Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-06-06
THE PRESS CONVENTION.
what We saw and Heard az Louis
Vile and the sIaInmoth Cave.

Vile and the m"tn'"~ *
Having Just returned from the Press
Convention at louisville, and after sev
eral days spent with the leading Journal
lists of the South and Northwest, it may
prove interesting to our readers to fol
low us in our journey. l9334k1
On last Tuesday evening we left home
in company with Col. +. A. Tyler of the
Appeal W. A. McCloy, of the Sun, ane
Will o. Woodson, of the Western Asso
ciated Press, and after delightful run
arrived at Louisville the next morning
and registered at the Gait House
which, by the way, is one of the
grandest hotel buildings in the world
but only in this is i superior etc
the Louisville and National Hotels
After a hasiy ablution we hurried to the
court house, where we were ushered into
the presence Of the members OF the
Western Associated Press, who were
deeply engaged in trying to solve the
knotty problem of procuring the great
est amount of telegraphic news for the
least money. But as the meeting was
purely business one, and held with
closed doors, we will only refer to those
prominent journalists who were present
In the chair sits the President, IL. N.
Walker, Of the Detroit Free Press, one
of the most genial gentlemen OF the OLD
school that now remain Near him sits
Joseph Medill, of the Chicago Tribune
allowing nothing to escape him; and to
his right sits Halstead, of the Gin
cinnati Commercial, the Murdt OF
the Western press. Opposite him
lis Dick Smith, Of the Gazette;
and at his elbow Mack" of the En-
quirer, with singing sarcasm cleaning
from his eyes, and all kinds of emotions
,lepicted in his indescribable mouth,
which has an unpleasant way of suggest
! ing that it had something to do in giving
to the world the "Man who Laughs a
little farther off towers the portly form
of Holloway, of the indianapolis Jour
nal: and so on through long list of those
who mould and WELD public opinion.
Take them all in all, they are remark
able looking body of men.
In the afternoon We had an excursion
over the bridge, of which Louisville is
as proud as Boston is of her organ, and
a wonderful bridge it is. We then paid
flying visit to New Albany, but were
not prepossessed in its favor by the
view we had Of it from the railroad.
AT night we accepted an invitation
from Col. Kelly. of the Commercial, to
visit his sanetum, where we found a Jolly
crowd around Widespread supper
board. at the head Of which stood Ben.
Cassiday, of the Commercial, with his
handsome countenance wreathed IN
smiles of welcome and JOY in having
around him men Of congenial habits
and tastes, and at the foot was Wells,
OF the Philadelphia Bulletin, the funny
man of the party; and ranged around
the board we're the members OF the hen
lucky Press Convention, which is also in
session here, the most notable Of whom
is Stoddard Johnston, nephew of Al
bert Sidney Johnston, and editor of the
Frankfort Woman. But before we
could half way take in ~
situation, we Involuntary turn 70
Wells who is badgering John Russell
Young, of the New York Standard, abo-.s
the Mcfarland trial, which Young ev,-
IDENTIFY does not relish. But now the toasts
are announced, and peals Of laughter
follow the popping Of champagne coTks,
and the flow of wit is only equalied By
the flow Of wine. the editorial harness IL
dropped, and the wrinkles which thought
and care have carried upon the faces I'M
used to such scenes are swoQthed away,
as the succeeding pillows obliteraie the
traces Of their predecessors upon the
beach, and "all goes merry as marriage
bell" But harkl what is it that Cassiday
says, and why does the smile fade from ms
face as he ssa.'s Q paper handed to him
We cannot hear distiacsjy'as his voice
tremLIes as he reads, and we feed ehsk;
ing sensation in our throat as we hear
+. he gords :" the kingliest and the knight
| Hest '.--apa il is unnecessary for him 10
add GKoBaR D. PaGSylcE I'VE All know
and feel whose memory il is. lhers i
no response to this. No lozgerwe glance
at our neighbors, but In silence the
toast is drank, as we all think Of him
who ia gone, who we all love TO honor
and whose iAe@eTy we revere.
Our space forbids as to dwell longer
upon this scene as we would gladly DO,
for the hours we passed there--and they
were not few-were too pleasant, too joy
Gus 10 be lightly thrown away, but we
we're TO take 90 esI.y train for the Nam
moth Cave, and against 0gF Eill W bsde
adieu to our genial host and sought our
rooms. .f
At an early hour next morning we
took "a special train on the Louisville and
Nashville railroad. and were soon whlrl-
ing away for the greatest Of oil wonders
the Mammoth Cave, and soon we were
landed at Cave City, where Col. Walter
Haldeman, Of the Louisville Courier, had
,qade ample arrangements for as in the
way OF eonmissary stores and transpor-
tation. After sealing Mosby" and par
taking Of lunch, we we've stored agay
in old-fashioned stage coaches, eighty.
six in all, in and on FIVE coaches, and
hanaatb a burning sun we began the