Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-12-04

spirators was accomplished.
Knowing the thirst of the public
after t1atest newss and that the paper
will suffer In character through neeli.
gence ont heir part, reporters often risl
their lives while seeking after infbr'
nation. A story il told Of how {
vessel, in attempting to enter Q LAKE
port, struck on q bar, and was as tht
mercy Of the waves. The storm wai
raging with great fury, and the crowd
eongregated on the pier had little hops
that the ship would hold together
above q few hours. She was Z new
vessel, unknown In port aud her posi-.
ton such that her name could not b(
seen. There was no life-boat Of The
port and no crew could be made up Il
take an ordinary row-boat and row
out to the rescue Of the !unfortunAfes
While all were talking and noie do.
ing, q reporter ON an Afternoon paper
wss seen pulling Q light ssskif ont Ol
the river and over the tremendous
waves. @He IL lost n stCome back
come backl" shouted the crowd, bu,
the man bent to his oars, and despite
all predictions, reached the nefGhbbr.
hood Of the weasel without mishAp
Holding the boats head to the sea, h4
shouted.
aWhat schooner is thAt7" s.
sThe Princess,n replied the amazed
captain, who had taken to the riggina
along with the crew. aFl y
"Where from? what's your carfo
and how large 10 your crew ?s Wbr(
the next inquiries from the reporter
and after being replied to, he con.
tinued- 2 #
aHold by for an hour, and III take
you all of"
He then set about on the return voy.
age, and successfhlly performed It
entering the river amidst cheers which
even reached the ears of the half.
drowned sailors on the bsr. Despatch.
ing his information to the ONCE, he
was about to row back to the vessel
when she suddenly broke up, and the
crew hoated ashore on spar. ,E
There Is in Kansas, or was, up "a
three years ago, . society Of newspa-
per men called "The Rob Eha
Friends." The society was founded
to perpetuate the name and doings oil
q reporter named Ellis, who made hil
name famous on the Pacific coast by
his startling adventures, aud whosl
career finally eloaed with 9 balloon as
cension. I. seemed tnat e.-Aie.Aa.
--AaAd made ono utwo sscenslons
had advertised to 60 up, from . fail
ground on q certain day. and that {
large crowd assembled TO witness ths
expedition. Ellis was sent to make q
report of the affair, and he took It in.
to his hcad to have ride with the
professor, and write up his experience,
His company was accepted, and, q
the hour approached, he took his seat
in the car. The balloon was inflated
but just as it was ready to rise the
professor had some excuse to leap out
Eased of his weight 80 suddenly, the
balloon jerked away from the men,
and Ellis went skyward alone. The
man knew all about newspaper bust.
ness, but he was ignorant as to @rial
navigation. He, however, took things
as coolly as IL nothing unusual had
happened. There was no wind be.
low, and while the balloon hung over
the grounds, half q mile above the
heads of the excited crowd, the fol.
lowing message came floating down:
81 am all right, and intend to see the
thing through. Tell tho (his pa
per- to look out for . telegram from
me tonight Il was about 8 o'clock
in the afternoon of June day, and
the balloon and its freight finally
floated away TO the northwest, and al
last were lost to view. No one IN
that crowd ever saw poor Ellis again.
In fact, It was months aud months be.
fore he was heard of. Days passed,
and letters were written and telegrsml
sent, but there was no news OF the
balloon for week. Then . hunter
found this message on the prairie
"Am still ali right, and am having
heaps of fun. / have found the valve.
cord, and can descend whenever ]
wish; but am going to see tho thins
down to q fine point" He did.
Months and months afterward Q hum
ter, passing through . forest few
miles from the SAntee Agency, on the
line between Kapaas and Dakota
found Q wreck of the balloon hanainl
to . tree, and half covered with lesves
the skeleton of Robest Ellis. III
While speaking. Of tho West, the
fate Of COLORADO reporter named
Whitman, may be called up, - Il hal
never been published. He was ein.
ployed on , weekly paper called the
Spectator. With the shooting, slash
ing, murders, and accidents that hap.
pened slmoot daily, Whitman Ind