The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-03-28
OUR OWN oARToOEIsTs.
Inside Facts Concerning Their Lives Tom
Mast, Matt Morgan, Joe Keppler,
Tom Worth, Hopkins and
Many Others.

patch recently had an interview with
Mr.. f. Jump, the caricaturist who, il
will be remembered, spent number OF
years in this city, and won considerable
praise for some of his work The re-
porter said to Mr.. Jump:
Are caricaturists engaged on the IL
lustrated journals on a regular sala-
ry?''
'SOme of the best known" replied the
artist, ''are engaged regularly, but a
number refuse TO make any bidding con
tracts, preferring to work on the out
side. and sell their ideas and sketches.
But there are are objections TO doing
this. inasmuch as unprincipled foremen
can, aad often do, steal an idea that has
been offered for sale and refused Oh
course they will not have fac simile OF
the picture offered, but the ruling idea
will prevail, and in caricature, ideas are
what make them popular On this ac-
count the best known men work regu-
larly for one firm, and it is the best way,
as they have a sure income, and can
profit by the ideas of the attaches of the
journal. 1t is not to be supposed that
men like Tom Mast originate all their
own pictures, for Pro Bono Publico'
and Constant Reader write as much to
Harper's and Leslie's as they do to the
great dailies, and often suggest an idea
that, touched up by an artists pencil
becomes a famous caricaturc. And
then the editors and reporters often fur
nish good subject. OF course Mast
gets all the credit, and has thus become
the acknowledged caricaturist of this
country | do not wish to detract from
his merit; his work proves his ability. :"
What is there about Mast interesting
to the public9''
''Oh, the public knows all about him,
he has lectured, and has been here 50
hong He is saving of his money, and is
therefore very rich, for his salary has
been for years $3.50 a week, and he has
done outside work besides. He is the
highest paid artist in the profession. He
has been on the winning side of politics
for years, and has really made the
Weekly what it is. He has the knack of
caricaturing public men and politics.
and is without an equal in that line.
What about Matt Morgan?"
Matt Morgan is an elegant artist.
with vast fund of ideas on all conceiv-
able subjects. He is a better general
here so long that he knew just what the
while Morgan had to experiment with
them. He was first brought here by
Frank Leslie from England, during the
Greeley campaign, to fight Mast and he
made a gallant struggle, and has made
a reputation co-extensive with the coun-
try He has abandoned caricaturing for
the time being and is settled in Cincin-
natl with CREST show printing house,
on salary of $500 week the year
round. He apparently intends to stay
there, as he is building $40, 900 house
on the hill. He is very much devoted
to. his family and always has kept them
in elegant style. He is very fond of his
six children.
Does Joe Keppler rank nextP''
We'll, | de not know as | wish 10
state the rank in which these artists
stand In the popular estimation Keep
pier would come next. He is very well
known here, as he was a resident for
long time; in fact, published two or
three papers, and was married to St.
Louis lady. 1t is peculiarly that he
madetno money to speak of in this city.
He left here underengagement to Frank
leslie at n salary of 800 week, and
after awhile started Pick; his partner,
put up all the money.
1t was printed in German, q good idea,
as it is 1he only comic paper of ability
in that language.
s.Ballou is probably the oldest earica-
turist in New York. He has also sen
in the business. He has owned at diff
ferent times two or three comic papers.
was one, | believe. He has
never attached himself to any one paper
but has worked for all, and So, with
Harry Stevens, who s also an old d-timcr
is well known And then there is Wales
and Tom Worth, of the Judge. They
have been known for many years. -
W orth makes a speciality tor used toy OF
horses and sports. Most of those carr
catures Of trotting horses and jockeys
which hang around town owe their or
igin to his pencil. Berjhaus, now with
Puck, is very good on mammalia As
a rule, artists have a speciality. For in
stance l used to make a speciality OF
faces, and was frequently assigned to
w ashington to take Senator'S and other
public men who had an objection to
having their photographs taken. In my
this way / have met most
of the artists of this country. By the
way, Hopkins is as funny as writer as
an artist He used to be on Wild oats
anu the GTOpHIc- ne Is Ine only Out
| can recall who is good in both branch
es y
What is the ordinary salary of car
icaturst?"
Oh, IT varies; there are some who re
ceive $50 week, and others S75, and
800, and so on. 1t depends altogether
on the man himself. -
How are these pictures drawn by the
mostly on Bristol board, with pen
and ink They are then photographed
down to the size that they are to be
printed in. They are mostly lithograph-
ed, although Harper's pictures are
woodcuts The New York Graphic Is
printed The original way was taken
from the Canadian Illustrated Nesos and
was called a Leggotype, after the inven-
tor That was the scraped glass pro
cess. But now time is the great disid-
eratilm, and fetty ink is used, which
IS printed on the stone. which eats the
stone and leaves the picture in relief. -.
This is done very quickly. Itwould
pc difficult to print the Graphic other
wise -
Are you engaged in newspaper work
aow?,'a
mo; I am employed now by great
houses. on theatrical and
aispIay work ana on ear1carures for sa
oons and other places of public resort.
By the way, this was first introduced