The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1884-03-30
TIE DEAD JOURNALIST.
The New York Press Clubs Burial
OF DR.. John B. Wo0d.-Tal.
mage'S Tribute.

Journalists neither live nor die like
other mortals. They are a race bv
themselves, these people of the pen.
race that is unfamiliar with the
5ybaritic atmosphere of life. They
know the weary sleeps, bat not the
fair gardens of existence.
thought OF the patient heroism OF
the vast army of writers who toll on
year after year nameiess, wien 1t the
funeral of DR.. Wood the other cay.
He had done newspaper work for
thirty years, and had been un-
usually successful as hs was un
usually able. Yet the great public
heard Of him frs. when it heard of
bis death. He had served it faith
fully and we'll for lifetime, but his
identity was lost in "ihe machine
press" the present system of iourn-
slism which. John Sainton most
truly Gays, "makes writer's as name
less SO convicts."
He had finished his work, and it
bad been good, yet he was utterly
unknown to the world he had min
istered to. In death as in life, he
was surrounded only by his fellow
workers. the few who knew him and
loved him. And who could have
nobler companionship? The men OF
brains bowed at his bier-the men
~tose thoughts daily fash round
the world, shaping. building. teach
ing the mind OF the multitude.
The jour alist's funeral was unlike
all other funerals. yet most imnres-
sige. Like his life it Was without
pretense. il wac genuine. 1t was
held in the rooms of the Press club,
of which he had been twice president,
and where he spent much OF both his
working and leisure time recently.
The little parlor was somber with
black drapings. against which tow
cred columns of white fowers-these
pallid and odorous tributes which af-
lection bestows upon the dead.
What man of equal importance in
any other profession or business
would have had so simple and un-
conventional funeral? Any rich
man. no matter how little he had
been loved, would have had post
humous honors more extravagant
Even the newspapers of this CITY,
with one exception, recorded his
death with cold brevity. The Rich
mond (Va.) State notices this and
asks il there is no fraternity in journ-
slism? If the death and loss OF every
man who lends his talents to the
press must be hidden from sight like
bis name. as was the fate of poor
Wood?
DR.. Wood-tbe title had been given
him by his fellow workers as an ex-
preston OF familiarity-was carried
to his grave by the loving hands of
his brother journalists, and laid in
the Press club lot.
They entered the rooms with soft
step and saddened faces. The dead
man had lived the gospel OF kindness,
and they loved him.
What a collection of interesting
individualities. They were the people
whose thought feeds the great ma
chine we call the press, among them
dozen or mere women.
These journalistic mouyners were
men whose faces had strength and
character in every feature. Their
eyes had seen life as it is, and known
its strange and disheartening faces.
They were manly men, rugged, net
regular, OF feature, as people OF mind
always are. Individual in dress, too;
that is, their clothing, though not
differing in cut or form from that of
ell other civilized men on this hsmi-
sphere. was. wi.ho't the fashion,
plate perfection which is as insepar>
able from the ettire OF the vain and
empty beaded tailor made man as his
vanity. A few carried an air OF being
more at home in the hot-nouss at
mosphere OF scoiety's parlors than IN
the journalistic workshop, but they
were by no means tAs intellectual
great of.the assembly.
Men who had worked With DR..
Wood when he was printer, and
men who had been beside him at the
editorial task-Joung men, cid men,
well-kaown men, and unknown men
we're there. Even the Chinese editor
was present.
As Mr.. Talmags altered tas hrie
but touching ealoxy over sse coffin
moro than one hrsnzsd and deep
linsd cheek Has vet With tears.
The dead journalist was only 81
years old, bat his hair and fall beard
were snow-whiss. Es locked like q
high prieai or patriarch. Oyerwork
had aged him. T.. TalBaes said:
ellis eyes were half sktinauishsd by
mianishs industry. IT, zee white hairs
ars no. frcsk Of aEs; bu. the frozen
sweat Of toll"
He Lost his life BY a strange aoci-
dent, tho resuli. perhaps Of his de.
fecsivs eyes shs. Between Il and
O'Clock on Sunday night while. wslk-
ing on pier No. 3 Of North river, he
fell into the 10y water. Though i'm
media.ely rescued he died within an
hour from tbs shock end exposure. He
>yI>ntiou vr.k.-x>I r.. a-&;oJo