The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-07-10


y miss your valuable cOntriOu ions al
your 5ligcnt and pcrscvcr nE cfror
10 promote its interests and increase i
II attractions. can truly say that [ nevt
- knew gentleman more cu'nCst an
- energetic, III the pursuit Of journalism
!, "hlle you have displayed complisl
. ments FOR the profession that arc raj
/, ana invaluable. Socially, we will a
, feel great loss in parting with you, an
: inc rcc0ilcctions Of our Intercourse wit
. you will always be agreeable. Will
your own talents and bearing will con
mand respect for you in every commun
lIy, and your gallantry in tho South or
cause viii commend you to the hospital
lty ana friendship of every Southern
man, tender you my most earnest an,
heartfelt good wishes for your pros
perity and happiness in life"
This was praise from Sir Hubert
lnuccd! The conservatism Of the Dis
patch and its distinguished editor was
marked tca.uIe of its management il
those Gays, and this Voluntary tribute tC
inc talent aud merit Of Capt. Dawson
must have made Il profound impression
upon inc young Journalist, who had hcsi
t"tcu TO accept position as local report.
or on the Examiner because of an honest
uouot as TO his fitness for the work 1t
| was whllc they were both engaged on
Inc examiner that Mr. Riordan had
oroached plan for starting Il cheap and
popular newspaper in Charleston, where
hc thought there was fine field for q
ncwsy, bright and energetic journal. He
nau not taken any steps in that direction.
ior nc was waiting To find the right sort
or man, and he had been convinced
that he and Dawson could make n anc.
cess Oh such newspaper in Charleston
ROW worry prophetic were the words of
hiordan, and who that ever knew them
"hch WORKING rs partners could fail to
icaliZc that they were specially adapted
TO each other. Rordau had not fully
gangcd the capacity of his prospcclivc
partner, however, for in discussinc the
detalis OF their probable venture he was
carctui to admonish him that he (Daw
son could not DO the editorial writing"
ana they would have to engage q man
Tor that service How little we know NJ
men until we have tested their metal
ana proven thom by experience.
Capt Dawson WAS instrumental while
connected with the Dispatch. in forminr
Il Confederate Memorial Association. ono
OF inc earliest in the South. In the
uolyWood and OnkwoOd cemeteries at
lnchmond he saw that the graves of
thlrty thousand soldiers, who had given
their lives for the defence of the citv
were III danger of being neglected unless
lherc was an organized effort to keen
tnem In order and mark them suitably.
re began to agitate the subject in the
DlSpatcn ana met with patriotic re-
sponsc, for when did the women of
Richmond ever fail to honor their loved
defenders? Memorial day brought a
suspension Of business, when the mill
larry organizations went out to Holly.
wood, accompanied by hundreds of
adlcs bearing flowers, and the custom
was fixed for all time to come. The
rank growth of weeds WAS cleared away
ma the graves were rcarrangcd, and
he plans were inauguratcd for building
he monument which SO well graces
leautifu, Hollywood. Mrs Macfariand,
he president of the Memorial Associa
Dawson when he was about to leave
in recognition of his
valuable and distinguished services in
advancing our solemn and sacred pur.
pose, ana expressing regret at losing
lis coun5els, with best wishes for his
ucccss and happiness. Accompanying
lie letter was II "slight memorial from
he ladies, which was set OF studs and
lcevc buttons of gold, with the Con-
ederatc battle flag in enamel on each of
hem.
vi
1t IS a singular fact that the new spa.
'cr project for Charleston was kept i'm
new Oy RlOrdan even when there were
hangcs that seemed to be bearing them
drltt rom such purpose. When Dlw.
on left the Dispatch he went into the
Xpre,s business with Il company that
o Elapsed very soon afterwards, and
tlordan did not long remain with the
Examiner, but went to work in Wash
nSton, ID y. lie then accepted posi-.
ION on the Charleston Courier, and
Vhcn Col. K, Barnwcll Rhett was about
o resume the publication Of the Charles.
on Mercury, he asked Riordan to take
us Old place, but this offer was declined.
tiordan advised that Dawson be given n
'lacc on the Mercury, and Co. Rhctt
cnt nm telegram, which offered him
N engagement on the paper, requesting
rs Immediate presence in Charleston
tc arrived there on the 10th Of Novcm
cr, 1866, and the next day went to work
n the Office of the Mercury.
The Charleston News had been estab {
lshcd by Cathcart, Mcmillan IL Co, and
nc rca owner was MI Benjamin Wood,
II New York. Riordan had said that
inc charleston newspapers were very
low and old fashioned" but this remark
'''' NV iSiSiShSS w tuC lNCNS WHICH, was
conducted in manner that made it sue.
;essful in certain sense, but the man
cement on the whole was cXtravagant
md its waning fortunes induced Riordan
o seek control of the News He visited
New York in the autumn of 1867 and
opened negotiations with Mr.. Wood,
which resulted in the new firm Of Rior
Ian, Dawson ~ Co, the unknown mcm-
>cr being MIR. Wood, who had two
birds interest. The liabilities of the
} d firm were assumed by their success
'ors, and with an Indebtedness OF $40
700, couple Of old presses and an outfit
If old type, the young mon SGT out cheer
.ully TO conquer and overcome every
iilliculty. Only newspaper talent, coup.
ed with energy and hard work, could
nave met with success under such cir.
Both were strangers to the
people OF Charleston. for Riordan's pre-
vious residence was at time when all
the able bodied men were in service, and
at no period in his life did he waste any
time in forming promiscu ous acquain-
tanccs His place was on the tripod and |
seldom did he get away from it. They |
the value and Importance OF |
news, and they were determined to mako
their paper live up to its own namc,
which was the secret OF their securing