Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1899-07-04
.UNWR|l, | Ten CHAPTER
Fourth.of-. JuIy Eve AS Was
One Year Ago.
THE NEWS FROM SANTIAGO
How One Story Was Killed To Nuke Wa,
for q Glorious Victory. Sudden
Mstamorpa,os,s of Mourning Into
Joy. Managing Editor R.,n.sned.

Joy. managing Editor IL. III lined,
5.,,s.,.- - -.:,--
yesterday was suite different
Fourth of July eve from that Of one
year ago, as the people well remember
and the newspaper boys. particularly.
In 1925 the day before the E>ourtl, fell
on Sunday
The situation ut Santiago was ci.:i-
cal Shafter he'd heightened the visag-
es OF some seventy odd million Anicri-
van citizens by sending cablegram TO
Washington stating that he could no,
saold his position and WOULD have to fail
back to the hills. With IN army ,lcci-
mated BY disease. 'himsel. the sicllest
man of the lot, the big general rolling
IN agony on his cot five miles to the
rear, decided that he would have to give
up all of the advantage won by the
bravery and blood of the finest soldiers
IN the world. and retire to cooler climes
The Associated Press flashed the news
TO the ends Of the earth, and every
newspaper in the land posted bulletins
and issued extras. CROWDS gathered il
front OF the newspaper Offices and on
sne street corners and discussed the sit
uatlon sadly, swearing beneath their
breath and trying to ignore the inevi-
table Individual who said 81 told YOU
so.'
1T wont be much of Fourth to-mor-
F-oW. was the sentence which formed
on every tongue.
AS the hours passed the outlook be-
came gloomicr. News came that Shat
ter had received Instructions to fail
back
In the newspaper shoIrs that RED hot
night the telegraph editors were busy
trying to minimize the Seriousness of
the situation. Where Victories had APP
a. vi
cussed with themselves the advisa5lity
OF putting this story under sinSla col
umn head
The way that story went in one paper.
Is remembered.
The telegraph editor waited long ana
patiently for some rift in the cloua.
that he might incorporate in a heal,
but the clouds only grew denser. Hun
& ure1's OF people came into the office unl
were sent away with the intelligence
that Shafter was about to fall back.
About 1880 o'colck The story went in 10
the printers and was being set up. The
office was deserted of visitors The
people, tired of bad news, had gone to
bed. T'.-
About IL O'Clock, just as tile operator
at the telegraph instrument was pre-
parlng to receive the signal for lunch,
! the telegraph editor saw him get up on
the table and heard him yell
Wv" II EOil alniC perch, you foOS-
ter. and tell me what is the nrntter,"
sala the telegraph editor, With 4 we'll
defined idea that something had hap
nencd. =,
Wait :, minute said the operator
they arc raising hell in Washington.
4 invent got anything yet. but tue boys
are talking
In the name of allathat is righteous
get down here and talk a little yourself.
wont you?' cried the telegraph editor
Keyed up to an exasper;tting pitch
An, here she comes now" said the
operator. bouncing on his machine,
here You are
ea,,' 80 @''''''l'
=, -? -! !! *---. .-.t y
The last remark was made by the
operator.
The telegraph editor did not hear it.
lie was fast flying into the composing
room. Kill that story" he shouted
when he caught a glimpse Of the fore
Just throw that head in. will you, you
VIII need the type presently" And he
foreman what had happened
M FORTHWITH there was planned a first
page tina was intended to startie The
natives head was devised tina. was
i 70 cover the cntire top OF the paper
across seven columns, and ii was ar
ranged that the story was to spread IL
selt alFOver that page in seven column
measure, minus q few ems 70: a ri,z-
zilng border which was to cncirclc the
whole glorious affair.
men the telegraph editor Went ba elk
into his den and figured up the Drob.
Ole number of Fourth Of July jays there.
would be the next day on the strength
of the news. :,
ss presently the ma na Sing editor Stroll
so IN. re had been out condoling with