The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1894-06-09
POWERS FIRST PRESS EXCURSION.
From Mississippi to Washington City
Thirty-Nine Years Ago.

Thirty-Nine Years Ago.
Over the Baltimore and Ohio Railway BE-
fore the Days Of Pullman Cars-stop
at Harper's Ferry After John
Browns Raid-President
| Buehanan's Speech.
The following paper, read by Col. J.
L. Power, at Greenwood, before the
Mississippi Press Convention, rich
with "reminiscences, was highly enjoyed
| by every one fortunate enough to hear
1t, and will be read with interest not
only in Mississippi, but throughout
the South:
I BY way Of preface to ''Recollections
of My First Press Excursion" it may
interest you to know that my first con-
nection with the press of Mississippi
was in the spring Of 1855, when I came
TO Jackson from New Orleans to accept
4 ''sit" on the True Witness, a news
J paper published by Rev. Richmond
!. Mc1nnis. Frank Gailor was foreman
lof the office, and he and another
: printer were the only persons in Jack
son, or in the State Of Mississippi, that
I had ever seen before. When the war
, came on Gailor, though but recently
, from New York, entered the Confed-
, crate army and was killed at the battle
of Perryville. Although in the bomb
! proof position of quartermaster, he
, preferred going to the front, and fell
early in the battle. His son, Thomas
8 Gailor, is an Episcopal bishop Of Ten
! nessee.
a The 'devil' in the Office was Johr
!, McGill, afterward mayor of Jackson
g John got wrong politically, but he
v was a splendid Confederate soldier
and that covers multitude of short
comings.
The newspapers in Jackson 80 year!
= ago were: The Flag Of the Union, thu
Mississippion, Mercury and True Wit
ness. The Flag Of the Union was publish
ed by Pardom Il Donnell, who sue
ceed Thomas Palmer. He published
it for many years as the organ OF tn,
Whig party. He was state printer ir
1850. He introduced into this countr!
IuC iut anu luOtuSScS IOllCIs pIlJl u
which ink was placed on type by mean
of balls and pads. Mr.. Palmer died Ii
Canon City, Colo, two years ago in hi
95lh year. At the time of his death h
was the oldest Freemason in tn
United States.
The Mssissippian was published b.
Barksdale & Jones. F. c. Jone
retired from the paper in 1855, and es
tablished The Mercury as the organ o
the American, or Know-nothing K party
From that time until the war perio'
the IMssissippion was edited by Ethel
bert Barksdale It was printed at tn
corner of capitol and President streets
in building that was formely the stat
capitol, and where the Harding build
ing now stands. 1t was the LEADING
and most influential journal in Mississ
| ippi, and the recognized organ and cx
ponent of Democracy, AS an employ
4 and associate OF MAJ. Barksdale 70
- many years. bear cheerful testimon
= to his ability, integrity and patriotism
Journalism was hOnored and elevatc'
q by his long connection with it, an
o Mississippi never had son more aliv
to the honor, the dignity and the pros
. perity of the state.
y MY first venture in journalism wa
- on the 18th of March, 1850, when tn
jackson Daily Nc,rs made its appea,
:. ance. It was four.column folio, nor
~ political, and devoted exclusively to l.
cal affairs. 1t had leaning, however
toward'the old Whig party and wher
in August, 1860, it became the organ {
the Constitutional Union. or Bell an
] Everett party. it had the moral an
material support of such men &
William L. Sharkey. George L. Porte
- William Yerger, Amos r. Johnsto
and other leaders on that side.
Not more than Il odozen issues
the Daily Nors had been published
when an invitation came from tt
Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad to partic
pate in an excursion to Washingtc
and Mount Vernon. It was my fir
free pass, and enjoyed it so much th'
I have never refused one since. TIL
pass was good over so different line
and several thousand miles. This e
cursion was projected not so much
advertise tho Baltimore & Ohio Raj
road as to bring together newspap
men from ::all sections Of the Unio
hoping that by personal intercour
and interchange of view, good resul
might follow. peace on earth, goc
will toward men," was sentimel
thai was not just then in the ascepdan
Eleven Missis sippi journalists were
the party: I'M. Partridge, Of Il
Vicksburg Wing; s. NJ. Phillips, Of Il
Yazoo Democrat (afterward the gala
colonel Of the Tenth Mississippi):
w. Merrin and. wife, Charleston Mis-
Courier; Henery c. Hearn, of the LIE
ington Aduertiser; J. F. Bosworth,
the American Citizen; J. L. Power,
the Jackson Meas; Will Purdom. Of II
Eagle Of the South. The others cann
now recall. Wheeling Va, May 3, W
the rallying place and time. The par
numbered 900, including $50 ladie
The Baltimore & Ohio had an amr
train, but 1t was before the time
Pullman cars. The general Superi
tendent Of the company, Villa
Preston Smith, was in charge. '
left Wheeling May 4, and were greet
!, at the principal towns enroute wi
! bands Of music and artillery salute
| YVhn hsekh a,a ,v,<>uo 1,oo on,,,{r - n .,