St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-10-03
MAI. CARROLL'S SCOOP.
Great Feat Performed Sy . War
Correspondent
- Seat News se the battle - R1t1D'
burgh Landing Three Days ~
AovnAO0 Of the O0elal
(special washlngton Letter.l

Regular readers ot newspapers are
familiar with the fact that modern en-
terprise il nowhere better exhibited
than by daily newspapers in their ef-
forts to gather all Of the news Ut the
world. Esch newspaper tries to get
more news and better news. and in bet
ter form, than any of it's rivals. When
an important item of news is secured
by one newspaper only, none ct the
Others having received it. that success
full enterprise Is called scoop" on ell
of the other newspapers.
There are two great press associa-
tions in this country. and their agents
are gathering news in every village.
q well as in uli cf the great cities. Full
reports of the conventions Of the great
political parties are sent to all Of the
newspapers in the country by the press
associations. And yet, in addition to
those full reports. the leading news
papers print specia reports from their
own special correspondents. This costs
each one Of the papers considerable
moneS in addition to their reports from
the press associations. and yet modern
enterprise is such that these special re-
ports from special correspondents are
necessary. and the expense must be In
CURED. While congress is in session
there are nearly 300 special correspond
ents employed in Washington; and each
one of them = constantly trying to
SCOOP" his rivals in the newsgathering
field.
When President Garfield was ut e.
beron, n. j.. slowly dying from the ef-
feet of the bullet of the assassin Cult
eau about 200 special correspondents
we're there on the seaccast. daily and
hourly making inquiry concerning the
condition of the distinguished sufferer
and sc. ,ding kilograms to their news
papers, because all eyes were turned
towards Elberon and our entire peo-
ple were anxiously reading every item
of news from that point. Tom Bivins,
a splendid newspaper man. was almost
sieepless for nearly week because he
learned from the surgeon in charge. DR..
Bliss, that the president could not sur
vive and that his death was but ques-
tion of days or hours. Bivins was "a
stenographer and telegraph operator as
well as a newsgathcrer.- and he often
sent kilograms by the hour for the
regular telegraph operators at that
place. Thus it happened that when
Rivins rushed into the telegraph Office
one night and grasped the key Of the
instrument he was allowed to send his
messages to his newspapers conveying
to the world the first information OF
the fact that President Garfield had
breathed his last shortly after ten
o'clock that night.<
Naturally, the Newspapers represent.
ed BY Bivins were elated with his
achievement, and his reputation as a
faithful and successful newsgathere:
was soon known throughout the entire
country.
The war correspondents have always
endured harslships and many of them
have been actually under fire, together
with the soldiers, in order that they
might furnish late and reliable infor-
| nation for their papers. During the
war between China and japan. during
the Franco-prussian war, and during
the war of the rebellion in this country
the newspaper workers were diligent
and faithful; aud particular interest
was taken by the people in the dis
patches marked special" Previous tc
our civil war the greatest special work
ever done was by the correspondent OF
| the London Times. who sent to his paper
anu hal published an account OF the
battle of Waterloo and the downfall oi
Napoleon. on the very day that the OH