Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-09-25
AN AGED TYPO"
Charles H. Turner of Mt Vernon Chats with a
Journal Man.

81 was born June IS. 1907, and there
fore am IS years of age. Seventy-sever
years ago I crossed the Kennebec river IL
ferry boat and went to private schoo
for boys, where I obtained my onl.
rudiments OF an education. The schoo
was taught by man named Weston, who
was brother of the late Judge Weston o.
Augusta. was i'll the same class witt
Mr. James Bridge and also the father o.
Chief Justice Fuller | remained in this
school three years, or until was II year,
of age. Those few years were all the
schooling I received
In 1922, when i was Is years old,
went to Boston and entered the office OF
the Boston Commercial Gazette as an APP
prentice. The Gazette was the leading
Federal paper Of the days, the political
articles being contributed by Daniel Web
ster
Il am the only compositor living, who
helped to set the type on the petitions, ad-
vocatiDg the erection Of railroad from
Boston to Lowell, which is the first rail
road ever built in this country, except q
private concern that run from Quincy to
Boston, whose business it was to transport
granite from the quarries at Quincy to
| the Hub "
In 1928 my trade was finished after which
purchased a paper in New Hampshire,
running 1t one year. | then removed
to Northampton, Mass, and established
| the Courier, which was weekly Repub-
lican paper. In this venture l succeeded
very well, although 1 had the fiercest
| name Of the man who established the
competitor to me. Soon after MIR. Syl-
vestor died and his son, Sylvester, took
charge of the paper. This son was an
Unitarian minister and preached his first
sermon in the Unitarian church in Au-
gusta. He married a daughter of Ruel
Williams.
II was acquainted and very intimate
with George Bancroft the historian and
scholar, who assisted me, very much in
my education while l was in Northamp-
ton.
at was on the first day of January,
1929 that | arrived In New York having
discontinued my paper in Northampton,
after running the sheet one year. In the
metropolis left my name at the offices OF
the leading papers, so If any opportunity
presented itself, Knight be given chance
to work. I had been in New York but
two days when received an offer to work
on the Herald, which had just been estab-
lished at that time by James Gordon Ben
nett, the elder. The establishment was in
a cellar and the compostors did their
work by the light Of tallow candles.
81 worked only a short time on the
Herald; then L secured a position as
sub ON a Democratic daily the Ex-
press l was not on the Express long
when the foreman offered me situation
permanently, which l held till the fall of
1929.
Then l received an offer Of S25 a week
to take charge of printing office in
New Orleans l staid there for eleven
years. or until 1910, when a fierce confa-
grafton swept nearly the whole busino S
portion of New Orleans, including the es-
tabliShment where I was employed.
~ then came back to Boston, which
was during the presidential campaign of
William Horny Harrison. l tell you, it
was hot times those days. In 1910 l
Boston Daily Mail, new Republican
penney paper, remaining five years.
"In the year 1916, when the Bunker
Hill Monument was completed, l, with
five others established the Boston Daily
Sun, my share of which I disposed of
year after, having lost considerable money
on my Investment.
1t was In the year 1916 that l came to
Augusta, my old home, where | was born,
where my wife lived, and q place which
had many tender memories for me. Att
that time the Democrats were In control
of the Legislature and William T. Thomp-
son was doing the State printing. In the
fall 1 applied to him for position, and he
told me he would grant my request upon
the assembling of the Legislature, which
he did Notwithstanding the fact that
was the staunchest of staunch Republi-
cans, was in the employ of Mr.. Thomp-
son for Is consecutive years.
In the year 1862, James g. Blaine and
John l.. Stevens, who were connected
with the Kennebec Journal, offered me
Job on the paper at a greatly advanced
price per week than | was receiving
which was accepted by me. worked on
the Journal five years and In 1867 retired
from compositor to private life, being at
that time 81 years of age
"When was an apprentice I was OBJ
liged to serve seven years before the trade
was learned ten hours every day, and
part of the time nights and Sundays. For
three years or till l was IS, received $50