The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-06
DEATH OF D. H. CRAIG
FIRST MANAGER OF THE NEW YORK
ASSOCIATED PRESS.
A Shrewd News Distributor Before
Telegraph-Outwittin Rivals.

AsBURY PARK, Jan. 5.-Daniel H.
Craig, who was the first general manager
of the New York Associated Press, died
here at o'clock this morning.
Mr.. Craig was the originator of fast
news service in the United States, a field
in which his efforts ante-date the introduce
ton of the electric telegraph by few
years. The medium of communication he
employed in those early days was carrier
pigeons. At first, his operations were be-
tween New York and Boston, and after
wards between Boston and Halifax. At first
he was engaged on his own account, but in
1S47 he entered into arrangement with Will
liam M. Swain and A. S. Bell, joint propri-
etors of the Philadelphia Ledger and Balti-
more Sun, which, by degrees, developed
into the Associated Press. Just prior to en-
gaging in this service, Mr.. Craig had been
associated with f. o. J. Smith, and the
rivalries Of the two men constitute an in
teresting chapter in the history of news
gathering. 1t is related of him that on one
occasion when his rival, backed by Boston
and New York newspapers, had chartered
a steamer to express European news from
Halifax to Boston Craig travelled overland
to Halifax, taking some carrier pigeons
with him in a basket. At Halifax he took
passage on a steamer inward bound from
Europe and when it was within safe dis
lance of the Massachusetts coast he let
loose his carrier pigeons freighted with the
cream of the news from the old world The
birds beat the chartered steamer to land
and the newspapers served by Craig We're
This success so added to the prestige of
Mr.. Craig that the opposition papers gave
I'D their chartering of steamers and left
the field in the undisputed possession of
Mr.. Craig.
When, in 1s4s, the telegraph line from
. Boston was completed to Calais, Me-, Mr..
Craig established a pony news express,
covering the $50 miles between Halifax
and Digby n s., and engaged an express res
of Fundy to ST. John, n. b. This enabled
him to distance competition and put 1t in
for his budgets of news. 1t also earned for
him the position of European news agent
of the New York press. John T. Smith
was, at this time, Craigs most formidable
competitor The rivalrfes of the two men
constituted subject of b frequent interest
to residents of Halifax who enjoyed watch
ing their races from the. steamer to the
telegraph Office. On one occasion Smith
succeeded in catching one of Craigs pack
ages as it was tossed by the a snips puf fas,
minutes later It was being transmitted by
the only wire from Halifax to Smiths pa
irons in New York.
Craig's revenge came few weeks after
wards and was ali carefully prearranged.
He instructed his Liverpool agent to send
ers, duplicate copies Of latest European
Journals and news summaries, one parcel
to- be thrown over to his ne news poat; !, n We
thrown over to another news boat sta
toned opposite and near the telegraph
office, one mile from the steamers wharf.
week before the next steamer was due,
Craig engaged two new boats and arranged
for fast horse express from q point five
to leak out to Smith tina. his news par
cells were to be thrown over to his boats
al the steamer near the city. s The even even
made up parcl of old European journals,
including Wilmer & Smiths European
Times, then a noted journal of Liverpool,
taking care to have a portion of the name
outside the wrapper, but carefully con-
cealing the date A trusty agent was EN-.
waters edge and as the, steamer passed
up the harbor this parcel was thrown on
messenger rushed at the top of his speed
to the telegraph office and deposited the
dripping bogus parcel on the table of the
office, with the breathless announcement:
Here is Craigs parcel Of European news
Fifteen minutes afterward Smith, driving
fast horse rusned from ai the s steamers tb
horse had fairly stopped Smith had cleared
the carriage at one bound and was at the
top of the flight of stairs. which led to the
operating room. The clerk pointed to the
package on the table and told him he was
D Dearen nac KAYE and hs maiedction Inc on his
competitor. Smith turned on his heel, drove
to his hotel, and in half an hour after
wards was steaming out of the harbOr on
board the steamer bound to Boston, having
been hoaxed into leaving his rival the wires
undisputed Craig meantime proceeded at
the steamer, to prepare the news for the
telegraph.
stockholder of the New England Morse
lines, undertook to shut ont his rival from
the use of that eom2pan ny lines which Grs es
taliated by inducing the managers of the
Maine Telegraph Company's line. another
link in the system, to stop all Smiths mes
sages from Halifax at Portland until his
own press and other European messages
We're received at that po H t bsag s then
railroad from Portland to Boston, carrying
his press news and other messages, and
Balm line to New York. This was only a
temporary expedient, but served until the
establishing direct connection by wire be-
tween New York and Halifax Thus was
the first telegraph monopoly broken.
Mr.. Craig remained at Halifax in charge
of the press and commercial transatlantic
telegraph business until 1851 when he res
moved to New York and thoroughly organ
lied the Associated Press service which
may be said to have been the parent of all
the press news agencies which have had an
existence to the present day His connec-
ton with the Associated Press continued
until about 1857. Since that time he had
been engaged in numerous enterprises.
Mr.: Craig was born in Rumney, N. H.,
on Nov. 3. 1871. He came. to New York in
heart disease while he was sitting in
chair He leaves a widow, one daughter,
who is connected with the New York health
department.
Capt. john Taylor.
PHILADELPHIA, Jan. Capt. John
Taylor, receiver of taxes of this city,
died at Has o'clock to-day. He was a
past department commander of Pennsyl-
in-cnief at the recent national G. A. r..
encampment in Pittsburg. At the time of
his death he was quartermaster general
of the National QQCamnmelf