The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1873-03-03
Running Kentucky Newspaper Con-
sistently. aG-r9,i -1g,


had the pleasure of assisting at the birth
of the Louisville Ledger. 1t was powerful
cast. 1 don't remember the exact number of
editors employed on that paper, but it was
immense. There was an editor-in-chef,
with two or three assistants, news editor, a
heavy corps of reporters and city editors,
foreign editor, an amusement editor, line
art editor, nautical editor, legal editor, a
financial editor, and a number of miscella-
neos and unclassified editors. There were
so many ed tors, in fact, that the building
was uncomfortably crowded, and they were
in each others way. rhere was always a
scramble for the lounge and the Cincinnati
papers, Many of these editors were anna
seurs with rather crude ideas of journalism
gentlemen of leisurely literary turn of mind,
who thought it would be good thing to
stroll into the Office once or twice day draw
off kid glove. dash off a profound editorial
on national politics, and then stroll jauntly
out again, ,twirling delicate rattan cane with
horses hoof or feminine leg in ivory scr a
handle. Colonel NJ. w. Cluskey, formerly of
Memphis, was commander-in-chiet of this
rabble of fcourageous but undisciplined ink
singers. Colonel 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 chivalrous of men,
and in his time has been recognized as one
OF the most vigorous writers of the South. A
little work on parliamentary law, of which he
is the author, is still quoteu in Southern leg
islative bodies. But az the time Colonel
Cluskey took hold of the Ledger, i'll health
had greatly impaired his usefulness. He was
a gallant soldier in behalf of the lost cause,
and was literally shot to pieces. The only
wonder was that he managed to live. Col
onel Cluskey made frantic efforts to discipline
his rabbe, and at the same time endeavored
to cultivate agreeable social relations. 1t was
one of his theories that a man employed on
the Ledger must necessarily be a gentleman,
and that man good enough to associate with
him in his Office was entitled to be received
al his house. About once week the entire
force was invited to his elegant mansion to
discuss oysters, venison, champagne and 9TH
er creature comforts.
The earlier numbers Of the Ledger were Gu
riosities in their way. remember one night
when the foreign editor, intensely Prussian in
his sympathies had written an article on the
Franco-German war, and DR.. Brecklnrldge,
who strongly sympathyed with the frencn,
had written one on the same suDJect. vi
course they conficted, and each was STUBBORN
in insistinS on committing the paper to his
own views Colonel Cluskey was appealed to.
NGentlemen.n said he, oracularly, ''by Jove,
vo,, must make your ahticles consist.
II iftU Won't do to have an ahtice in one paht Of
tbe papah taking one view of a subject, and
an an ahticle in anothah column taking anothah
view They must consist. Now don't care
a coppah about the frog eatahs or the Dutch,
bnt the papah must be one thing or the othah.
II can't be BOTH" After some further squab-
HES. the foreign man and the doctor being
unable to come to an understanding. Colonel
Mike called out ''Heahl Give 'em to me.
m fix it up myself" Taking the two arti-
clos he cut the head off the Breckenridge
% EDITORIAL, sliced sentence out of Prices and
nasted II on. Then he scooped out an inch
or p,'t two out of Brsckinbridge and pasted 1t on