The morning call., 1894-02-04
FRED SOMERS DEAD.
Well Known in the Newspaper
World of San Francisco.
One of the Best of Friends and the
Most FOrgiving of
Enemies.

LONDON, Feb. 3-Frederick NJ. Somers.
passenger Oh the steamship New York,
which arrived at Southampton on the
morning of February /, died at Southamp.
ton yesterday evening. SOmerS was a
member of the Lotus Club of New Y ork
and was formerly connected with the San
Francisco ArgOnaut. He went to New
York and purchased Current Liter ature,
which he sold about four years ago. Since
then be has been abroad developing the
ypesetting-machiue business. His trip
TO England was in connection with the
promotion OF a typesetting machine in
Europe.
The news of the death of Fred NJ
Somers will be received with equal regret
in social ana Bohemian circles of San
Francisco. He was the embodiment of a
refined gentleman, who found in literature
and art the satisfaction for which the
average society man usually looks to after
noon teas or Friday night cotillons. Un-
conscious alike of his personal charm and
intellectual ability. be went about his
chosen work, esthetic though il was, in
the matter-of-f ia CT manner of a merchant
AitHUuSu uOt always SUCCESSFUL III Ills
ventures he was seldom far from accurately
estimating the mental standard of the
people among whom ,he lived. An omniv.
orOus reader and close student of human
nature. he possessed also the skill tC
present in attractive form the result of his
studies to those who read only for amuse.
menr. He was the ideal editor of literary
journal and, like the death OF Allan
Tnorndyke Rice, his demise leaves q
vacancy hard to fill.
To his early life and educational train.
ing ne seldom referred, yet it is known
that he was native of Massachusetts and
graduate OF Amherst.
lie worked for a short time on the
Springfield Republican, but turned his
steps westward in 1872, halting in Leaven-
worth, kans. AS a reporter on the Times
and Commercial of that city he made quite
a reputation, and acquired considerable in
side knowledge regarding the management
and methods of daily journalism. In the
spring OF 1875 he came to San Francisco,
but found no field of active employment
until August Of that year. He first achieved
local fame as newspaper man while act
ing as the Sacramento cores spondent of q
orable session of the Legislature. There
was corruption in the air about the State
Capitol and Somers was not the man to
condone rascality. In the course of his
journalistic duty it became necessary fol
him TO severely criticize Senator Wilcox
| better known as the "MariDosa black
smith," Goaded to action by his political
pals, Wilcox made a cowardly assault on
Somers. fTacturing the correspondence
skull with heavy cane. From this at.
tack Mr.. Somers meyer recovered. He is
now dead before his prime.
TO the fertile mind of Somers is due the
birth OF the Argonaut. He conceived the
idea that high class literary publication
might be made success on the Pacific
Coast and time has proven the correctness
of his judgment Backed by the money
and ability as an aggressive editorial
writer of Frank M. Pixley he started the
Argonaut and soon placed it on a firm
fin ancial basis. He saw what Californians
were slow to perceive, the ability of Am.
prose Bierce, and soon was gratifed to see
| that readers who cared little for the edi-
torial page turned with avidity to the
columns devoted to "Prattle."
Then ensued the inc vitable. Somers re.
tired from the Argonaut and soon issued
the first number Of the Daily Epigram
This unique publication was an exemplica.
ton Of Bohemia unconfined. It was pub
lIshed at noon, after the Partisan style
Every journalist in town of more than
mediocre ability had hand in its making
The result was a paper altogether toe
good for this world. 1t lived just on
week, and convinced Somers that an item
of news now and then would be g0oC
thing to print in a newspaper. After its
death the ambitious and over-worked ed.
tor was prostrated with an attack o.
brain fever.
Undaunted by failure Somers went Il
New York and managed to establish Cur
rent Literature. magazine which at once
sprang into popularity. and soon brought
Its author a comfortable fortune. Their
he sold out and started on tour of th,
| world. stopping few months ago to visi
his old haunts in this city. Personally he
was handsome fellow, one of the best o
| friends and most forgiving of enemies.
| Mr.. Somers was an honorary member o
the Bohemian Club. He was elected
regular member in 1876. but the honorary
distinction was conferred as mark of tn,
clubs appreciation of his original idea
and his excellent contributions to the sue
cess of the midsummer high jinks. I'll,
originated and carried out the impressive
ceremonies incident 10 the "Cremation o
Care" He was but 43 years old, aud it il
understood had recently planned tn,
establishment of literary journal in Lon
don.