The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1897-12-24
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: IN QUEST OF A SCOOP. ;
. REPORTERS MIDNIGHT CHASE
Y AFTER BIG NEWS.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
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week. The local room of the office
was shrouded in a semidariness, -
up only by the soft glow of the iyean-
descent lights that shone 'a'n'iy
through the green shades h|asihs over
each typewriter. In fr<d OF each one
SAT- n repor,er in s./dSleeves, some
without collars ,Tcuffs. and all turn
inc ont "con,,s Is fast as their fingers
,ns JI A. 1.-THE keys of the machines.
~R-r-. s B->r-r," rings the bell in
ia iephone booth. No answer.
,cs--r-r, B-r-r-r-r." this time longer;
all no answer. "B-r-r-r. B-r-r-r-r;" it
does not stop until young man rises
and with a remark not at all compli-
mentary to the person at the other end
of the line takes down the receiver,
lo-hello-hel-well what is it|'
Silence. whats that? Where? What
boats? Jerusalem!" and without the
usual - by" be rushes into the city
editors room.
"Westcott's man just called up. He
wants TO know if we've heard anything
about a collision at Smiths coal dock.
Says he was towing by there when he
heard two big fellows come together
with a crash aud there was lots of
screaming. Fog was too thick to see
anything"
The city editor looked up, half buried
in copy. Call up the dock and ask
them"
HE says they have nothing to say,
and won't tell even the names of the
boats. 1t must be big thing or they
would be willing to tell something"
he reported a minute later.
Then ask the drydock if they have
heard"
They don't know anything about it
yet" he said, when he had called them
up.
How far is it down there?"
Its pretty nearly seven miles, 1
guess"
well. call up IS livery stable and
ask them if they can send us fast
horse TO go down there and back by
three o'clock. Do you think you can
find the way in the dark? If not. get
somebody to go with you. know it's
past the Rouge, but that's all. You will
have to find a telephone and call us
up on it, or it will be too late for the
city edition. | don't suppose that fell
low at the dock will let you use the
phone and you will probably have
some fun waking people up at that
time of night. If you think it's scoop
we will throw it up" Which in news
paper parlance meant that if the other
papers did not get it the account would
be given the most prominent place in
the paper. .
Ten minutes later the reporter and
a friend who said he knew the way were
going rapidly out Fort street on their
cold ride to the coal dock. "By George"
the newspaper man, "if this
fog doesn't clear away l see our finish
in one of thoseHIcorse marshes. wish
l had worn my overcoat; I'm being
slowly frozen to death. Say! | won
der how the C. E. expects me to find
anything such a night as this? This
Internal fog is getting so thick that
if we want to change our positions we
will have to cut a piece out with our
knives. Keep a watch or We'll run
down the fort"
A hail from a lonely sentinel at the
fort told them when they passed it;
otherwise they could not have told
whether they were near or far from its
frowning walls. Once breath of wind
for a moment lifted the thick veil Of
fog, and they saw, not three feet away,
the waters of the Rouge river floating
silently and swiftly toward the larger
stream farther on. The horse had
strayed from the road, and another step
or two would have taken them into the
black waters. With muttered adjur-
alton the reporter climbed out of the
buggy and led the horse back to the
road. wish had thought to put in
life preserver. It's half past one, and
we have probably three miles to go yet"
he said, as he lighted a match and
looked at his watch.
Their horse stumbled on something
end investigation showed that they had
crossed the railroad track. Finally he
trotted on some planks, and they were
on the Rouge river bridge.
I'VE might just as we'll stop unless we
can find somebody who knows the road
perfectly" the newspaper man said. If
we try to go through that swamp the
paper will have an extra death notice
tomorrow, and | haven't always been
good" he added, grimly.
81 will try and wake somebody in this
cottage, if you like"
"And get a dose of cold lead in your
81 stem as a result" was the cheerful re-
joinder "Well, you might as well sacri-
flee yourself for the good Of the cause.
If they shoot, tell them not to aim at
me-"
\ window was raised in response to
the pounding on the door. What you
want? 'Spose III, goin' to be walked up
al dees hour. Must Junk we ran wan all
hight restaurant. I'm got wan gud
mind for to give you some leetle duck
hot" He had 10 opportunity, how
ever, for before re had finished there
was no one to short at.
Say, old man, there Is no use of your
being so Crouch" sang out the re-
porter. 81 want man re guide me to
Smiths coal dock
"You want me or to 30 de dack on
NIGHT like dees. 10. sair, I'll not get