The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-01-06
IN QUEST Of 4 SCOOP.
A REPORTERS MIDNIGHT CHASE
AFTER BIG NEWS.
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week. Inc local room OF the Offlce
was shrouded in semidarkness, lit
up only by the soft glow of the incan-
descent lights that shone family
through the green shades hanging over
sat reporter in shirt-sleeves, some
without collars or cuffs, and all turn
ing out "copy" as fast as their fingers
could fly over the keys of the machines.
"B-r-r-r, B-r-r-r," rings the bell in
the telephone booth. No answer.
"B-r-r-r, B-r-r-r-r," this time longer;
still no answer. "B-r-r-r, B-r-r-r-r;" it
does not stop until a 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.
o-hello-hel-well, what is it?''
Silence. whats that? Where? What
boats? Jerusalem!" and without the
usual g. by" he rushes into the city
editors room.
"Westcotts man just called up. He
wants to know if we've heard anything
about collision at Smiths coal dock
Says he was towing by there when he
heard two big fellows come together
with crash and there was lots of
screaming. Fog was too thick to see
anything"
The city editor locked 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 "a 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, l
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 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
friend who said he knew the way were
going rapidly out Fort street on their
cold ride to the coal dock. "By George"
muttered the newspaper man, "if this
log doesn't clear away see our finish
In one OF those Ecorse marshes. wish
had worn my overcoat; I'm being
slowly frozen to death. Say! I won
der how the c. E. expects me to find
anything such night as this? This
Internal fog is getting SO thick that
II we want to change our positions we
VIII have to cut piece out with our
knives. Keep watch or we'll run
down the fort.''
The street was almost deserted. Once
or twice some belated wayfarer lodged
from in front of the horse, and as they
swiftly passed into the darkness be-
yond, yelled warning to ''look out
a policeman stopped them once, but
with laughing admonition to be care
!ui or they would be killing somebody,
ne went back to his lonely beat, when
ne saw who they were. When they
turned toward the river the fog became
50 thick that they could not see the
norse's head and it was only when the
wheels grated in the sand at the end
OF the pavement that they knew they
nad left the city behind. 1t was i'm.
possible for them to guide the horse
ana SO trusting to his instinct, he was
given his head.
= nail from lonely sentinel at the
Iers told them when they passed II:
psAeswl'i they could not have told