Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-05-09

head of his profession in Philadelphia. II
1904. when he was only twenty-six year
old. he was awarded the first prize of 80
ciety for the best specimens of printing OF
exhibition. He was employed to print M
sons "Ornithology" from the manuscript
also a reprint of "Rees's Cyclopedia." Al
a Young member of the famous Phlladel
phia military corps known as the INC
Pherson Blues" he was one of the firing
squad on the occasion OF the celebratlon o
] Washington's funeral by Congress, then IL
session at Philadelphia. Five OF MS asso
ciates were living in that city at the tlmt
of my visit, namely Samuel Breck, aget
ninety s. Palmer, aged eighty-one .. r
Smith, aged eighty-one Charles n. BANK
er, aged eighty-five Quintou Campoell
aged eighty-five. | saw three Oh the nVe
veterans at that time.
| In 1919 Mr.. Carr was commissioned
major of a Pennsylvania regiment of in.
fantry, and rose to lieutenant colonel the
| following year. Serving faithfully all
through the war of 1S12-15, Colonel Carr
was honorably discharged at its close, and
| for many wears he was the sole survivor of
the field officers of the Army of 1919, in
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
| He married a daughter of William Bar
tram, the proprietor of the famous Botanic
| Garden. near Philadelphia, and in right of
his wife, after her fathers death, he carried
| it on from 1903 until 1850, a period of more
than forty years. He served the State as
Acknowledgement a few years, and was for a
long time an alderman and justice of the
peace in Philadelphia. In his days of pros
perity he was an active promoter of public
enterprises. Deprived of his property by
the vicissitudes of fortune in his old age,
he accepted the position of gate-keeper at
the institution where we found him.
"Our friend tells me-" I remarked, sthat
you were an errand-boy for DR.. Franklin
for awhile"
"Oh yes" he replied 81 served him as
such for the space of nearly two years. We
lived next door to DR.. Franklin, in Market
street, and he seemed to think much of my
father, who was frequently in his house by
invitation. l sometimes went there with
my father, and Franklin treated me very
kindly, having always pleasant word for
me. I was about ten years old when he
asked my father to allow me to do errands
for him. Young as l was, he sent me
everywhere, and 1 was very proud. He
sent me to the butcher, the grocer, the
printers, the bookstores, the doctor, and to
different gentlemen in the city. He was
him, often suffering great pain from his
malady, and yet he continued to write
great deal. I think he wrote two or three
pamphlets during the last year of his life.
I carried his manuscripts to the printers,
and also the proof His grandson,
Benjamin Franklin Bache, then just out of
college, who was much with his grand
father, assisted him in reading the proof
sheets. The young man started news
paper in the fall after Franklin died, and it
was in his establishment that learned the
trade of printer"
"Were you living with Franklin at the
time of his death p inquired.
eyes for three months before he died
was in his room great deal, to do errands
for the Doctor, for his attendant Mrs.
Hewson), and for the family. For two or
three weeks, I remember, DR.. Jones came
several times every day, and sometimes
brought DR.. Rush with him."
"Do you distinctly remember the person.
al appearance of Franklin?" l inquired.
Perfectly" he answered. SIT made a
strong impression on my young mind
When first began to do errands for him
he was quite well-went out frequently
and received much company. He was then
strong built man, over seventy years of
o.
and inclined to corpulency. HIS complex
ion was fair, though he was an old man (;
his eyes were gray and very bright when
he was engaged in conversation his hair
was thin and long, but not very gray his
mouth was not large and had decidedly
sweet expression. Franklin was polite
and kind to everybody, whether he was
servant or Senator, for he was always
gentleman. l remember when Washington
called to see him, while on his way to Nav
York to be inaugurated President of the
United States. They embraced like BROTH
ers. Franklin had been suffering much
pain that morning, but was relieved at the
time of the Presidents call, when his man
ner was cheerful, almost playful at times,
for he was rejoiced to see his friend. They
never met again on the earth"
"You say you learned the printers trade
in the establishment of Mr. Bache, Frank
Inns grandson" remarked.
eyes, l was his apprentice fIom 1872 to
1877. After had been with him year,
finding me rather expert in detecting er-
rors in proof-sheets, | was frequently en-
ployed as assistant proof-reader and in car
rying the corrected sheets to the writers
for his paper, The Advertiser. When the
government was removed to Philadelphia
friendly to Mr.. Bache, because he was
near kinsnan of Franklin, and occasionally
wrote something on public matters for The
Adrertiser He also had official papers
printed at our Office. | carried corrected
proef-sbeets to President Washington, and
sometimes assisted him in the reading and
making proper printers marks for correc-
tions, which he did not always under
stand"
$50 you were once an errand-boy for DR..
franklin and Washington's assistant proof
reader" remarked.
sIt is even so, and am proud of the
SERVICE" said the veteran with bright
smile of satisfaction. ''But Washington's
friendship for Bache soon cooled" he con-
tinued. Jefferson gained the control of
Bache and his newspaper, politically, after
Freneau left the city. He was a violent
political enemy of Hamilton, you know,
and many articles we're published in Bache's
paper abusing the Secretary of the Treas
uary and other leaders of the Federal
party, not even sparing the President
Under the name of the aurora, the paper
published most scandalOus attacks upon
Washington's administration. distinctly
remember the great excitement in Phila-
Selphia caused by an outrageous article in
the aurora against w dSulnStOD, uay VI
two after he retired from the Presidency in
the spring of 1897. l we'll remember that
tie butchers of Spring Garden, who had
been soldiers under Washington, were SO
incensed that they marched in body to
attack the aurora Office. They threw its
types into the street and nearly destroyed
the inside of the looms"
"Political excitement ran high at that
time, did it not?" / asked.
"Never more violent SINCE" he replied.
ssWhy, for q while it separated families
and religious denominations in social inter-
course. The pulpits became political ros-
trums. remember that in May, 179S, on
day of fasting and prayer, the ministers,
by their violent denunciations from the
pulpit, of 'Jacobins,' secret societies and
philosophers, almost created riot. The
excitabie population of Philadelphia were
specially melted to violence against the
Republicans or Democrats who were thus
denounced. Fearing violence, Bache, with
armed friends, so protected the aurora
office that no damage was done. Mr..
Bache was personally assaulted on the
street, but was not much injured but the
same year he fell a victim 10 the terrible
scourge of yellow fever, which smote the