Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-12-08
270 CLEARFIELD Pa, WEDNESDAY DECEMBER s. 1880
SIMON CAMERON, PRINTER.

SIMON CAMERON, PRINTER.
The Proof Sheet, Philadelphia, pub
fishes photo electroiypo OF the in.
dentures Of Simon Cameron, when Lc
was an orphan hoy, and bound out to
learn a trade with Andrew Kennedy
ut Northumberland. Accompanying
1t iss letter from the venerable Mr.
Cameron himself, which we lay before
our readers. 1t will be seen that be
does not touch upon his early expert
ence in publishing paper in Doyles.
town, which we have heard from bis
lips. The young men Of to-day, who
have an idea Of being something should
read this letter carefully and ponder
over il:
HARRIsBuRG, April 2Sth, 1880.
Dear SIR Your letter of the 26th
inst, enclosing photo clectrotype of my
Indentures, came duly TO hand, and !
am much Obliged TO you for il, and for
the interest that inspired the friendly
words Of your note.
very willingly comply with your
request for some memoranda of that
portion Of my life when worked at
my trade,
was bound an apprentice to the
printers trade, us the lndentures show,
ut the town of Northumberland, Pa,
on May II, 1876. One year alter this,
my master Andrew Kennedy, gave up
his business, and | was forced to look
out for another place. Coming TO Har
risburg in search Of employment, | en-
gagged with Mr.. James Peacock, pro-
prletor and editor OF the Harrisburg
Republican, and also Public Printer, to
serve with him the remainder of my
apprenticeshlp,-to wit, three years
That | did. To FULLY learn the busl.
nes1, il was then cpnsdere essential
tO master the working OF the press
Old printers will understand, better
than those Of this aye of steam, the
severity Of this part of the trade, even
to young men Of robust physiquo.
But, owing to i'll health and physical
dellcacy Of constitution, was almost
killed by this exacting labor That
part Of the business which | could do |
without this extreme labur--the type
setting, &c.-was always pleasant TO |
me; for IL gave me all the opportunity |
u lean purse then permitted to secure,
the Tudimenls of education Indeed |
this was why ! chose that trade
After serving the term of my ap
premiership with Mr. Peacock, | work |
cd journey work with him. Consider
ing Washington the cenrtre and focus
OF political effort and information, and
being at an early age attracted TO pol
iticA, | determined to try my chance
for work where ! could see the leading
men and study the current Of politics
at the Capital. Going there, found
IN the office Of Gales 4
publishers of the National In
'eiiigeHcer Here worked, as did all
other iOurneymen, for ten dollars per
week, laboriug eleven hours a day. |
noticed then, rs | have since, that the
men WHO got on best were thpse who
worked these long hours, and then at
'0ver-work" at twenty cents an hour
The idlers and discontented came to
the end. Here | found Til
Iinghast X. Collins, who gave me the
benefit of his friendship aud ald aud
TO this day, look back on the fifty or
sixty working men in that printing
house US perhaps the most intelligent
| ever saw in a workshop. Many of
them have since filled places of honor
and trust.
While working at Washington, |
heard that the Harrisburg Republican
Ion which ] served the greater part
Observation-Disclosures Tor sale, aud |
concluded to buy it If could ar
range to do 30. This was accom-.
plished and became JOINT editor and
with Charles Mowry. Il
was shortly afterwards elected State
Printer and was ri elected for SEVEN
years conseculively. This was the
period OF my hardest labor do not
think that slept more than FIVE hours
Of the twenty.iUur ON an average, dur.
my that time and then, utterly brok-
sn in health. retired from the case
with what was then comfortable
iOrtune--about $4,000.
After that engaged in other pur.
suits, and pro-pered well aud have
Al l,yava attrihItad yhotnvur ,vaa and