ; W. Johiistoii , Pres ,
Telephone 5150 , 1515 Ilalsurd St. , OMAN A , Nhll ,
yet it seemed but a mlmte front the time
I was lit time rush before Omaha Imul passed
hue and the railroad bridge was overhead
There was Imo tvagom bridge.
At the trmmsfer there was a veritable
Niagara roaring throtmgli Spoon ' ake , 1
approached the depot and a zealona police ,
mean , Caplan Payne , warteti lilt away , 1
was the better boatman and easily roved
around him and through the depot , ti e
floors being deeply submerged , The Cotntcll
Illuffs gas works were under water' , and the
town was 1n darkness tli'It eight. The
sealer surrounded tim Norli'w'eslerl depot
amid reached to about the spot where the
poslofllce now' stands , The following flay
a large steaulbuat took Oil coal at tiw'I'rans-
far depot ,
having collected dispatches and items to
my heart's content , I skirted the bluffs for
several miles tip sttennm , aural then made fom'
line ntahm cilunnel , Soon I heard tune roar of
the cut oft , then forjting , and I suns sclicd
with an Irresisllble desire to shout through
time s'lld spot , s'ho'o l should be the lust
to dare Its domgers , It ssas saw dark , ' ; lie
lights of Oumaha rose above a fort'st of
coltonvuatis and w'illow's , I was abut' . No
homes hand eoild help or nave shogid the
uulnuns'hl forces of that gorge prove greater
Utan I. butler roared tint t
Louder l
alleatl. Crash n d hers
the righll tilt e m 'lie
on , oeacram thetot
foam ) ; crash tveut th ol the , e
their willows were burled beneath ihs dark
waters , Corpses were platy In that river
then and spectral ( tens scenmrd to glide
over tm ) iloating ice. slut they svero time
branches of limo half submerged trees that
store thick it nmhl-cnan n eh Now the cutoff -
off was just ahead , mush seizing ouu oar
and facing lbe waters that were leaping
iilgil lit the air. I hmt to the task of keephg )
the 1)0w across the svas'ca , It ts'ita a desperate -
perato struggle. To the right , to thie
left , just ahead and uc apimg under bin
boat , tim glanta of the forest would rise an
end , their great routs cutcldng un the
bottom , itot yet deepened , while the waves ,
tim ss'hlrllmol and the Ica blocks seemed
madly contotdhig for the privilege of w'rt'ek-
Ing nmy little boat.
ii far less tinto tbaa It takes to write
the story , I passed the cut-off , and dripping
with sweat , unable to sum-Ito , or oven talk il
telligently , 1 handed my notes to AI Sorn-
son and wont iionmo.
i got due credit , Imoss'ever , and the next
Issue of The nee recorded a splenmdid scoop
and the first shootlug of limo wild current
of tlto cut off , The next man who tvaittal
to use that boat found Its air tight eomi
larlmeut and its whore bottom ptutcturcd
full of holes , mantle that night iii hia awful
rush through the narrow gorge , where the
goad was carving a now bed for the Missouri -
souri river. JOIN H. PIERCE ,
Ranger of 'l'Ilu lieu.
Orand Island , June 1 , 15'36 ' , ;
Y
'J'IIOM.tS 'V It.tGICIIFItN ,
1'utrturr'I'rnvellag Cut rr"sptndcnte
Twenty years ago I was traveling corre
sp011lont of Tim o lice , buy note de plume
ssas "Lino , " l'erhups the Invoile' of lhu s
new type seltiug nmachines got a suggestion
( roe this sobriquet. Every svelte ssas lit
those dnys concealed hehind a fnncUul
designallori of 11113 own selrctom. George
Alfred Townsend was "Gatti ; " Sununel
Clunions wits "Hark Twain ; " 11,1) . Slauglder
was "Gad ; " A. C , Troupe was "Gusto ; " J. ;
J. l'oimis ssas "Ixlon ; " Juhu II , I'lei'ce wits E
"Itanger ; " R'Illis Sweet was "Gabu ; " John r
A. blaeMurpliy , "q'Iplop , " and J , 1V , Crawford -
ford was "Captnil Jack , " S
The "traveling correspondent" of The lice
ts'us engaged iii solklting nubscriptlons un + I '
"svriling up" the villages and towns of rho r
west. Each subscriber was given a personal
puff , and us lien time vIIlago conlrlbutoil ! anil.
soniely to limo subscrlpliol list It was accorded -
corded a colunnm article uitder a dlsplny ?
head , amid the correspondent was u hero
ss'bo was svelconmcd as n visitor. i'riters'
ink was a powerfui element it the upbulld
lug of embryo cities ,
Mr. Andrew ltusewaler was the business
manager of The lice , and AI Van Cutup was
the cauhdo' , AI Sorensen was city editor
alid Ilium city edllor Corralled , coin plhd and
serule alt Ilse local mm cuss. Not Only 511 , but
tae read hi lit owti pruofs aad lucid ropy wllh
the prihtler's tie 'II out cll the patent ntcdicia
advetllsemnents of the sheet.
HoneY w'as sro'ce , aid when 1 canto Inta h
the city ss'itlt $50 and $100 $ In ea8h to turn
it on Saturday , it was 5'an Cautp'n customs
to seed not nut alt nnmie errand , with tutu
injunction hunt to report until after 5 o'clock ,
' 1'10 force was 1181(1 off In due bills , orders
e1 asivrrttseu's , etc. , and lily remittance was
reserved ( or the cashier and time editorial ;
force. ri
Ehuvnrsl Itosewater would often start to 1
New York ss'lth a single dollar in his pocket
and travel to the niotropolls Bud back without -
out droving upon lie business oltce. ! Other
Imt'oplp tlrov enough , however , to keep hula
brother in hot water nhte'teullls of tlue timi0
during tire oditor's absence ,
AS LEGiSLATlVh1 COitltESI'ONIENT. )
When the legislature couveucd lima follow-
