The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1874-05-26
Perils OF journalism.

Perils OF journalism.
Not many years ago. says an exchange,
in Western city OF the United States,
several reporters, representing opposition
journals, Travelled together to point in
the State to witness an execution. The
victim had committed heinous offense,
and the PARTICULARS of his execution would
be eagerly devoured by every reader.
Ore OF the men represented an afternoon
paper, and, as the execution was fixed
for noon, he had been ordered to telegraph
a full report, SO that his paper would
have long start of all others.
1t was Of course, an object with the
other reporters to prevent this, and they
laid their heads together, The after.
noon man did not drink, the telegraph
operator was strictly temperate, and
the quill drivers were on the verge of
despair, when one of them got happy
thought. lie went to the police magis-
trate and swore out warrant against
the operator for bigamy, and had the
pleasure Of seeing the man walked off to
Jail. and his office closed. The excite
ment over the execution was so great that
the operator could find no friend to 20
bail until it was too late for the afternoon
paper to receive line and the object Of
the conspirators was accomplished.
Knowing the thirst Of the public after
"later news, and that the paper will sut-
fer in character through negligence on
their part, reporters often risk their lives
while seeking information. A story is
told OF how vessel in attempting to en-
ter lake port. struck on bar and was
at the mercy Of the waves. The storm
was raging with great fury, and the crowd
congregated on the pier had little hope
that the craft would hold together above
a few hours. She was new vessel un-
known in-, and her position was such
that her name could not be SEEN There
was no life boat at the port, and no crew
could be made up to take an ordinary
row boat and row out to the rescue of the
uniortunatcs. While all were talking
and none doing, reporter on an after.
noon paper was seen pulling light skiti
out of the river and over the tremulous
waves. HE is lost Come back come
back ~ shouted the crowd but the man
bent to his oars, and despite all the pre-.
dictions, reached the neigh5orhood Of the
vessel without mishap. Holding the
boats head to sea. he shontod
What schooner is that?
The Princess replied the amazed cap.
tain.
Where from? what's your cargo ? and
how large is your crew p were the next
inquiries from the reporter. and being
replied to, he continued Hold on for an
hour, and III take you all off,
He then set about the return voyage
and performed it safely landing on the
peir. 0ispatching this information tc
the office, he was about to row back tc
the vessel. when she suddenly broke uT
and the crew floatcd ashore on spar
There is in Kansas, or was up to three
years ago, society Of newspaper mer
called The Bob Ellis Friends.
The society was formed to perpetuate
the name and doings Of reporter named
Ellis, who made his name famous on The
Pacific coast by his startling adventures
and whose career finally closed with c
balloon ascension 1t seemed that gen
tleman who had made one or two ascen
sions had advertised to 60 up from tht
fair ground on certain day, and that {
large crowd assembled to witness the ex
! k.k,,,,,, ME, - - L. N
Of the affair, and he took it into his heat
TO have ride with the professor and write
up his experience His company was ac
cepted, aud as the hour approached, h'
tnok his seat in the car. The balloon
was Inflated, aud just as it was ready t.
rise the professor had some excuse TO leaI
out.
Eased of his weight so suddenly, tn,
balloon jerked away from the men ant
Ellis went skyward alone. The mar
knew all about the newspaper business
but he was ignorant as to aerial naviga
ton. lie however, took things eoolly a
# nothing unusual had happened. Their
VAS no wind below, and, while the bal
: loon hung over the grounds half mil
above the heads Of the excited crowd, tn
following message came floating down
Il am all right and intend to see tn
thing through. Tell the paper to lool
out for dispatch from me tonight
1t was about five O'Clock in the after
noon of June day, and the balloon an
t its freight finally foated away to tn
northwest and at last were lost to view
No one in the crowd ever saw Ellis agai
In fact it was months before he was hear
Of. Days passed and letters were write
and dispatches sent, bu. there was n
news OF the balloon for week. Then
hunter found this message on the prairie
-"Am still all right, and am having hea
> > Of fun, l have found the valve cord an
i can descend whenever l wish, but ar
going to see the thing down to . fin
point" He did. Months and month
, afterwards hunter, passing through fe'
miles from the Santee agency, on the lin
between Kansas and Dakota, found
a wreck Of the balloon hanging to tre'
and near by the skeleton Of Robert Eli
] In the 1918 oranges of Iowa it is sal
, that there are no less than 20, 200 won