Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-12-14
PERSONALITIES.
some Information for Inquisitiye
People.
Personnel Of the Editorial Corps OF
the Union and American.
Their Habits and peoallarl.le..

The1r H0DttS ana Peculi8rAdaes.
1t is strange what curious ideas som,
people have of the way in which matter fo
a newspaper is prepared A few days since
a reporter ON this paper was asked by 8
middle-aged man who looked as though
he ought to knew something, who it was
that wrote out the items he picked up in
his wandering about the city, evidently
laboring under the impression that it was
the reporters duty to hunt up information
regarding local matters, and at night sill
down and relate, to some individual handy
with pencil, his days experience.
Another man remarked to one of the edi
tors that he thought Mr.. - must be o
very industrious man to write all the arti-
cles which appeared in the UNION AND
AMERICAN every day, adding that it was
wonderful to think that one man could do
SO much. These two men represent quite
large class, in their much confused ideas
regarding the newspaper business, and it is
for the benefit of these, that this article is
written. Those who know all about the
subject treated of, need not waste their val
liable time In perusing this "screed."
The regular writing force of the paper is
made up of quito number OF remarkably
talented men, in addition to whom there
are regular correspondents in the leading
cities of the State, who furnish us with in
formation regarding important events as
they occur.
The Political Editor Is a man who has
made political economy q study from his
cradle up. In his childhood's days he had
no taste for the games and pastimes of boys
of his age, but preferred to spend his leisure
timein "reading up" the history of all hu-
man governments, from the date of Adams
expulsion from the Garden of Eden. AS he
grew in years, his love for political matters
increased. He has invented half dozen
well defined systems of government, any
one of which would astonish the world by
its completeness and success if he were al
lowed to put it into practice. He sends his
copy direct to the composing room, and it
is never scratched"
The News Editor Is an individual with
large perceptive faculties and bright pair
OF scissors. he can ego through" bushel
basket of exchanges In twinkling, extract
ing all the newsy items and rejecting the
trash with unfailing precision, and he is re-
markably skiful with the scissors. The
matter which this gentleman prepares for
the paper passes under u eye but his own
and that of the compositor and proof reader
until 1t Is perused the next morning by the
thousands who daily draw inspiration from
our columns.
The Fighting Editor is man who weighs
a ton in his stGcking-feet. His lower limbs
are plated with sheet-iron, and he wears
two breast plates. He has special permit
from the police authorities TO carry as many
arms as he chooses. He chooses to carry
two, besides half dozen six-shooters, and
bowie-knife in each bootleg. He never writes
anything for the paper "hisself," but he
stands responsible for what the others write.
The Commercial Editor has his organ
of calculation" SO fully developed that
all the other organs have remained in Statu
quo from the day of his birth. He is an
odi looking genius, but a very valuable
man. Figures are his hobby, and he fairly
emanate from his gifted pen--or pencil
rather, are read with the most absorbing
interest, the page on which they appear be-
ing the first one perused by nine out of ten
Of our readers.
The River Editor was born on a flSt boat.
He could swim when he was two years old,
and the days of bis childhood were pleas
antly and proftably occupied in throwing
stones at frogs and mud turtles, going fish
ing-on which occasions he always carried
his bait in his mouth-and spelling out the
names OF the river craft which daily passed
The paternsl mansion. His contributions
TO the current literature Of the day, are
quoted far and wide, many of them having
been set to music for the use of the schools
throughout the land.
Our Musical and Dramatic critic is one OF |
the most accomplished young men of the |
age. The young ladies go into raptures
over his long, flowing locks, which are black |
as the ravens wing-a bucket of tar, or any |
other very dark substance. He is thor |
oughly conversant with the famous produc- |
lions of the old masters Of music, and he |
knows all about the peculiar characteristics |
Of Liszt, GotJschslk, Cornstalk and other Gel
ebrated musicians. As for the drama, he is
fQlly satisfied that if he saw fit to devote bis
attention exclusively to that SUBJECT, he
would be formidable rival for Glr. Shak-
'peare. But he is not going to devote his at
ention exclusively to that subject at least,
not at present. He prepares his articles i u
! carefully shaded room, his eyes in fine
renzy rolling, with cob pipe in his mouth,
/ "sunthin' soothin' on the table before
lim.
The Local Editor has charge of the mat
er intended for the local pages. The in
locent, hard working reporters are under
lis immediate supervision, over whom be
exercises a sort of tep-fatherly care. He
las two grand objects in life, the one being
o get ahead of rival papers in the way of
.ity news, and the other to properly train
he talented young men under bis charge,
10 that thgy may develope into the bright
Inning literary lights nature designed them
o be.
The Reportorial Staff is made up of col
eye graduates-the fsvorite sons of veal
ny parents. They are young men of grand
and promising future. They |
oil daily from sheer love of work, and not
,ecause they are compelled to. They
hOose TO remain in newspaper office 10 |
he character Of reporters, because of their
innate love for truth, as an abstract princi-
)le-which, with them, amounts to pas
ion. They find that the associations and
Influences connected with their present
position are such as tend to fix and con-
irIh them 10 their desire TO rival Washing
on in his reputation for truth
cling. Mark Twain says that q
eporter has to lie y little
n he will be discharged. 1t is the high
i'm OF the reporters on this paper to con-
ince the world that Twain himself pre-
,aricated in making this statement.
Our reporters perambulate up aud down
be streets during the day, filling their little
Ote books with interesting items, aud
Meeting with varied experiences. For in
lance, in the morning they will interview
tste officials, ministers, medical students,
nd other gentlemen of standing. Later
D the day, they attend the Police Court,
there they are brought in contact, occs-
ionally, with the scum of the city. Re-
airing to their favoriie free lunch estab-
shment, at noon, they partake of their
'ugal repast. Ia the afternoon they visit
ne wolkhouse (where they see many IA
liliar fsces,) the jail, the coroner's office,
III after oder mershene" when a fire
iaTm is sounded, break for s. crowd
hen they see one collected, hoping that
fight is in progress, . man had fit, or t
)mething of that kind. In the evening, .
icy attend and report lectures on all sorts
subjects, always masing msrvellously
)rrect reports, closing their days labors !
? writing up the contents of their note !
Ooks, which keeps them busy until late
our. They write great many brilliant
than the public generally
now ANYTHING about. owing to the fact |