The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-14
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
BENJAMIN LUNDY AND THE UNDER
GROUOD RAILROADS IN THIS
COUNTY.
An Interesting Sketch OF Exciting Tines
and Deeds In tho Past In La
Sale County.
HE FLOATs DOWN THE OHIO

About this time Charles Osborn started
a newspaper at Mt. Pleasant, called The
Phslanthropist, and Mr.. Lundy, for while,
took position upon 1t as assistant editor
He was invited to become joint owner OF
that paper with Osborn, but, having stock
of goods on hand to dispose OF, and the
best market being In the far west, he
packed up his wares, put them on fiat.
boat and tloated down the Ohi) the three
apprentices he had working at their trade
of making saddles and harness, on board of
the vessel, while he steered It! Arriving
on the Mississippi river, they rowed up
that stream to 81. Louis While In that
city, In 1910, the famous Missouri comprs d.
mise question was before the people--,hat
of admitting Missouri as slave state. On
that question be took an active part. In the
negative, Of course, writing nervous and
exciting ar icles'fo such Of the few news.
papers as would publish them. Congress
having decided against his views, he left,
not discouraged, but determined to watch,
to labor and to wait In the meantime he
had lost several thousand dollars, his spec
ulation proving to be a bad one, and he re.
turned on foot to his old home at ST. Glars
ville a distance of seven hundred miles |!
During his absence, Osborn had sold the
paper on which Mr.. Lundy had been EN-,
ployed, and the new publishers had decid-
eddy lowered its standard as the champion
of the black mans wrongs, and, besides, Ii
had been moved to J0nesboro, Tennessee
80 Mr. LuEdy determined to start a paper
of his own,
THE GENIUS OF UNIVERSAL EMANCIPATION
was the rather comprehensive name which
he selected for it, The field being open
for II newspaper at Mt. Pleasant, he remoy-
ed thither In 1921, when he commenced
his new venture. Not having press OF
his GwD, he had to hire his printing done
and the nearest printing Office with an
available outfit of type and press was al
Steubenville, Ohio, twenty miles away
To this place he trudged on foot, to and
fro, going with his pockets full of copy
returning with his printed papers on hi.
back! Verify, this was the very perfection
drumming newspaper under difficulties.
And 1t was small monthly in bach
woods settlement; yet 1t had readers every
where. Not paper In the whole country
was more extensively quoted, or misquotec
the emancipationists to approve, ant
"slaveocrats" to denounce, Its utterances
After having Issued eight numbers of hi
red hot" snti-slavery journal, he had al
offer to better his printing facilities. Tn,
owner Of the paper, which had been re-
moved from Mt. Pleasant to Jonesboro
had died, and left the paper without heat
and the Office was for sale. Mr.. Lundy'
friends urged him to enter and fill tn,
vacant post. He adopted their suggestion
aod at once started for Jonesboro, Tenn.
distance Of eight hundred miles. Abou
half OF the way he travelled by his favorit,
conveyance-"shanks' mare"-and the bal
ance In steamboat. Not being able Il
purchase the printing Office, he rented II
and at once went to work to learn the prac-
tical and mechanical part Of the printers
trade, and Of running newspaper; and, II
brief time, Issued his Genius, In both ,
weekly and monthly form. He had mad,
srssh venture In locating his "incendiary'
sheet IN Jsnssboro. He might almost u