, 1890-03-12
A GREAT WEEKLYs STAFF.
The Editors of and Contributors to Tn,
Illustrated London News.

Illustrated London News.
The editor of The Illustrated London
News, Mr.. Latey, Sr., is one of the sew.
eral servants of the newspaper who have
been there almost from the beginning,
Mr.. Latey was not the first editor, a Mr..
Bailey having filled the post for some
few years, to be succeeded by DR.. Charles
Mackay, author of There's Good Times
Coming, Boys" and many other popular
songs, who was editor from 184S to 1859.
The office of The News is certainly
favorable to longevity. DR.. Mackay's
death at an advanced age was reported
only a week or two since. Mr.. Plum
mer, who was cashier back in those
early days, was still drawing checks in
the office less than twelve months ago.
The sub-editor is no longer young.
As to Mr.. Latey, the editor-in-chief, his
beautiful old world are the
chief indication of his age, for there he
works away like any young fellow of 80,
bearing the burden of an exciting post
on his shoulders in the office familiar to
his steps since he was really young.
The reason why the business of a paper,
that really needs all that the enterprise
of youth can do to keep it properly up
"A1h AiitoS iuohlhS lllllt5s ID 50 ldTRely III
the hands of very old servants makes a
pretty story on the whole. Herbert In
gram, the founder of The News, though
in most respects a singularly strong and
sturdy minded man, had a morbid hor-
ror of storms. DIR. Mackay tells how
absolutely terrified the calm, astute pro-
prietor of the paper was while with him
in Switzerland during a thunder storm
of great violence. By a horrible coinci-
dence he had to battle for his life for a
long time-and lose it at last-in the
midst of a wild storm of lightning and
thunder. 1t was on Lake Michigan, in
September, 1860. The steamer Lady Ell
gin, on board which were Mr.. Herbert
Ingram and his eldest son, who were
making a pleasure trip through the
states, was run into in the dark by
another vessel and shortly after sank,
n of 303 persons on board only ia
were saved. The dead body of Herbert
Ingram was washed ashore, fastened to
a spar, some three hours afterwards. 1t
was still quite warm-showing that the
unfortunate man had only just expired.
For all those hours he had tossed about
fighting vainly for life, in the midst of a
violent storm of thunder, on the dark
waters of the inland sea.
The News was by this time eighteen
years after establishment a good prop
erty, and Ingram left a family of sons.
Many people advised his widow, whom
he left with full discretion, to at once
sell the paper. Her boys were not old
enough to manage it, IL friends thought
she could not do SO. But she said mo-"
if she could keep it going it would be a
fine property for her sons, and she did
not feel justified in throwing it away.
So she called together the head men in
the various departments of the office,
and laid her position before them, and
she and her upright servants together
worked the paper on successfully, till
such time as her boys grew to be men
n could take the management into
their own hands. They have it now:
two sons, Mr.. William Ingram, late NJ.
p. from his fathers native town of Bos-
ton, and Mr.. Charles divide the manage
ment between them, and they have a
resolution not to dismiss any of the old
servants who served them and their
mother SO well in their need.
Mr.. George Augustus Sala was for
years one of the literary props of The
Illustrated London News. His Echoes
of the Week." with their quaint lore and
drol little stories about everything that
happened, were eagerly looked for and
did much to keep The News popular in
the literary department. Sala writes no
more for it now. What were his columns
are at present filled for English consump-
ton with the mild jokes of Mr.. James
Payn, the novelist, while the American
edition has the same space occupied by
Mr.. Howard Paul, whose brisk native
humor, l suppose, sits 'the other side
better han Mr.. Payn's placid little puns
and tiny jokelets.
Other literary contributors, regular or
occasional, are Mr.. Davenport Adams,
who almost equals Mr.. Sala in the varie-
ty and extent of his knowledge and the
lightness of his touch; Mr.. w. W. Feun,
a blind literary man, whose forte is de-
scribing scenery; Miss Clio Graves, a
young girl dramatist noted for dressing
in a mans evening coat and vest, with a
"dickey" fastened with a ruby stud,
above which her handsome face and dark
cropped hair make her look exactly like
a young fellow; Mr.. Clement Scott, the
playwright, who "does" the criticisms of
the theatres, and Mr.. John Lates, Jr.,
one of the most capable all round jour
nalists of London, equally good at a ten
der little set of verses, a thrilling story,
and a serious 'leader." The art editor
is Mr.. Mason Jackson; the literary and
pictorial departments being kept quite
distinct.-London Letter.