The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-12
FRONTIER JOURNALISM.
A TALE OF RIVAL EDITORS TOLD
ON PA9K ROW.

BpiraCy-An q Die COUPLE
From the Neto York Advertiser.
IL was in a "place of refreshment" on
Park Row much patronized by printers.
good many hot Scotches had been
passed around, and the conversation had
drifted into reminiscent 'slrain. Among
those present were Eddie" Bell, who, al
though he is still young man in appear
ance, having Of late years shaved of his
beard and discarded his spectacles, has had
diversified experience on and off ''the
case" and has been the progenitor OF many
country papers in different parts of the
United States.
Talk about starting a paper, said he,
was once done out of the finest opening YOU
ever saw by q lowsdown trick. 1t was in
North Dakota in 1882 The Manitoba road,
now the Great Northern, was building out
west from Grand Forks at the rate of fifty
miles a season, and every eight or ten miles
town was laid out. You who have never
lived on the front must understand that
the selection OF q town site is usually based
on a tip as TO where the road Is going
on condition that big share of the
profits goes TO the officials of the road. Se-
curing the land is not difficult. and then
with a waeonload of pegs to stake out lots,
hotel tent, sod stable, a hay stack, a solid
are. Some one is sure to drop In bright and
early with barrel of whisky, a load of
lumber and few cases of bottled beer.
After the saloon comes the general store
with perhaps 5000 worth of stock. About
this time, il the town siters have any enter
prise about them, they will want q paper
90 record progress and boom and
blow and commence the weekly out
put OF complimentary adjectives. 1t
would strike a pilgrim as a little early
for newspaper, but | have seen towns
like this, planted few miles in front of
construction gang, jump to a population OF
1850 in sixty days after the road struck it.
Yes, and have seen the same towns melt
away from 1900 to ABOUT fifteen in two
weeks. This was the case with Bartlett's,
near DEVILS Lake. The right officials it
seems, had not been taken into the scheme
at any rate, Jim Hill, the president of the
road, had not been consulted. The place
had fine start, when along in the middle
OF June he went over the road on q tour Of
inspection. On arriving there he stuck his
head out of the window and seeing long
lines OF distorted stores around a public
square, S-story hotel and other evidences
OF marvellous growth he was-cr affected to
be-greatly surprised.
What place is thisFi he asked.
This is Bartlett"
Bartlett, BARTLETT Never heard Of 1t.
Who ordered this town located herer1
"Mr. Marvel is said TO be interested in It,
Allen Marvel, now president of the Santa
Fe, was then general superintendent of the
line.
"Umph p remarked the autoorat of the
Northern. ION and after July l no trains
will stop at Mr.. Manveps town of Bart
lett"
That night when the news leaked out
there was a panic. Lots that had been
rapidly going off at $500 could not End
s.hw i
spot six miles farther west that would be a
likely place for a town site. Inside a week
thirty or forty of the more substantial
buildings were lacked up on rollers aud all
we're started for the new site. The big
S-story headed the procession. Business
was conducted just as usual while en- route
In day or two fires, presumably of in
cendiary origin, broke out among those that
were left, and Bartlett was soon a black
ened "reminiscences. One man, a pugnacious,
red-headed lawyer, ruined by this event,
stayed and spent his time walking about
the ruins, talking mostly to himself OF ways
and means TO make the trains stop, which
ranged from injunctions TO train wrecking,
but after awhile he gave up and moved
away. This has nothing to do with the
story, except TO show how quickly towns
are built and unbuilt.
TIE Town Site Company Of Odessa,
when that future great center reached the
person who should actually print aud pub
lish a newspaper on the ground a bonus
consisting of two town lots, lumber enough
for a shack, and $500 in cash. This offer
was published in the papers of Fargo and
Grand Forks. Two parties, one OF which
consisted of my partner and myself COM
menced hustling for that bonus. My part
ner's name was Jim White, ard he was to
be the editor. We had an army press and
some type, a kitchen table covered with
zinc for a stone, and such other items OF an
outfit as we could beg or borrow. We had
local paper print us.some ''ready print"
sheets on one side, and with supply OF
patent inside slabs we started for the end
of the track
We arrived there about dusk Of rainy
and dieagreeable evening, and the first
thing that caught our sight on going to the
"hotet" was q Washington hand press
already loaded on a lumber wagon. By
some quiet inquiries we learned that our
rivals had reached there the day before, and
had male ready for an early start on the
following morning. / went right to work
getting our plant out of the freight car, and
jim started to hunt up team.
He came back in the course of an
hour highly elated at finding just what he
wanted. While we were loading up in the
rain by the light of lantern a couple OF
young fellows sauutered down on US and
looked over our load. We knew them 60 be-
1.-The hellhounds of opposition" by their
marked affectation and indifference and
their efforts 10 make US think ID was idle
curiosity which induced them to slcsh
around In the mud watching us unload a
box car. By rights they should have been
up at the mo. Hard" saloon, where it was
warm and dry, and where the camp was
collected watching an exciting match game
of pool
Not word was said on either side, but
We we're fretting 5ome, and / think they
we're. We got loaded up and went back to
the hotel" paid 81 apiece, and sat down to
ssupper Of rancid ham, ossified potatoes
and saleratus biscuit as yellow as gold dol
lars. tits going to be race said Jim,
and close one. But we've got to beat
them. The driver said he couldn't make
the trip in the dark, but raised him $40
and he promised 20 try it. He is afraid the
rains have filed the conlis, and there is one
big alkali slough he isn't sure about. We
will have TO go 10 bed for a bluf. and
sneak out when the opposition is asleep"
After supper the rain recommended with
redoubled fury. 1t came down solid. This,
too, in a country that Gen. Hazen, In 1872,
had pronounced "a waterless. treeless des-
erk" The teamster fatty refused to bulge
for any amount. We loitered around the
fe1n H.. - g., haua up1