The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-06-01
dana AND HIS PAPER
Julian Ralph Chats About the Veteran
Editor Of the "Sun."
A Description OF Mr.. Dana's Work.
Room. and His Manner Of At
tending to the Daily Rou-
thea Hard Worker.
Julian Italph I'm Chatter.

Julian Ralph I'm Chatter.
You may see him on any day except Sum
day at the corner window in the third
story OF the Sun building, leaning back in
his chair to rap his fingers with his pencil
while he is thinking, or bending over a
table To write. The room in which he Is
seated Is one OF four that compose the
editorial suite. 1t contains a desk, two
chairs, a small table and n rug as its main
appointments. On the walls are n few
picturesque OF the Count Joannes. one
of the original quartet of Harper brothers,
one OF the late John Mcguire, a reporter,
and a framed Autograph advertising the
Willimantic Thread company. These
pictures have no special Significance.
Apparently they merely happened there,
for II is a rule that whatever picture, Or
namen or other thing drifts there stays
there. Mr.. Dana has no pride in the
adornment of his Office. He asks only
that II be kept clean and tidy. His home
is a palace. His Office is a workshop.
A revolving bookcase is on his desk, and
on top Of that is a stuffed owl. There is
a lounge, that j forgot, in n corner Of the
room, but MIR. Dana was never seen TO
use il. IL is evidently another bit of
fiotsam like the pictures.
His manner is almost certain to be vi
yacious. His good humor is perpetual.
That sounds impossible, or possible only
by straining eulogy, yet IL is his distin-
gushing characteristic, and its explana-
ton brings forward the queerest thing
about the man. And the queerest thing
Is the secret OF his success. He loves his
business. On that cou he can be
most g~ood-humored when he feels that
he Is writing an article that divides the
people between applause and indigna-
ton. i have often heard of men who
love their business, and have often heard
men claim that distinction for them
selves, but Charles A. Dana Is the only
man or journalist ! ever saw or knew who
gleefuly and heartily enjoyed his work,
At times he fairly bubbles over with the
enjoyment OF il. OF course that can only
be true of a man who loves life itself who
boasts perfect health and the power TO
satisfy his longings, be they humble or
grand. AT beyond sixty Mr.. Dana is the
youngest man, in spirits. in the Sun
office. his step is certainly the lightest, his
eye kindles the most frequently and spon-
taneously, his complexion and skin are
those OF a pedestrian.
remember once hearing a famous cabi-
net officer say TO him, on shaking hands
with him, "Well, Mr.. Dana, l don't see
how you stand this internal grind"
"Grind!" said Mr.. Dana: "You never
were more mistaken. have nothing but
fun"
"Bully" is n favorite word with him, a
word used only to express uncommon
pleasure, such as has been Afforded by n
trip abroad or a run to Cuba or Mexico,
or by something especially pleasing in
the SuR's columns.
you're letting yourself grow old" |
heard him say once to n decidedly decrepit
man. ID you read novels, n play bill
lizards, n walk a great deal?" "No, nc,
no." said the old man, sadly, at each
pause. II do" said Mr.. Dana, with the
exuberance of a child. I'll have fun from
morning till night"
have been asked the queerest ques-
tions abou Mr.. Dana wherever / have
zone on either continent. A favorite
question is this: "Docs Dana really come
down every morning and take up u SUBJ
ject, and say to himself, Now, what is the
natural, humdrum way of treating this? p
and does he, upon finding out what that
way is. order an article written In any
other way than that? Do you believe he
really says To himself, Everybody thinks
SO and so. therefore I'll take the opposite
grounds? OF course, that is absurd
The best answer to those or any other
questions about Mr.. Dam and his paper
is that no one except himself knows what
IL is going to do, Oh why it does il. But,
obviously, this is the direct result of an
ebullient. vigorous and waeeish nature,
touched just n little with sarcasm. With
that key you a read between the lines
of any article in his paper.
He is n persistent worker. He comes To
his desk at 10 in the morning and re-
mains until 8 in the evening. He writes a
great deal, and is apt to contribute to
every department of his paper except the
advertising columns. Nearly all his work
is dictated at first To n stenographer.
Then il is carefully revised, and then re-
vised again in proof. OF articles that
others write, he has seldom been known
IN rnnl an rnvx. In EnnntlSartDr In ntsl
the copy To the composing-room and
reads the proof. ale can raise more
Cain with a proof than any other man i'm
the world" ! once heard a printer say,
but that il not true. That distinction has
been nobly earned by Paul Dana, his son.
One thing that Mr.. Dan does To an ex-
tent not known on any other paper, is b
reading of proofs for what you might call
their appearance. Wherever he finds one
word or two short words forming n ragged
line by themselves at the end Of a para
graph. he goes through the paragraph TO
find words that can be stricken out TO al
low the paragraph To end solidly.
Above all things else he is quick in mind
and ven He can read all the
morning papers Of New York in Is min
utes. There is a whirl of paper in the air
during the operation, as he turns leaf after
leaf and runs his eyes up and down the
columns. He seems TO see instinctively
whatever each paper contains that is
peculiar or noteworthy, whether IL is n
stickful or n column. A new man at the
city desk of th Sun noticed that Mr.. Dana
sent for the papers every n and
almost instantly returned them. Wonder
ing at this, he asked the office boy what
the chief did with the papers. "Well,"
said the boy. a typical New York lad. II
pile 'cm ON his desk and he fires 'cm on
de floor, and then ! gadder 'em up agin
and bring 'em back TO you"
He Is as much quicker in speech and
decision as lightning is quicker than rain.
account-or, rather, IL is bewildering to
n who is not used To him. He seems To
hear all you are going to say when you
are just beginning To say IL. Here is an
example: In order not 10 bother
him too often. one of his