Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-11-30
STORY OF A SCOOP.


STORY OF SCOOP.
The EnterprisinE Young Newspaper
Men and Their Adventures.
1t happened good while ago, but the
story has probably, never been in print.
1t is sad tale of newspaper enterprise and
grief l had 1t from a man who had seen
the evolution of it with his own eyes. and
had been an important but entirely impair
tial agent in it.
He was at that time in command of the
Iron City, which had been engaged as
relief boat during the great flood of 1854
in the Ohio river. Three reporters of Pitts
burg papers were on board. In the even
ing the captain, whose work was done for
the day, tied up his boat seven miles be-
low Moundville, which was the nearest
telegraph office
But how are we to get in our stuff?" in
quired the three, whom for purposes of dis
tincton 1 shall call Tom, Dick and Harry.
The captain did not know, that not appear
ing in any of the government charts nor
forming any part Of the training necessary
in the navigation of the Ohio river.
How much will you charge to steam up
to Moundville?' queried the three.
Twenty-Five dollars" blandly answered
the captain.
In vain they protested that it was too
much, and wasted their eloquence on the
humid air. So, after an anxious consuta-
ton, in which they concluded that their
instructions did not contemplate the char
ter of a vessel, and that no advantage
could accrue to any one, they decided to
leave it to the ingenuity of their respect
i've papers to evolve readable account
out of the depths of their inner conscious
ness and keep their stories for another day.
At this juncture whistle blew, and Tom,
one of the reporters, arose and presently
II n tha nfai md nn1-
louuy began:
What boat is that?"
"A tow. think, from the whistle
Couldn't you put me aboard?'
Il suppose 1 could. but wouldn't like to
without telling Dick and Harry" referring
to the other two reporters.
We'll. couldn't l get some of the hands
to take me out in a skiff, without your
having anything to do with it?'
You might try
And try he did, and furthermore he sue
ceeded for dollar or two, and presently
was afloat on the raging flood, with a lofty
sense of duty fulfilled and the greatest
scoop of the season, all at a price which
brought such things within the reach of
the poorest newspapers.
By this time the tow was nearly along
side and slowly making head against the
swift current. Dick and Harry were now
awakened to new possibilities. And where
was Tom meanwhile? The captain con-
fessed to suspicion that he was some
where near the tow.
And why did you not let us know"
they demanded.
OF his business, and they had left no orders
to be called.
But can't we have boat to take us
across?"
The captain told them they might make
any arrangement they could with the crew,
and they rushed aft, hoping that they were
still in time
Just then Tom, who had kept his weather
eye open, called back, It's I o use; I've got
the oars which was the solemn truth.
But Tom was not yet quite out of the
woods. or, rather, water. Tow boats do
not carry passengers, and the captain re-
fused to let him come aboard. 1t was only
by representing himself as member of
the relief committee and some pecuniary
persuasion that he was taken on.
Dick and Harry were cast down, but not
destroyed.
Gould you not get up steam and beat
that boat to Moundville?" they asked
The captain thought he could.
and how much will you ask now?"
twenty-five dollars said the captain
with dignity; and, making virtue of ne
cessty, they paid it. Presently they over
hauled and then passed the tow. Tom as
yet in blissful ignorance of what had hap
pened, and musing on the rich rewards of
virtue and cleverness.
They reached Moundville, found the tel
egraph office, and after various adven-
| lures, were busly sending their Stories
knowing nothing as to where Tom was to
pull up, when in he came, almost falling
over himself in his establishment.
"And how long are you fellows going to
be sending your stuff?" he meekly in
quired.
They informed him that it would take
them all night, and they were not sure
they could get it all in.
Seeing that there was no hope in this
quarter Tom withdrew, with such grace as
he could. 1t was too bad to become the
victim of his own briliiancy, and he cast
about for the means of preventing a total
defeat. Finally, he learned that freight
train was to pass in the small hours of the
night, and after splashing about in mud
and rain, he again found himself on his
way to telegraph office, with a chance of
| escaping disgrace, if not of reap;ng high
honor. But the fates were against him.
| and half way between stations the train
| ran off the track, and left him high, if not
dry.
Meantime Dick and Harry were spinning
out their stories, under the impression that
Tom was hanging around, waiting for them
to finish, and determined to beat him at
any cost When invention could no further
| go, they fell back on the Bible, and sent
| chapter after chapter, to the mystification
of the telegraph editor, who had not heard
| so much Scripture since his Sunday school
| days.
| Next day Tom turned up in penitent
mood, and was forgiven, as he had got so
much the worst of 1t.