Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1891-10-10
MEMORIES or THE ALTA.
( The Early Days OF tho Oldest Sac Fran.
1 cisco N~wspap.r Recalled.


The demise few weeks ago of the
San Francisco Aita California. the old
est newspaper OF the Golden State. and
for many years the most powerful and
attractive. calls up many reminis-
cences. Que OF which is the fact that it
took a stand in favor of the first vigil
anee committee by its printers jeff
ing" John Nugent. who before go-
ing 10 Califc. ::ia was n Washington
correspondent of the ". Y. Herald.
was the editor and proprietor of the
San Francisco Herald which in tho
early days OF San Francisco was the
best mOney-making paper on the Pa
oitic coast. The Alta was owned by
an association of printers. who Just
managed TO make both ends meet. Ii
was known what course Nugent would
pursue. He was an ont aud out law
and order" man. democrat from the
word go and yiruIent opponent OF
the vigilante methods. The printers
on the Alta were about equally divided.
the majority being opposed TO the
methods of the committee, however.
But one of them. with little Talley.
rand in his makeup. said:
Now il our chance to forge 10 the
front Nugent will oppose the vigil
1nce committee. but the people are
18th it"
But" cried another typo. there is
leader already on galley denounc-
ing the vigilantes."
Il move that one from each side
jeff whether we come out for or against
the committee" suggested the fore
man.
This was agreed to, and the EN-
quads were got and the ''jefiing" COM
meneed.
In few moments the contest closed.
those in favor of sustaining the com.
mittee being the winners. The next
morning the Alta came out virtuously
for heroic measures aud the Herald
against the committee. There were
two sides, but one was like q pigmy
looking up at the pyramids There
was only 4 sickening minority. II
vas the grasshopper in the turkey COB
bler's mouth. Nugent was known to
be as true as steel to his principle and
to his friends. but whole broadsides of
big advertisements went from the
Herald to the alta. The latter was
enlarged aud became the organ of the
people, and the chivalrous Herald sick
ened and died.
Tne Alta went on aud upward and
made many man rich. continues the
n. Y. Times. One of its pr0prietorS
made over 81 10000 and lost it all Ia
stocks. and afterward borrowed 800.
600 from Leland STAFFORD. He died a
few years ago total wreck. and hi.
paper was resuscitated by James e.
Fair. the Central Pacific Railroad Com
oany. some friends of Justice Stephen
j. Field and a man named McLlugh-
lin. and for about eight years the dear
old Alta has eked out precarious ex-
istence by getting little out OF thr
railroad. the water company and tn,
Sharon estate. off and on. until. al,
forsaking il, on account of its loss o!
circulation and lack of power and in.
huence and generally turgid ways. il
died a solemn aud almost unnoliced
death.
But it had been great paper in it.,
day and made many millions of dol.
lars. II had two of its editors killed
in duels. 1t followed Broderick Baker
and L. Starr King To their graves. l.
stood out for the union ali through tn,
war and died al the age of forty. Dur
ing the last live years it has been Ell.
tied by Mad named Irish. who ha'
thrown just so much time away, as he
received only small pay, vet is one Of
the most delightful writer's upon the
Pacific coast aud by far the foremost
orator.