Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-10-31
The Cincinnati DaiIies and Their
Editors.

hhe NIncAnn0JA DHll1es ana The1r
Editors.
a Cincinnati correspondent of the Mac
a-Cheek Press writes the following graph.
ic sketch of the workers on the Cincinnati
press:
had never before entered these huge
printing establishments, and was some
what astonished at their magnitude. The
immense building devoted to their use,
are in the heart of the city, and among
the more imposing structures in their
neighborhood. 10 seB story after story,
brilliantly lighted with gas, where hun
drbds of printers are busy with their nim-
BILE fingers and tireless arms; to hear
the thunder of the machinery, and to en-
ter the handsome rooms where number
less editors are busy over kilograms and
exchanges, is to have a realizing sense of
the great power going on in ceaseless
effort to enlighten humanity. In less
than eight hours after l had my interview
with the publishers and editors of these
immense concerns, the news-boys wonld
tumble from the train in West Liberty, a
hundred miles distant from this crying
out the worlds history for the last twenty
four hours.
We found the proprietors and editors
very obliging, listening with interest TO
our case and promising to comply with
reasonable request.
This was the first time had come so
Immediately in contact with the press of
our city. We are better supplied inthis
way than we are with water, hotels, or
good government Cincinnati is second
to no city, in its journals. But this l
knew before. ! was set to thinking, how
ever, that this immense power was really
worked and controlled by three men,
known to very few, as Henry and Sam.
Read, brothers, of the Enquirer, and NJ.
Halstead, of the Commercial. While
Wash. Mclean, the principal proprietor
of the Enquirer, is one of the largest
Drained and most remarkable men l ever
met with, and NJ. ID. Potter, the man of
the Commercial who built up that con-
Germ, is a Napoleon in his way, the three
1 named above are those whose intellect
gives life to our press.
Henry Read is queer fellow. He is
not pretty to look at, nor sure to bet on,
but he is a man of genius, and his articles
in the Enquirer stick up like whales
as soon as seen. Their original treatment
of all subjects; their subtitle diving into
the meaning of things, while over all their
plays wit that is as dazzling as sunlight
on ice, and just about as comfortable. He
began his editorial career in Cincinnati,
by writing on the Commercial, when that
paper was pounding away in behalf of
Fremont and free soil. It seems strange
to find him now the leading editor of the
Enquirer. But Henry is journalist by
profession, and like an advocate, makes
the best argument he can for his side,
whatever that may be
Sam Read, the brother, IS or another
sort from Henry. He is as handsome as
the other Read is homely, and take him all
in all, is one of the ablest, if not the ablest,
political journalist in the West. He has
as much genius as the brother, but more
application, and keeps all subordinate to
what he believes to be the truth. 1 never
knew a harder student, or more consist
ent editor. His articles may be known
by not only their wit, and clear forcible
style, but by the care with which they are
elaborated. A valuable book could be
made of his essays on the topics of the
hour, and one in reading it, could not re-
alize that they were thrown off with the
devil of a daily at his elbow,
NJ Halstead, of the Commercial, who
hits out from the shoulder, and makes
himself felt on all occasions, is large
bodied, big headed, keen looking man
He impresses one with the belief that he
can do an immense deal of mental and
bodily labor. And he docs not belle his
looks. l doubt whether there is man
living who accomplished as much in the
day as Halstead. One is impressed with
the belief that be would do better if he did
less. I,need not call attention to his
qualities, for he is the man of the Com
1hereial.