Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1873-10-01

osoh oOSuitcu was Hul cOnneCteu Dy
telegraph. There was only one tug
in the harbor which could be secured,
and three rival reporters boarded her
at once.
"'Fifty dollars to take me to Duck
Point and back 2 shouted one at tho
captain"
"'A hundred cried the second.
"'A hundred and fiftyp yelled the
third in a triumphant voice."
"They continued their bids until
The first bidder finally named five hun
dred dollars, and the services of the
tug were his. He steamed down 10
the scene of accident, procured fuli
list Of the killed, injured and nnhnrt
and the proprietors OF bis paper very
cheerfully handed over the large sum.
! do not defend the profession from
the charge of being tipplers, but
say that men of tho craft who do
drink, and otherwise render them
selves incapactated for the full perform
ance of their duties,a ARE seldom retain
ed long in one position. Not many
years ago, in Western city, several
reporters, all representing opposition
journals, travelled together TO q point
in the state to witness an execution.
The victim had committed heinous
ofiense, and the particulars OF bis ex-
ecution would be eagerly devoured by
every reader One of the men rep.
resented an afternoon paper, and as
the execution was fixed for noon, he
had been ordered to telegraph in a
full report, so that his paper would
have long start of all others. 1t
was, Of course, an object with the
other repo ters 10 prevent this, and
they laid their heads together. The
afternoon man did not drink, the tele-
graph operator was strictly temper
ate, and the quill drivers were on the
verge OF despair, when one of them
got happy thought. He went to
the police magistrate, sworo out a
warrant against the operator for big
amy, and had the pleasure of seeing
the man walked off to jail and had
his Office closed. The excitement
over the execution was so great that
the operator could find no one for bail
until it was too late for the afternoon
paper to receive line, and the object
of the conspirators was accomplished.
"Perhaps one Of the most audacious
displays of cheek ever made by a re-
porter to get even with a rival can
be narrated here. a railroad acci
dent occurred about six o'clock in the
evening some thirty miles from city
which sustained two morning papers
A reporter from each paper reached
the city depot at the same moment,
and both rushed for locomotive
which was ready to start out with a
freight train. The president of the
road was half proprietor of one Of the
dailies, and, having an eye to tho in
tercsts Of his employers, the engineer
refused to take up the opposition re
porter. The man saw that be was
'doored, and after ascertaining that
he could secure a hand-car and four
stout men to propel it, he went to the
telegraph Office and sent message TO
the city marshal of town on be line,
fifteen mics away, saying: g.
"Young man on engine No. s com
ing down the road. Blue eyes, light
hair, small must. chc. Arrest him foi
murder, and hold him until | sen,
men in the morning. He will proba-
bly, giveyou the name of---(mention-
ing that of the reporter.) Look out
he don't shoot you !"
"The locomotive stopped for water,
and the reporter was not only arrest
ed, but handcuifed and shackled, and
the engineer went along with him to
jail on the charge of aiding murder
or to escape from justice. The hand
car was placed on the track, and In
three hours the cheeky reporter was
telcgraphing full particulars lie
was arrested next on some charge or
other, but the joke got abroad, and
the prosecution wassuddenly dropped
"Knowing the thirst Of the public
after --latest news, and that the paper
will suffer in character through negli-
gence on their part, reporters ofte
risk their lives while seeking after in
formation. A year ago vessel in at
tempting to enter lake port struck
on bar, and WAS at the mercy of the
waves. The storm was raging with
great fury, and the crowd congregat-
ed on the piers had little hope that
the ship would hold together above q
few hours. She was new vessel un-
known in port, and her position was
such that her name could not be seen.
There wero no life boats ut the port,
and no crew could be made up to take
an ordinary row boat and row out tc
the rescue Of the unfortunates. While
all were talking and none doing, re-
porter on an afternoon paper was seer
pulling light skiff out of the river
and over tho tremendous waves. 'Ht
is lostp Come back = Come back J
shouted the crowd, but the man bent
to his oars, aud, despite all predic
lions, reached the neighborhood o
the vessel without mishap. Holding
the boats head to the sea, he shouted
"What schooner is that%'
"Tho Princess" replied the amazed
captain, who had taken TO the rig
ging, along with the crowd.
"Where from what's your cargo
and how large is your crew 7" wer'
the next inquiries from the reporter
aud after having been replied TO, h
continued
"IIold by for an hour and I'll TAX
you all OFF,
ale then set about the return voy
age, and successfully performed II
entering the river amidst cheers tha
even reached the ears Of tho hall
drowned sailors on the bar Despatch
ing his information to the Office, b
was about to row back TO the vcsse
when she suddenly broke up, and th
crew Hoated ashore on spar.
"The desire to secure the news CO
: clusivcly for the Journal, Wig, Q
whatever paper lie may represent, o
| ton leads the reporter into indulgin
T.. .t.op,,o craaLe A .vnaitl ~ an