The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-06-12

pc induced to run such fearful risks, ana
foods Of wrath are let loose upon the
heads Of the unfortunate officers if they
happen to escape with their lives. Yet
the very same people, in their individual
capacity as passengers, will eagerly
patronize and encourage the bully boat, /"
with the most reckless captain, will swing
their hats in frenzy of enthusiasm, taking
all risks without thought, until death
stares them in the face, and thenl-well,
finish it yourself
Niagara was duly visited, and then l
determined to seek employment. Crossing
Lake Erie to Detroit, work was offered me
in the Office Of the Canadian oak, pub
lished in Canada, just opposite. The Oak,
l remember had motto very appropriate
to the name, Holding fast to the mother
soil" 1t was published by young man
with an exceedingly French accent and the
Irish name of Mullen. Whilst employed
there | visited the Office of Henry Bibb, a
fugitive slave, who was publishing little
paper called The Voice Of the FhgitiUe. "
| Ii was in a state which did not speak much
for the craftsmanship of the negro printers
found there-the only ones l. ever saw.
After some weeks | resolved on going to
Chicago, although Henry Bibb, finding l
was about leaving the Office of the Odh,
offered me employment; but anti-slayery
man as was, | couldn't quite stand that
even though he offered to guarantee me
work for a year as foreman OF his othce.
In Chicago employment at once offered
in an Office where two popular and widely
circulated religious newspapers were pub
lished, viz: The Prairie Herald, which was
Congregational and Presbyterian, and
| The Watchmdn of the PrdirieS, the organ
of the Baptist denomination. The pub
Usher of the Prairie Herald was Ambrose
Wight, New England man by birth, a
lawyer by profession, but who afterwards
entered the ministry. He was one Of the
firm of Wright 4 Wight, then publishers
of the well-known Prairie Farmer, which
was issued in the same building-the old
Masonic Hall on Lake street. In a short
time he offered me the foremanship OF the
Farmer, which was accepted and retained
until | resigned it, to establish myself il
Moline, about two years after entering
Chicago.
The Prairie Farmer was at this time Q
pamphlet monthly with very large edition
the press work of which contracted Il
other parties, and the regular work of The
composing room was Lot greater than one
person could accomplish, although The
make up" was a complicated one. II
fact the entire force of the Office consisted
of myself alone. But MIR. Wright, tht
senior partner, was owner of the paten
: FOR Atkins self-raking reaper, the first self
raker invented, believe. He was pushing
1t with might and MAN, and he we'll under
stood the value of printers ink" HI
never gave any warning of job he con
templated having done, but would COM
rushing breathlessly into the Office at the
mos unexpected and inopportune times
with lot of work in the way of circulars
pamphlets, &C., involving a surprising
= amount of compassionate of which ha(
got to be done right straight off" Ant
he was very impatient of delay. As chane
hands could not always be picked up a
such times, in fact not often, the position
became one not only of responsibility, bu
of very hard, laborious work, involvin
, incessaut application. 1t may not be Ut
fair to state also, that had a compariso
been instituted, the manuscript Of Nj
! Wight, the editor of the Farmer, woul
/ frequently have proved itself to be U
mean rival of the famous turkey tracks
! of Horace Greeley. Occasionally he woul
gotten fairly cold.
$ IN Chicago my health failed. Neve
y robust, and with naturally a weak back,
3 became afflicted with q disease of tn
! spine, complicated with severe rheumatism
producing a deformity which doubles
{ causes you to remember me as a muc
q smaller person than really was. When
II was first grown up | was perfectly straigh
l,E co. oh nd oh
y one hundred and forty pounds. Al
d whilst am upon this point it may be her
! said that although I have reyer foun
&c relief from the spinal curvature with whic
.. | am afflicted, my general health has
II late years improved, and at present l al
heavier than ever before. Neither have
D. lost my eyesight as your article say
Is although my eyes are certainly weak, an
y am sometimes obliged to desist ir0l
O. taxing them as much as possible.
IS Resigning my position in Chicago, tt
c Moline WorlndR was established in 1856
= The office was 10 the second story of a brio
T. building owned and partially occupied /
le the Brothers Pitts, both York State me-
20 one of whom was universally known as Il
q Squire, aud the other as the Captain
ST The first floor was occupied by Jacob
OF James Shaw, merchants, which firm SOC
Se became Shaw X Reed. Afterwards Il
70 Office was removed to the second story
h. a new block then newly erected by Chan
a. berlin & Dean, and it was there sold it
v Graham & Webster They removed it
w building rented from James Chapmt
a and changed the name of the paper. III
IL first number was printed upon the press
IL Raymond Il Wharton, in Rock Island, q
CT forms being taken hither and returned
Moline in a wagon, my own press haviT
been delayed on the way up the river fro
re St. Louis.
" The Workman was established as 6
~ independent paper, but neutral in polite
n and for a time this policy was fairly carrie
ny out. / am aware that, 10 neutral pane
ne the forbidden subject Of politics aoa j
l trude itself, aud the bent of the editor
&c mind will occasionally be unconsciously r
: vealed by the contents of the shee
There is little doubt it may nave been
ne in this instance. But from the FIRST i
20 Concluded on next page.)