Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-04-02
SHORTY" WILSON.
A Sketch Of the Writer of 'Quiet Oh
servatiOns."

From the Monongahela City Republican.
Below we print an appreciative notice
of former Belmont county boy, whose
contributions to The CHRONICLE first
brought him into notice as newspaper
man. 1t will be read witn pleasure by
many aequaintances:
Probably the most widely read news
paper articles now before the people are
thUse published in the Pittsburgh Dis
patch" under the heading Quiet Obser-
vations." 1t is entirely new feature in
the literture of daily papers, being an
entertaining admixture of law, theology,
medicine and philosophy. The style is
peculiar, being conversatlonal,a and while
there is not much that is stated in a
positive manner, there is always some
thing that sets the reader to thinking,
and points are not brought to eonclu+
sion, but the reader left to draw his cwn
from what has been said.
The writer, Mr.. Erasmus Wilson, is a
man six feet tall. rather careless in
dress, strong face ornamented with a
mustache which receives but little at
a conspicuous person on tue street. yet
as he walks along with black felt hat
pushed back, or half on the side of his
head. one hand in his pocket, and step
rather short for the length of his legs,
be would not be the one picked out as
the writer of Quiet Observations"
Mr. Wilson was born in Ohio, and is
about 40 years old. He attended an old
log school house, where he picked up the
'rudiments," which, coupled with con
siderable mother-wit, and propensity
for reading unusual books.has given him
broad and intelligent mind. He comes
of Quaker stock, Rev. McGirr, Quaker,
formerly living in the Pigeon Creek dis
trict, Washington county, being his un-
Gle. In boyhood he worked on "a farm,
and obtained taste for journalism by
contributing an occasional humorous
article to the county papers. Enlisting
in the 9Sth Ohio at Steubenville, he
served in the 14th corps under Sherman;
was wounded in the'elGow joint at Per>
ryville, and, lot wishing to be diseha-g4
ed, was detailed to the Typographical
Engineer Corps. in which he served as a
pathfinder" until the close of the war,
being mustered out in Cleveland. at
The close of the war he, having always
had taste fer the profession of medi>
cine. began its study, but health falling,
and having little faith in it as a science,
he went into the woods with a portable
saw mill. Regainipg lost health, he
purchased half interest in the Wash
ington (Pa) advance" now merged
into the observer" After about a
year be sold out, and in 1872 went
10 Pittsburgh. obtainingS situation on
the Leader" Thea he knocked about
from one paper TO another; finally, with
A sort of Bohemian feeling, he Travelled
South for an iron firm selling cotton
ties.
1t was while engaged in this business
that he wrote series of letters to the
Chronicle from various points South,
which were the first of his productions
to attract especial attention. Returning
he engaged in special work, chiefly such
matters as required scientific knowledge,
humorous or odd style. Becoming final
ly attached to the Dispatch staff as ed
itor of the curious condensations and
exchange editor, he served in that capa-
city for about year and half. The
@. o. column was started during the
session of the st. John Convention in
Pittsburgh, and seeming to meet with
favor, ives confined for awhile as an
experiment. until now it is one of the
established and most interesting features
of the paper.