The Yazoo Democrat., 1860-03-10
45I1sss9a0up>
HOW THEN ORLEANS P1CAYUNE STARTED

HOW THE N. ORLEANS PICAYUNE STARTED
The Albany Statesman, in leading ar
ticle, tells the following story:
Twenty three years ago, we "stuck type"
in the same alley, in the printing office of
the New Yorker, edited and published by
Horace Greeley. George Wilkins Kendall
(the proprietor of the New Orleans Picayune)
Morgan Bates, 1--WE think since a proprietor
in the publication of the Detroit Advertiser, }
10. A. Bowe, (who was an apprentice with
Greeley, and afterwards published paper
at Little Falls stood at the case in the
same Office Bowe, Bates and Paige are
now dead. Kendall is still living, but has
abandoned the chair editorial for sheep rails
ing on the plains of Texas. He left the New
Yorker office to commence the Picayune,
having acquired the capital for that enter
prise in way that would hardly be con-
sdered orthodox in a moral community.
Before leaving New York, Kendall had
"tramped" the South as a jour printer
travelled for information, as he said, through
every principal village and city in the South
ern States, sometimes on steamboats,, some
times in stsgescoaches, (there being but one
railroad in the South then, from Charleston
to Augusa) and not unfrequently on foot
with his baggage on his back, pendent in {
handkerchief, from his walking stick. Some
times he was "fush" and well dressed
sometimes "strapped" and seedy-but alway
, witty, genial and gentlemanly. In his ad
ventures he had frequently been boon com
panion with many Of the most eminent mel
of the country.
The A8tor House then was but just open
ed, and extensively visited by Southerner'
It was fashion with Kendall to patroniz
that establishment after working hours
Strollug over there one evening, after havn
"washed up" he was agreeably surprised t
meet sever al gentlemen whom he had know
as merchants, aud lawyers and doctors
Natchez, Mississippi. After julep all roun'
and sherry cobbler apiece, some one pre-
posed to "close the night" with hit
game of poker. Kendall had but about tiV
dollars in his watch fob (here was no watc
there), but he assented, among the rest,
the proposition. Excusing himself for
moment, he made rush down Ann sire
to the office, where he hoped to find SON
of his fellow printers with money to ler
Bates, as foreman of the office, had be'
detained making up the forms. He h;
eight dollars, and "we" we were helpiI
Bates) had two hundred and seven cen
and thus made purse of $l5. With til
fund he sat down to play. The play went
until daylight. At o'clock Kendall can
into the office, paid up the $40 he had be
rowed, told Greeley he would give up |
situation, and asked all hands to parlake
"pious gorge" can hands" were but t
happy to do that same. and still more hap
when their fellow-craftsmau announced tn
he was the fortunate possessor Of about SIC
w y, won at the "little game of poker" aforesa
No No and that with the 500 he proposed :"
90 start paper in New Orleans" In d
90 time the Picayune arpeared-was succ'
90 winning reputation for Kendall as a pc
VI ishel writer and brilliant wit, and VII
was better, giving him priucely incon
90 He has had many hair breadth esca
0O OO since that; was among the Santa Fe plsc
40 az ers, ard given up as dead, but atterwal
90 released he went through the Mexican W
co had passed years in foreign travel, III
90 sstiated with enjoyment, and tired of
Oo excitement of city life, be retired to Tex
N and is now master of thousands of acres
~ land, and reckons more than a hundI
thousand sheep, cattle and mules as his
w. dividual property.