The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-05
WHEN SCOTT TOOK VERA CRUZ
HOW A SAVANNAH PAPER sCOOPED
IT'S OPPOSITION.

Rroucht Two Editors ON the Duel
ling GrOund-HOw the Details of IA
Great battle Reached the People of
This City Before the Era OF Cables
and Telegraph Lines.
Dewey's victory at Manila was known at
Savannah within thirty hours after the
American fleet had sunk the Spanish fleet.
Sufficient details had been received and.
were printed the second morning after I'll E
hattie to show the public that anoth T
glorious victory had been added 10 ne
long list that adorn the naval history OF
the United States.
1t was week or more after the bril- dant
attack of Gen. Scott on Vera Cruz, il 1Si7,
during the war with Mexico, befoJ e the
Sayannahia knew that the An ierican
army was in possession of the Mexican
stronghold and had demonstrated The vast
superiority of ats forces over the larger
army led by NIexico's best gen erals and
fighting on their native Soil. 'The publ
cation of the news of that great victory
almost led to a duel between two editors
and prominent citizens of Sc vannah and
caused a feeling between the rival journal
lists that doubtless did not die for years.
The story of how the news reached Sa-
vannah, and how the old Georgian scooped
the old Republican, is an Interesting chap
ter from the past that Vets flood light
on the news service that then existed and
the methods by which the papers Of those
DAYS struggled to eclipse each other in the
publication of thrilling news several days
old.
Fifty-one years ago MIR. George N. Mich
OILS was the foreman of the Georgian.
There were two daily morning papers
published at Savann ah then, that paper
and the Republican. The feeling here and
elsewhere throughout the South, was IN
tense, fully as much so as is that now dis
played over the war with Spain. Every
item Of news from Mexico was received in
the newspaper offices with delight as the
best class of matter that could be fur
nished their readers. In those days there
were no telegraph and cable lines over
which the dongs of the army and the
navy could be transmitted and set before
the world within few hours. The rivalry
between the newspapers was just as keen,
but the opportunities of securing an ex-
elusive story over a contemporary were
extremely limited. Mail matter was relied
upon, and the mails were not fast nor
sure They came by steamship, by rail
road and by pony express, and as each
paper had the same exchanges there was
but little chance for a great stroke that
would be long remembered and talked
about as illustrating enterprise and fore
sight.
Mails from the North were then brought
to Savannah by steamer from Charleston.
The papers had a special arrangement
with the postoffice to secure their ex-
changes. If the arriving steamer blew
her whistle in the river before IL O'Clock
at night the bags were to be opened and
the papers served to the editors. If the
steamer aid not blow until after IL o'clock
the bags remained closed until the next
day. No amount of persuasion could
change this rule. 1t was memorable. The
comfort of the postofice department must
not be broken merely that the public
should have the news twenty-four hours
earlier In those halcyon days the scis-
sors and the paste pot were truly the en-
blems of journalism in Savannah. There
were no censors to blue pencil reports,
but the postmaster stood like a Gibraltar
between the editor and the news that did
not arrive at seemly hours.
From the South the mails came in part
by pony express and in part by rail There
was no continuous line of connecting rail-
roads to New Orleans from Savannah and
the transmission of the mails was slow
and uncertain. One afternoon when Mr..
Nichols went to the postoffice to get the
mail he found a slip of paper. On it We're
but few words. but they were pregnant
with vasc news possibilities. They simply
said 'Veru Cruz has been taken"
There seemed to be no hopes of getting
any further information beyond this brief
bulletin. 1t was absolutely maddening 70
know that after midnight a mail would
come from New Orleans, bringing the pa
pers of that city probably with detailed
accounts of the great battle, and that il
would be impossible to get at them until
the postoffice opened in the morning. The
foreman of a daily paper at that time was
something more than a foreman as the
term is now used. He was practically an
associate editor charged with the duty of
clipping from any late mails that might
arrive and otherwise assisting in the liter
airy as well as mechanical departments OF
the paper. As the time for the train came,
something prompted Mr.. Nichols to walk
down to the train He thought it probable
that some further meager news might be
had of the victory of Gen. Scott.
The train came in toward o'clock,
somewhat late. The mail bags containing
the coveted exchanges were there, but with
no way TO get at them. Mr.. Nichols was
turning away in despair when he saw the
express messenger with a paper in his
hand.
What is that?' the Georgan's foreman
asked eagerly
The New Orleans Picayune," was the
reply. It's a copy 1 was asked to deliver
TO the Republicans man at the depot"
Anything in 1t about the capture of
Vera CRUZ"
Yes, a full account believe"
Mr. Nichols heart fell. The Republican
was evidently going to immortalize itself
by a magnificent scoop. In fancy he al
ready heard the newsboys crying a Re
publican extra, with the Georgian with
only that single line of news from the
front
Mr. Nichols waited. No Republican man
turned up. The messenger was impatient
Let me have the paper" said the Geor-
CLANS representative. 81 will send you
paper in the morning containing the same
story, and you can hand it to the Repub-
hoan."
All right" came the unexpected reply
and in minute Mr.. Nichols was on his
way to the Georgian office with the price
less "Picayune" in his possession.
The Georgian's office was on the second
floor of the Sorrel building, as it is now
called, at Bull and Bay streets. Adjoining
1t was the Office of the Republican on Bay
esf I,1Ia