Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-05-11
CHANGED HIS COURSE
How a Letter to Greeley Brought the
Great Editor to Pittsburg.
THE WRITER TAKEN BY SURPRISE,
Judge Logan Gently Praises the Inter.
State Commission.
A FEW CHATS WITH LOCAL CITIZENS

One of Pittsburg's oldest manufacturer
was in a reminiscent mood yesterday, ant
among other things he related was an &C
count of visit that Horace Greeley onc'
paid this city, which has not yet appeared
in print. 1t was during the war days.
Previous to the interstate conflict tht
great New York editor had been radical anG
vigorous in his denunciations of slavery
and 1t is probably due as much
to his strong writings as any Other
cause that the rebellion was precipitated in
1860, but when the war commenced Mr..
Greeley began to hedge in his editorials.
afraid to apply them when the time came.
a local club of 100 Pittsburgers, most oi
them employed in Shoenberger's mill,
didn't like the crawfsh gu alities displayed
by the Tribune editor, SO one day they held
a meeting and appointed one of their num-
ber to write Mr.. Greeley a letter.
CALLED HIM DOWN.
The cleverest writer was selected, and he
penned a strong epistle. Among other
things he said that if the Government was
to be sustained, that the press of the North
must show more back bone, and the Tribune
in particular. Its former vigorous policy
was not in keeping with its weak utter
ances.
This letter was duly sent to Mr.. Greeley,
more as joke than anything else, and the
boys forgot all about it. One day a tail
man with white hat and broad rim, long
coat of the same color reaching to his
ankles, fine picture of the typical Yankee
farmer, stood in the office of Shoenberger's
m
Horace Greeley. He wanted to see
the man who wrote him that letter, and the
letter-writer, not expecting such denoue-
ment was badly ratified for a moment. But
he quickly recovered his equilibrium, and.
some of the members of the club coming to
his rescue and indorsing the letter, he was
willing to submit to an interview.
The conference was held, and the editor
was so pleased with the writer that the pair
were soon seen walking over the mill prop
erty, arm in arm. Mr.. Greeley didn't
say what he would do, but the next
week there was red-hot editorial
was along the line mapped out for him by
the Shoenberger club. He acknowledged
that he had been wrong, and he wished to
make amends and come out on the right
side.
QUITE A NOVEL SEQUEL.
Some time atterward Greeley visited
Pittsburg again. He was accompanied by
General Butler. At that time the General
had already distinguished himself at New
Orleans, and he was very popular. Greeley
took him to see the nail mill out Penn ave-
nue.. The boys got an inkling that they
were coming. and it was agreed that at a
given signal the mill should be stopped.
When Butler and Greeley got into the
works, suddenly the whistle blew, the ma
chimes ceased their busy whir, and the en-
ployes surrounded the two famous men and
demanded speech. The occasion was a
novel one, but Butler was not to be outdone.
Greeley helped him to Chamber up on a pile
of nail kegs and the Generals effort was ap-
preciated. The doors of the mill were
thrown open, and in Is minutes, the narra-
tor SAYS, an audience of 800 people mad
collected. The General made great speech
on war subjects, which was enthusiastically
received, Greeley, with some others, leading
in the applause.
For some reason Greeley did not speak,
but the old iron mans eyes frightened as he
remembered the pleasant event. He said he
would be always thankful for one thing,
and that was that he had voted for Horace
Greeley for President