The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-10-22
MEMORIES OF The ALTA.
The Early Days Of the Oldest San Fran.
cisco Newspaper Recalled.

The demise Il few weeks ago of the
San Francisco 1tl CHiit0THja. the old
est newspaper of the Golden State, and
for many years the most powerful and
attractive, calls up many reminis-
cences, one of which is the fact that it
took a stand in favor of the first vigil
ance committee by its printers Jeff
ing" john Nuycnt. who before ro-
inc TO California was WASHINGTON
spondGnt OF the n. Y. Ucraid,
was the editor and proprietor of the
San Francisco Hcrdid. which in the
early days of San Francisco was the
best money-making paper Un the Pa
ciiic coast. The .itU HaS owned bv
an association of printers. who lust
managed 10 make both ends meet. 1t
was known what course NuTrnt would
pursue. He was an out aud out law
and order lnan, democrat from the
word 90 and yirulcnt opponent of
the yi@iIantc methods. The printers
on the Atr were about equally divided,
the majority being opposed to the
methods of the committee. houever
But one of them. with n little Talev-
rand in his makeup. said:
Now is our chance to forge to the
front. Nugcnt will oppose the vigil
ance committee, but the people are
with it,
But" cried another typo, there is
leader already on galley denounc-
ing the yigilanteS."
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-
guads were got aud the '.jellingn COM
menccd
In a few moments the contest closed,
those in favor of sustaining the COM
mittee being the winners. The next
morning the Alta came out virtuouslv
for heroic measures and the UefuH
against the committee. There were
two sides, but one was like pigmv
looking up ut the pyramids. THere
was only Il sickening minority. 1t
was the grasshoDper in the turkey COB
bler's mouth. Nugcnt was known to
be as true as steel to his principle and
TO his friends bat whole broadsidcs of
big advertisements went from the
Herald 10 The Ata. The latter WAS
enlarged and became the organ of the
people. aud the chivalrous Ucrald sick
ened and died.
Tne AHt went on and upward and
made many Il man rich, continues the
\. I. Ttm.S. Onc of It's pruprctnrs
made over 81 600 ,00) and lost it all in
stocks, and altcrwal,l borrowed 51e0.-
600 from Leland Stanford He died a
few years ago a total wreck an! his
paper Was rcSuSritated by james G..
Fair. the Central Pacific Railroad Com
pany. some friends of Justice Stephen
j. Field and Il man named McLIugh-
lin, and for about eight years The dear
old djtt has eked out Il precariouS ex-
istence by getting IL lille out OF the
railroad, the water company aE,i the
Sharon estate. OF and on. until. all
forsakiDT it. on at count of lis loss of
circulation aud lack of power and in
fuence and general, turaid WAYS. it
died a solemn and almost Ennoliced
DEATH
But it had been ii great paper in its
day and made many millions of dol
lars. 1t had Two OF It's editors killed
in duels. 1t followed Brohrrict Baker
and L. Starr King q their graves. 1t
stood out for thc union all through the
war and died al The age Of forty Dur
ing the last five years it has been ell
tied by man named Irish, who has
thrown just so much time away. rs he
received only small pay. vet is one of
the most delightful writer's upon the
Pacific coast and by far The foremost
orator.