The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-24
WHO BROUGHT THE COPY.
A Reporters Assignment and Its
Strange tulf1llment.

A Reporters Assignment and Its
Strange Fulhllment.
From the Nea1 York Tribune.
"Mr. Wilson. how soon can you get ready
to start lor H. MR.
"In an hour, sir"
This conversation took place in the Office
Of the New York Chronicle one morning
as the men on the staff came TO receive their
assignments. II the city editor had asked
Wilson how soon he could get ready to
start for Alaska be would have received
precisely the same reply.
Edward Wilson hurried of TO his rooms.
and hastily packing few necessaries in a
vallse reported back at the Office in exactly
an hour.
He was paragon Of a reporter" you
will saw, This Wilson" But he was merely
an ordinary city staff reporter, who, like
thousands OF Others on the big dailies of
America. stand ready at an hours notice to
start Tor any part of the world.
This Illinois story will bring two col
umns. even if I'm recalled immediately
be unused as he ratified up to the Grand Cen
trai station In hanson; 1.-TWO columns will
bring my bank account up to $780, and 800
VIII bring the wife and little one TO New
York" Wilson thought with delight how
happy they would be in his comfortable lit
ant little day-dream.
In fifteen minutes the Buffalo express.
bearing the newspaper man TO his destina-
ton, rushed snorting out of the Harlem tuu-
mel, like another earth bound Thor rejoicing
at his freedom. Past the end Of Manhattan
Island, past Riverdale, Yonkers and all the
lovely northern suburbs of the city, along
the rolling Hudson, past the muddy Mohawk,
then, as night fell, screaming past the little
namlets sleeping under the hills of Central
new ORR, and on, on. on, to the great lakes.
There was nothing in the car. to interest
w llson, and as the sun sunk behind the
ripening wheat hills he dozed fitfully and
waking, would sleep again. waking and
sleeping by fitful starts and wondering what
IL was that kept him in vague, but all the
more fearful terror. Finally he slept, and
1t was while he dreamed that terrible acct
dent happened. The trestle bridge over a
swollen creek, weakened by the rush of
waters, had given way under the advancing
train ard 300 people were hurled into the
creek.
Three or four men hurriedly finishing late
copy" A doing office boy waking every
few minutes to glance at the clock and long
for O'Clock and freedom. The night desk
Uttered with proof slips and ''held over
copy;" no sound but the operator ticking
goodnight" to his far-off brothers and an
OSCaSiondA ouOut Oh copy! from Une desk
A tall figure in capped overcoat and
travelling cap enters the room, and, silently
walking up to the night desk. lays some
copy" before the editor. The men in the
office, bending over their work, do not see
him pass, but the Office boy, brushing his
hat, yawns: "Good-morning, Mr.. Wilson,"
but the form goes straight on.
Cant use this, Mr.. Wilson," says the
editor, looking at the clock. why, it's
l:5o; the papers going to press. What is it,
anyway
Yes, by George. we will run It," he con-
tinues, excitedly; Jim, stop the presses"
Then to the operator: Have you an
accident on the New York and Buffalo
yet?'
mo, sir"
How did you get it, Wilsonl"
But the form had gone
My God listen to this" says the sub
editor. 1.-THE accident must have occurred
at so exactly. Among the dead was
Edward Wilson, a reporter on the New
York Morning Chronicle. What was it,
then, that brought this copy ina"
II don't know" replied the editor, in
hushed voice. "5end the story up, Just as
| it Is. 1t runs exactly two columns"