The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-02-28
Running a Kentucky Newspaper
NnnaIEfPnIlV.

Running q AenIuCkY NGhSPuPCi
COnsIstcnIly'
gC. Harding In the st. Louis DcmOcrat)
Ibad the pleasure of assisting at the
birth of the Louisville Ledger. II was q
TowerIul cast. don't remember the ex.
NJ, number OF editors employed on the
psper, but 1t was immense. There was
an editor in chief, with two or three assis'
tsnts, a news editor, a heavy corps OF re.
norters and city editors, foreign editor,
m amusement editor, Il fine art editor, a
nautical editor, u legal editor, financial
riiior and a number oil miscellaneous
and unclassiied editors. There were so
many editors, in tact, that the building
was unComfOrtably crowded, and they
we're in each others way. There was al
ways u scramble for the lounge and the
Cincinnati papers, Many of these editors
were amateurs with rather crude ideas OF
neutrality-suspicious. Of aleisurcly lite
rsry turn Of mind, who thought 1t would
bea good thing 10 stroll into the office
once Or twice a day draw of kid glove,
dash of profound editorial on national
poliIics, and then stroll jauntily out
again, twrling delicate rattan cane
with a horses hoOf or q feminine leg in
ivory for handle Col. N. w. Cluskey,
formerly Of Memphis, was commander in
chief oil this rabble of courageous but
uudisciplined ink.slingcrs. Col. Cluskey
is an Irishman, reared in Alabama, where
he acquired most delicious southern
brogue.
Personally he is one Of the highest
toned, kindest hearted and most chival-
rOus Of men, and in his time he has been
recognized as one OF the most vigorous
writer's of the South. A little work on
parliamentary law, Of which he is the
author, is still quoted in Southern legisla'
tive bodies But at the time Col. Cluskey
took hold Of the ledger, i'll health had
greatly impaired his usefulness. lie was
gallant soldier in behalf Of the lost cause,
and was literally shot to pieces. The only
wonder was that he managed to live.
Col. Cluskey made frantic efforts to dis
clpline his rabble, and at the same time
endeavored to cultivate agreeable sociPl
relations. 1t was one OF his theories that
man employed on the Ledger must
necessarily be a gentleman, and that o
man good enough to associate with him
in the Office was entitled to be received at
his house. About once q week the entire
force was invited to his elegant mansion
to discuss oysters, veuison, champagne
and other creature comforts.
The earlier numbers Of the Ledger were
curIosities in their way. remember one
night when tho foreign editor, intensely
Prusslan In his sYmpathies, had written
an article on the Franco.German war,
and Dr.. Breckenridge, who strongly sym.
pathized with the French, had written
one on the same subject. OF course they
conhicted, and each was stubborn in In.
sisting on committing the paper TO his
own views. Col. Cluskey was appealed
to. Gentlemen" said he oracularly, "by
Jove, you must make your Articles con.
sist. 1t wont do 10 have an Article In
one paint Of the pspah taking one view Of
ssu6ject, and an Article In anothah col.
umu taking anothah view. They must
consist. Now / don't care q coppah
shout the frog caters or the Dutch, but
the papah must be one thing or the othah.
1t can't DO both" Alter some further
squSbbles, the foreign man and the doctor
being unable to come to an understand
ing, Colonel Mike called out: "Hesh
Give 'em to me. III fix it up myself"
Taking the two articles, he cut the head
of the Breckenridge editorial, sliced a
sentence out Of Prices and pasted 1t on.
Then he sc0oped out an inch or two Of
Breckinridges and pasted it on 10 Price.
And 80 1t continued, taking alternate par.
agraphs from Breckenridge and Price
until he had patched up the most remark.
able foreign article ever published in the
United States, the whole thing ending
with sGmicolon.
Col. Cluskey was disposed to assert his
rights, and took umbrage ut the frequent
consultations of stockholders. There's
too much buzzin' about heah 10 suit me-"
he would say. ali there's any buZzin' 10
DC done, I'll buzz myself. By Jovel I've
been elected mauagtn' edItah OF this pa
pSh, an by Jove! I'm goin' TO manage It,
uthese gentlemen amt satisfied with my
management, my designations at their
sahviCe; but don't want any buzzin'
around me. Come, Henry, boy, less so
an get a caWktail.p
Col. Cluskey had none Of the absurd
prejudice against personal journalism
which some Of the sedate and stupid
newspapers Of the day affect, "BOys," he
would say, "to.moah We must open on
EN- along the whole line. I'll go for 'em
onthe second page, and want Undah.
wood to 60 for 'em IN the local, and
Smith can 60 for 'em in the telegraph,
and Hendahson in the commercial, and
among us we'll make II hot. It's about
mytime o day for takln' cawklail, and
! want tho whole fo'ce to 60 out with
me-"
Col. Mike came from the country where
the code was in force, and he had an idea
that nothing helped newspaper so much
Is for some one connected with 1t tC
shoot some one, or get shot himself,
When 1t became necessary to reorgan-
iEe the LEDGER force and somewhat con.
dense It, the difficulties Of the situation
began 10 manifest themselves. Ordina
rily when proprietor or managing
editor desires TO dispense with tn
services Of an employe Il Is a very simpl
matter to drop him a note politely in
forming him that his services are n
longer required. The discharged EN-
poYe bites his lip, pockets the note
draws his salary, causes paragraph /
be inserted In one Of tho other CITY paper
stating that he "relignSd" or severed hi
connection" and then be proceeds 70 &C