New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-15
THE CENSOR AT KEY WEST.
SHARPER THAN A FOX AND Up TO ALL
THE REPORTERS GAMES
MANY SCHEMES TRIED on HIM FOR GETTING FOR
Ridden NEWS THROUGH RuT THEY

Ridden NEWS THROUGH Prr THEY
DON'T WORK
ccopy-sh, 1906 BY the Associated P-.s.)
Key West May 1.-THE cable Office IN Key
West has recently been the most interesting
spot on the island The most important man
by all odds here IS the censor The cable off1ce
is small brick building two stories high. with
large cocoanut palms growing on either side
The palms spread their great branches above
the building and form perfect arch over the
red-tiled roof II is only few yards from the
door the Government Dock. In fact. 1t is
only few yards from any place on the island
10 the water. and when the tide Is az the Nigh
est the sea sets back through most OF the
streets leaving A white fringe Of salt along the
cutters.
RACE TO GET THE WIFE.
Up through the narrow streets which lead
from the wharf 70 the cable office some exciting
races have taken place during the last few
weeks When the newspaper dispatch-ooats
come in from the Gulf they always land as near
10 the cable office as possible. and when CORE
spondents land at the same time the race Tor
the cable Office is more interesting than any
steeplechase ever run. Some Of them. after a
long cruise 80 staggering and Keeling on their
sea legs like drunken men. Others are weak
from seasickness. and still others are limplng
from bruises received from being pitched about
by the rough sea But sickness and bruises
are forgotten when land is reached. and every
effort is put forth he the first 70 file copy.
II il be late at night. five seconds gained IN
the race from the dock to the cable office may
mean an exclusive story for one OF the great
newspapers in the North. Gable transmission
is necessarily slower than sending over land
u-hn q
words at midnight is pretty sure that no other
paper Will be able 70 get anything for It's morn
ing edition from Key West that night.
THEN COMES TIE RE.
But after the copy has been filed the CORE
spondent's trouble is not at an end. Every
word OF IL must be read and passed upon ny
the censor No matter how much time. hard
ship or expense Il has required 10 get the story
H. in the Judgment OF the censor. 1t ought not 70
be printed II cannot be sent II II gives any
information as to the movements OF the feet
or the Army II cannot go
There are something Ike one hundred and
nfty newspaper correspondents in Key West.
and while most Of them appreciate the wisdom
OF the Government censorship OF news. some or
them have grown impatient In their eagerness
70 tell the interesting stories that are 70 be told
ana nave trlen I'll manner vi Hsc''''"H o'''
FOR getting their copy past the censor Usual
ly however all plans have been detected. and
the apparently innocent or stupid dispatch has
been returned to the writer with NO written
In red ink acrOss Il.
The most trying period FOR the correspondents
was the day the feet started on ts cruise east
ward Every newspaper man In Key west
knew that the great battle-ships were steaning
away from before Havana In quest Of big span
ish game. Every one was eager 70 send the
story but not word would the censor permit
20 pass From a hundred papers IN the NoTth
came the query. Has the feet started Even
the answer YES" 10 this inquiry was not per
mitied 10 go Some ~ the correspondents had
arranged a cipher code Win their nome ofhces.
but IN. code was useless Everything that had
the appearance ~ cipher-~vcrything That was
not absolutely plain and eHplainAbie-"as
stopped