The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-12-07

radicnllsm, abusing and ridioulIng eyery-
thing Southern
YET the sturdy democrats in the iegisla-
turo made gallant fight. slowly but
steadily gaining vantage ground, until
they finally won.
In the basement of the statchouse was n
very fine restaurant kept by Mr. r. q.
THOMPSON and the legislators patroniaed
II literally.
With salary Of 50 day they were able
10 frolic. eat. drink and be merry.
Money was abundant, prices were high
and Atlanta with population Of about
270n0 people was rushing. hustling city.
II took Two variety shows, th.~ter and
any number Of other amusements, all night
restaurants and saloons to supply the de-
mand
Gambling was open, and the Georgia
State lottery was In full blast
A winter In Atlanta then was a gay sea-
son
Governor Sam Bard was then on deck.
lie had not sold his New Era. aud ths
gifted A. Il. Watson was on his staff. Old
Major Steele was the chief OF the lnteli-
gcnror. and Colonel /. W, AycI/ was ut tho
head of the Constitution.
II was the fashion for bright young pro-
fcasona men to try legislative reporting,
and at various times sidney Dell. w. y.
Ellis. r, W. ltucker John b. Baird aud
others might have been seen in the house
and aenate
The newspapers gnvo iolerabiy full re-
ports with synopsis OF the debates. Tho
reportcts likCd their work The speeches
We're exciting, ana there were occasional
fights to enlVou the proceedings.
The democrats sednced few republl-
cans ana turned the negro members out.
but The latter were resented under tho re-
construction acts The next electon how
ever resulted IN democratic victory, aud
after that there was no more trouble.
II was a Jolly time for newspaper men.
| don't know whether the ddllies made
money or not We reporters dill not care.
We would draw our sci per week fer four
hours work a day, and we were satisfied.
So many newspapers simulated bum-
nesa Advertising and everything Print-
crs made plenty OF money. anybody who
could write or set type could get good
job
II a fellow got ont of work he could Dor
row all the money he wanted. Everybody
had cash and nobody stopped to count dol.
lars
| The proclomations cd the governor Of
| fcling rewards for fugitves from lustic"
| were numerous, and the newspapers We're
paid wen Tor printing lhcin. Th2n mere
| was a grcut deal OF State printing. ono
| day The publisher of The lnttllfeenccr saw
| page of onitial stuff In the New Ezra.
| The toe paid for It's insertion was Saooo.
| The lntelligeucer man get permission to
| print g. borrowed the ready set mater
| rom his contemporary, slapped i on the
| press, aud pockcte4 his 5000 without any
| expense on his part.
| Atlanta during thet period rescmbled
| western frontier town. Shcrmnn's ash
| heaps had not all beon cleared away, but
| come very substantial buildings had been
I erected
The opening OF peGye's opera house on
Marietta street was an evant for those
times 1t opened with Mr.. e. II. Dalton
| in "Riohelieu,' think Later the Ia
nous Edwin Forrest played there for
week.
The Kimball house. the old one, was con-
sidered one Of the wonders OF the South.
But the streets were badly paved, and
| he city presented a rough appearances, teI
| society was organizing delightful enter
talnments were given. and the people were
all animated by a neighborly feeling, ana
all were then. as now, pulling Tor -,llanta.
| Besides the dailies, We had SCOTS
Monthly Magazine The Ladies Home Ca
zettc. and Rough Rice's Ready Reporter,
| tho most shockingly illustrated paper
| that ever appeared In a civilized country.
| with these surroundings and aids the
| legislature could not help being hvciy:
| The statesmen entertained the town. ano
| the town In return was vide open.
| At the state mouse tut ie was P..SSe'. -
! debate every day: Numbers were knocked
dowa in the corridors, challenges were
common: canes and pistols were frequent-
ly In evidence.
Back OF all this hurly burly loomed grim
soldiers with their bayopets. and we never
knew when the legislative farce would
be rudely ended by the re- establishment
OF military despotiem,
| II was q good training school Tor the
newspaper reporters, but those who are
! sti,l az work lind the life Of today unspeak-
ably dull when compared with that exctt-
ing era. They find the legislatures less M
lteresting. and they ind everything else gull
and tame. ~. ~ g
The good old days are only . memefy
now. 10 those who figured 10 tAem, hU1
the rising generation we1d peEAep4 S40YS
s siasr nom w, vsrs.. w 49, ~ h II
X but they hsiped ~