Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1883-03-02
How News Was Carried Forty Years

hbVs
II not the Oldest OF all, Mr.. w. I.
Miskey, now Of Media, Pa, is certainly
one of the oldest newspaper men in the
State. His journalistic career began in
October, 1886, when he entered the
service Of the United States Gazette, Of
Philadelphia, which was then published
at u. 66 Dock Street. Mr.. Miskey, in
reviewing his early experience as news
gatherer draws upon an almost exhaust
less fund OF interesting "reminiscences.
One OF his achievements was TO get q
copy of Governor David X. Porter's
message from Harrisburg to philadel-
phia in time for publication the morning
after il was read. Snow had obstructed
the track, but the conductor needed the
earnest appeals of the solitary messen-
ger, who was the only passenger on the
train, and made up time enough TO
strike connecting train at Lancaster.
That conductor was John Brown, now
a clerk in the Philadelphia Postoflice.
The editor Of the Gazette at that time
was Hon. Joseph r. Chandler, and in
commenting on the message he said that,
"having no extra hands at our Office,
we rather dragged in the publication.
for it is of most learned length"
A noteworthy incident of Mr. Miskey's
experience was the manner in which,
before the telegraph came into existence,
the first news of the vote in the Presi-
dental election of 1910, as cast by the
voters in distant county of New Jer-
sey, was forwarded TO New York. Mr..
Miskey tells the story thus: at was
hoped that the lower counties in New
Jersey, Cape May, Cumberland and
Salem would give their votes to General
Harrison, and, as the Presidential cleo
ton was not held, rs now, on the same
day throughout the United States New
York State voting the day after New
Jersey, it was thought if the result was
favorable for the Wings, that the news
should be sent in time to New York to
| influence the election there. Mr.. Bur-
CESS, news agent, arranged to bring in
by express those three counties, and 1t
was settled that l should bring in the
returns from the most out-of-the-way
county in the State-Atlantic. This
county had no railroads, and was
then strongly Democratic, and it was
important to get the vote Immediately
after the polls closed, so that if very
close vote was cast it could not be tam.
pered with TO elect Van Buren,. en-.
gagged livery stable keeper in Camden
to put three good horses on the road
at Mays Landing (the county seat),
Blue Anchor Tavern and Haddonfield--
and few days before the election ar
ranged with persons in Mays Landing
to bring in by express the vote of the
eight outlying voting places as soon a!
counted. The last of these riders came
in about one o'clock in the morning
when my ride was to begin. 1t wa
foggy, dark and drizzling-a real No
vember night. To attempt to see O.
pick out the road was out of the question
SO concluded to give the animal hi
head and go it blind The horse wa
spirited and away We went through SAM
and small streams, over bridges an,
log roads, but arrived safe in good tim
at the first change, where landlord an
hostler awaited me. From Longacom
ing to Haddontield the country is NOR
open, and before 1 got to Candle
CLEANS of daylight were perceptible.
was in good time for the six a. m. trai
for New York. The Wing Executiv
Committee decorated the locomotiy
with flags, an extra was issued by tn
Gdzette and all the Wings held gran
jubilee. ."-Philadelphia Record.