Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1855-07-04
The Transfer Of the Telegraph.

The Transfer Of the Telegraph.
The old readers of the Telegraph" have
n right to hear, and perhaps desire to hear,
from its Editor as to the causes which have
so suddenly, and in a manner so strangely,
dissolved their long connection. a Few
words must suffice for the purpose in hand.
The Telegraph was the pioneer in news
paper progress in this State being the tirst
to Lunch out with mammoth shcct-the
first to usher in the era Of tri-weealy and dali
ly issues. 1t was most literally sustained
from the bsginnin--a generous nnd partial
public extended towards it at all times most
kindly encouragement; still, ,heexI cnses Of
establishing such an entcrprisr, and the pains
which were bestowed in order to make it not
only an honor to the city, but the best repre-
sentative Of its growing interests which could
be sent abroad, unavoidably brought in their
train series Of pccuniary embarrasments-
cmbarrasments which finally cventuated in
the sale of the Office to (supposed) friends,
at sum approximating one-third OF its value.
leaving the original proprietors still largely
in arrears. 1t was tho understanding that
the new proprietors came in as the friends
of the paper, and that they would put
in it money enough to command for it a
prosperous business, in order to the earliest
liquidation of all its liabilities-the stock
holders not designing to take one cent, over
ard above their stock, and some of them not
even that) from the concern, but the profits
to 60 to the payment of old debts. With this
understanding, and with most ardent de-
sire to pay of,at the earliest day and in full,
every cent of Indebtedness of the establish
mert, the undersigned consented to continue
n the conduct of the paper, and gladly
agreed to accept very moderate allowance
for the maintainance Of himself and family
in the most humble manner. The manage
ment of the affairs of the Office was entrust-
ed to an Actuary (Mr. John G. Foote) and
the paper started of afresh, as all supposed,
and as confidently believed, under the
most favorable auspices. The zeal Of the
Actuary, however, was Of but short duration,
and soon cooled down to positive Indifference
except when it became matter of pleasure
to him to make profert of the sscommission''
under which he acted. Still there was no
abatement in the efforts of the Editor to make
the paper all that its readers might desire
no giving up the hope that the paper ould
yet live to pay its debts, and that he should
yet live to realize the fond hopes with which
he had entered upon his duties. But, one day,
greatly to the astonishment of the stockhold-
ers- greatly to the modification of the edit
or-and greatly to the injury Of the paper,
'sthe whole Telegraph Office" was advertised
for sale! For months this ill-advised, exc
cradle, self-throat-cutting, clap board look
ing advertisema ant, was kept hanging at the
editorial head of the paper. Such step as
this had the very singular effect to make nil
sensible persons believe that the paper was
Gas good as dead''-disrust was tbs natural
consequence among the old patrons Of the
paper, and others were deferred from taking
hold. 1t was difficult, under such crcum-
stances, to summon up spirit enough to un-
dertake the task of predicting readable sheet
still, hoping for the best, and feeling keen.
ly alive to the interests of friends who were
standing in the breach which seemed to be
impending, the editor continued to bear the
accumulating notifications and misfortunes
with his lest philosophy, and to labor dill
gently at mis- vocaton-with what success the
readers of the paper can determine for them
selves. Time went on-the beggarly advcr-
tisement, in all the splendor of its imbecili-
ty, still loomcd up like cabbage leaf in a
storm-but nobody bought-no body offered
to buy-nobody could be induced to buy
and finally, without notice to the stock hold
ers, or anybody else who could avert the
doom, the Actuary took upon himself, "the
responsibility of terminating the existence
of the Telegraph, not even allowing it time
to say its prayers, or to bid adieu to its read
crs! And it has been thus that am
now reduced to the necessity of singing the
"Swan Song" of my fondest creation, and
the five years idol of my heart, in columns
that are strangers to my voice, and through
which my pen has never made its way before.
Finding that no one would purchase the
Office at anything like its value, finally
proposed to lease the establishment on terms
which would have made the stockholders
perfectly secure, land in the end have increased
the value of the concern, and at the same
time would have given me an opportunity,
and certain one, of paying oil the dues of
the ofice-uhe only object for which have
labored for years past, denying myself and
family many of the ordinary comforts of
life. and to which end have lived aud Ia
bored for the last year and a half upon SAL
ary that, after taking out interest which l
have been paying on debts, left me scarcely
dollar day)-BuT THIS WAS DENIED xE-a
request which all fair thinking people will
concede was, under the circumstances.
right .1hich uas due me. l did not
ask the stock holders to give me their stock,
alt ough several had manifested an irdiffer.
ence MS to whether it was ever returned to
them or not--I only asked them to give me
an opportunity to make use of the materials,
and to add to the value of the same. and
consequently to the valne of their stock-a
proposition which know to have been ac-
ceptable to many Of them-but the actuary
decided the proposition "out Of order''.}
sale, and nothing but q sale out and out,
would suit the views Of the Actuary.
The Office was then appraised, and / offered,
through a friend, to take it at the appraise.
ment-but word was returned me that the
ActuAry did not intend to abide the appraise-
mcnt, and would not sell to the Hawk Eve
as the price fxed by the appraisers but On
the following morning he did transfer s.the
whole Telegraph printing ofieev to the Hawk.
Eye, and, as understand, at the appraised
value, or so nearly so as to leave no excuse
for Dot allowing me another opporl unity to
secure it. Why this preference should have
a