The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-01-13
HARD WORK SOMETIMES.
Two Striking Instances of Almost SUI
nerhumnn Physical EnOrt.

e. j. Edwards's Address on Journalism"
The story Of the soldier and the expert expert
of the triumphs of physical and mental
strain than does our daily press. When
then editor OF the Times, shut himself in
his private Office, giving orders that he
had in hand was finished. He proposed to
write a life of Webster, and he wrote
steadily for more than fifteen hours-a
paper, an exhaustive sketch and study OF
the departed statesman. That exploit was
for many years regarded as one OF the
greatest personal achievements OF Journal
ism. 1t was always referred to when the
endurance of the newspaper man was the
theme. But 1t was conspicuous because IL
was one of the first; 1t Is so frequently
matched nowadays that the achievement
fees. Take, for instance, the report OF the
hanging of Guiteau, which appeared In one
OF the papers. The editor had Instructed
his Washington correspondent upon three
points only-one, that 1t was desired that
the correspondent should write the whole
account himself, SO that 1t could. be con-
s%ecutive. sympathetic and free from the
r~aggedness which Is inevitable when two
lengthy report. Next, the editor wanted it
put upon the wire sheet by sheet; last OF
all. he was anxious to have it complete in
the home Office by 10 o'clock at night. Mr..
Raymond's achievement did not compare
either in endurance or swiftness OF work
with what this correspondent must do IL
he were. to meet the requests Of his man
aging editor.
Inc jail Wnere Guitedu was TO De naIlSeu
was three miles. from the telegraph office.
The execution was to be done between the
hours of Il and l.. Certainly a half hour
would elapse after the drop fell before the
body was delivered to the surgeons, and
after that there would be the ride back to
the correspondents office. At the earliest
moment possible the correspondent could
not see how he could begin his work be-
10 he was expected to write about 1900
words, send it at white heat over the wires
and have 1t complete in the newspaper Of
firm in NaW YORK II would haNa haan a
physical impossibility to nave written that
report under these conditions. Therefore the
correspondent employed three stenog-
raphers instructive them to mark their copy
began to work with them. First ne die
tated to stenograpder A FOR some twenty
TT MUGS then. laavin. the stenographer
TO write out his notes, the correspondent
went to stenographer B. debating to him
twenty minutes, and then to G.. When he
had finished with stenographer G, he re-
turned to stenographer A, who had by that
put upon the wires, and so the correspon-
dent went on n sort of treadmill expedition,
making the circuit of those three stenog-
raphers for seven hours. Ten minutes after
dispatch from the home office stating that
the account was all in type. II had been
put into type almost simultaneously with
it's dictatiOn, but 1t was "A most exhaustive
piece of work for the correspondent. He
had not only to speak without interruption
for seven hours, but he had to bear in mind
the faithful sending Of the sheets as they
were written out. The achievement of SEN
ator Allen. of Nebraska. in speaking all
night in the Senate chamber has become IL
tradition, but Ii really was no greater ex-
might tell YOU of the courage required
to obtain the document which exposed the
credit Mobilier scandal, Of tine courage -s-r
endurance which were necessary In eraer