Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-04-14
The Trials and Tibulations of News
paper Reporters.

N. V. Brewer, in South Bend Qnd.) Register.
1t was during a reportorial career
in the west, we being engaged as city
editor on that sterling and very sue
cessful old newspaper, the Dubuque
Qowa) Times, that the incident of
which we write occurred. The re-
porter on the rival morning paper,
the Herald, was Charley Monger, a
brilliant writer, and one of the best
of newspaper reL orters. He stutter-
ed badly, so badly that when he at
tempted to ''pop the question" to a
sweet charmer of Dubuque, the fel-
low who was on the other side of the
girl, laid seige to her heart, told the
story of his love, and led her off in
triumph before Charley could make
himself understood, to even the quick
intuition of a girl entertaining a
"proposition." We, as our friends
all know, are so deaf that we won't
hear Gabriel's trumpet, when it
sounds at the last day, and will be
left standing, when the sheep are sep
arated from the goats.
1t was 8 o'clock at night, and word
Of a great railroad accident had reach
ed us. We rushed out to get the par
ticulars. The conductor and some
of the wounded passengers were at
the Lorimer House. We fastened
there and got to the door just as
Monger came up. We both rushed
for the conductor, who was telling
the news to large and excited crowd.
Note book in hand Monger addressed
him:
"A-a-a-re y-y-y-ou t-t-t-the c-c-on-d-
uc-tor?"
"Yes."
81 a-a-am t-t-t-the re (spit) re (spiU
Cough porter o-o-of t-t-the lie jerks
his hands, ,'-a- very nervous jerks of
the hands and more spitting) M-He,'-
aid. egg jerk (spit) gi-gi-ye me
t-t-th-- (Monger had come to a
hopeless pause. He looked as if he
was turning himself wrong side out.
"Thunder," said the conductor,
who was excited and anxious to get
his supper, 81 am in a hurry. Ill
tell it, I'll tell it ALL" said he.
We stepped up and introduced our
self for the Times.
"All right" said he, ''Mr. Brewer,
you can both take it down."
GLOW did it happen" said we.
The conductor commenced TO tell,
but he spoke so low we couldn't
hear.
Putting our hand to our nigh ear,
which is the best, we asked him to
"speak little louder please"
The conductor looked as if he
suspected that "a job" was being
played on him. But he repeated in
a little louder tone. Still we did not
hear.
Venturing a little nearer, with
hand to the ear as before, we asked
him to repeat. 1t was too much tor
the now thoroughly excited conduc-
tor.
'By the holy mother of Moses" ,"
said he, "was Ispared from the wreck
for such fate as this?"
We asked another question. He
replied. We didn't hear.
"a little louder, please"
He gave jump and was away
like rocket.
We twain were infm in speech
and hearing, but not in physical
strength, locomotion, or purpose.
We were bound to have the naws at
all hazards. We rushed after him
and caught him just as he, seeing
how desperate his situation was, was
about to end his troubles by jumping
from the shot tower into the Missis-
sippi.
We got the news between us. We
did the talking and Monger did the
hearing, and taking of notes, and we
divided up afterward. TO Charley's
credit be it said, his reportorial in
stincts, strong as they were, didn't
lead HIM to "gouge" any on the de-
tails. And we had the satisfaction
the next day of knowing that though
that conductor cursed all night about
add pair of reporters-"one that
couldn't speak, and the other that
couldn't hear" that readers were
pleased with the very full, faithful
and careful report we gave our re.
speculative papers.