Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1884-01-26
NJ. QUA0.

A member of the Detroit Free
Press staff gives some interesting
gossip about Charles B. Lewis, or
M. Quad, . who has made tina,
paper famous by his humorous ar
ticies. Lewis. says he is now a
man of fOr.y-five, pleasant and
Jovial Ia company, but perhaps
better satisfied in solitude. He
started life as a printer on a one
horse paper in Lansing, Michigan.
But he had ambition for something
better, and, seeing one day an ad-
vertisement in printers journal
that there was a paper wanting an
editor in JoneSbOrO, Tennessee, he
applied for the. situation and his
proposition was accepted. He
threw up his situation at Lansing
and started for Jonesboro. Coming
into Cincinnati he was surprised at
the bigness of the city, and when
he saw the steamer which was to
convey him down the river putting
and blowing out great quantities of
steam he rather feared to enter her.
He went up to the clerk who was
taking bills of lading, and asked
him if he thought there was any
danger of the. steamer Blowing up,
and if SO he did not care to go.
A crowd of passengers standing
by laughed, and the clerk was in
clined to think that Lewis was try
ing to guy him. A glance at his
green country air and look at his
honest face convinced him that the
young man was in earnest, and he
assured him that the Magnolia,
for it was that famous boat, was all
right, and that he could safely
trust himself TO her. With that
nj. Quad took his bundle from his
shoulder and stepped on board.
Now rival boat had got about fif-
teen miles start of the Magnolia,
and as she left the wharf she put on
all steam, intending to catch and
pass her. Lewis supposed it was
all right, and was much interested
in watching the machinery. The
Magnolia was the fastest boat on
the river, but this time she outdid
herself, and just as she came in
sight of the rival boat the boiler
burst, and up went the ship, and
Lewis went up with it, but coming
down near the shore, he was able
to crawl to dry land, when he sank
down insensible. Being so near
the engine he was badly injured,
and his face was so covered with
SCOT that he looked like a negro.
Those who came to the assistance
of the other passengers thought him
such and paid no attention to him
until all the other passengers were
called for. Then they took him in
charge and sent him to the hospi-
tai at Cincinnati. His eyes were
almost put out, and it was not
thought that he would live. Not
withstanding all this he recovered,
after pretty hard siege, and con-
cluded TO go back to Michigan.
He did so. and obtained work as a
printer on one of the country pa
pers in the interior of the state.
This paper was called the JacksOni-
an, and its editor was rather a slow
going coach, who used the SCISSORS
rather than the pen. One day he
went away from town, leaving
Lewis in charge, and not enough
copy to fill up the paper. Lewis
was at his wits end, but he finally
decided to write enough to fill it
up himself. He then composed the
article giving a full account of his
on the Mississippi in de-
tail. 1t was headed, 'HOw it Feels
to Be Blown Up And Lewis
it in humorous vein,
setting it up as he went along. The
was copied widely and,
among other papers, in the Detroit
Free Press. Quimby, its editor,
shortly afterward engaged Lewis TO
go to Lansing and write up the legis-
lature for him. He did this so well
that at its close he was called to De-
trOit to take permanent local
place on the paper. He came into
The city and directly to the Office,
where he accosted the local editor,
and told him he had come 10 be one
Of his locals and told him he would
like to write up dog fight which
he had had seen on his way from
The depot. The local editor replied
hat it was not usual to report dog
lights, but that he might try. He
lid so, and the article was copied
rom Dan to Beersheba.