Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1860-08-17

lege,' at the head of the long list Of whose
| honored graduates, shines in undimed lus-
tre, the name of the illustrious Franklin
/ ga light, landmark on the cliffs of fame
telling all, no matter how lowly or obscure
their lot, that in industry, integrity, perse-
verance, practical good sense, duty and
faith, an upward passage may be found
from the depths below, to that broad high
way wherein the traveller may journey to the
stars. He then commenced the term of
his apprenticeship as Printer in the Office
of the Fond du Lac Union, under the pro-
prietorghip Of Thomas & Reed. Adopting
the -ule of doing well whatever he under
took to do at all, he was an apt scholar,
and soon learned to set type not only with
unusual rapidity and correctness, but hav-
ing feeling congenial with what may be
called the genius Of the place. he be-
gan to use his pen with readiness and facil-
ity. Practice brought with it a growing
consciousness Of ability. and he was soon
enrolled as a regular contributor to two
literary and miscellaneous publications, one
in Boston and the other in Chicago, be-
sides frequently furnishing entertaining
and sprightly articles for the columns Of
the paper on which he worked His nu-
merous efforts, both in prose and verse,
hastily thrown off at such spare moments
as he could snatch from other calls on his
attention, taking into consideration the cir
cumstances under which they were produc-
| ed, would form a collection that would do
credit to much older head and hand
Having remained in this situation nearly
three years. and by patient and untiring
application, mastered the mechanical de-
tails Of his art, and by self culture quail
fed himself to sustain more responsible re-
lations, he purchased of his employers a
release from his obligations to stay with
them longer in the capacity Of an apprsn-
tice. Seeing what he regarded as a good
chance to start a newspaper on his own ac-
count, and set up for himself, he formed a
partnership with DIR. John Beson, and be-
gan the publication of the Fond du Lac
Journal, the first number of which appear
ed FEBRUARY 31st, 1857, and the last, Nav.
21st, 1858, when the Journal and the
Union were united under the title Of the
Democratic Press, in the management and
proprietorship Of which he associated his
brother, s. N. Smead At local conven-
tion Of the publishers Of the Sd Congres-
sional district, held in Fond du Lac, Sept.
10th, 1859, he delivered finely conceived
and well written poem, entitled The Edi-
tor, =" from which extracts were copied in
to almost every paper in the West, which
is good test OF the merit and charm of
the passages that went floating around in
the sea Of fugitive literature. There was
musical flow of language, Gveliness of
fancy, a fitness of illustration, that attrac
ted general attention, and gave abundant
proof Of what he would have been able to
achieve in the full maturity Of his mind.
Such is brief outline of the short career
of our young friend, praiserortby for what
he actually accomplished, but more impor-
tant as pledge Of future success. There
he was, just passed his majority, manly in
form, the glow Of youth upon his cheek,
ready to begin with increasing strength
and better directed energy the battle of
life, if struggles and conflicts must be en-
ceuntered, in the fight for the Good, the
True, and the Right, to reach the prize of
the noble ambition beyond.
But at length memorable day came
a day on which was announced the couple
tion Of a great enterprise that supplies an
essential link in the continuous line of the
Railway communication that is yet to
touch the margin of Lake Superior at the
North, and the shores of Mexico at the
South. On a serene Autumnal morning
Thursday, November 1st, 1S59-beneath
cloudless sky-full of health, activity
and exeitement-friend met friend, neigh
Dor greeted neighbor, citizen saluted eiti-
zen-female beauty and vivacity threw an
air of refinement and chiyalry over the
whole happy assemblage, and all joined to-
gether to participate in the ceremonies of a
reception the inhabitants Of Chicago
the unrivalled emporium of the North
West-were impatienty waiting to give
their invited guests from the cities and
villages that had been brought near to
each other by the formal opening of the
just finished Railroad All had looked for
ward to this closing act of a brilliant fes-
tiyal, with elevated feelings of qualification
and pride, for al had taken deep con-
cern in the success Of the gigantic under
taking, the accomplishment Of which was
universally regarded as indissolubly bound
up with the prosperity Of the fertile and
unsurpassed Rock River Valley through
which it run. The hour came that was
to realize the fulflment of many bright
expectation long and often deferred. Com
munity blended with community as the
lengthening array of cars, decorated with
streaming and futtering banners, flew from
place to place. I saw both Mr.. Thomas
and Mr.. Smead that morning and ex-
changed with each few sentences of cor
graduation. Mr.. Thomas was far from
cheerful; he appeared cast-down and in
dulged in gloomy forebodings. I shall
never forget the exultation and ardor with
which young Smead grasped my hand, as
he spoke to me in the sunlight of that ga
la day and repeated the motto his own city
had adopted as its sentiment-s:All rail
from Lake Winnebago to the Atlantic. p
He was standing in the doorway of the
baggage car, and as we separated he urg-
ed me to meet INN aagssiin there. Far dis
tant from him was the thought that