The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-08-14

weird Sunday editions to him are as
'swine's flesh to a fatantical Moham-
medan.
The president of q Typographical
Union in Washington is Mr. William
Brockwell, and he always works into
a casual conversation something about
the good old days when we worked
on The Observer, and there never were
such men to work for as Mr.. Hale and
Colonel Saunders. This grateful and
kindly trait makes it quite sure that
the union is presided over by man
who can judge with equity and who
doubtless steers around many rough
Iplaces.
Unobtrusive James Pool was one of
our regular men and just one of those
valuable men never in the way, never
|out of the way and always the same
way. 1t would be hard to forget Bert
Register. He was of that family that
has made and makes such an essen
tial part of Raleigh's life and groWtS
land worth 1t is not telling tales out
of school to say that Bert lost no time.
after pay hour in beginning to spend
his money and getting in Tam . Sham
ter's best mood. But he was so kind
llv that it didn't seem to do anybody
lanv harm. not even himself He de-
lighted in telling you how much he
liked you and about fighting the Yam
KEGS, and they were surely agreeable
topics. and he never reversed them.
Monday morning, bright and early he,
began work and went through the
familiar stages of contrition and
penitence into the good graces OF
everybody again. 1t is all very right to
say that you would get very tried Of
this, but you couldn't with Bert.
The chief travelling correspondent
of the paper was II. w. Best, a former
Secretary of State. a Mason among
Masons. and of a fashion to attract
notice anywhere. He was so tall that
he impressed one as being long. His
powerful countenance and heavy
voice were very impressive and his
list of subscribers meant all the peo-
pie he had opportunity of engaging
in conversation on the court green.
There was not much Sprightliness IN
his letters, but he selected the news
that was fit to print and delivered it
In carefully made sentences. After he
gave over newspaper work he came
to Washington where he secured con-
genial employment in the Agricultural
Department, improved his position and
died in the harness.
His mate was Capt. Ensign Conklin,
of Warren to which county he came
shortly after the war. and whose peo-
pie he literally made his people. He
was a New York war Democrat at
home, and abroad a Democrat and
useful man. His very white complex
ion, regular features and black hair
made a notable appearance, and he
never brought discredit on the paper
by his work, but earned his money
and the respect and God will of the
staff as WELL lie died in New York.
Capt. Bill Carraway-cavalryman.
postoffice inspector, genial soul, and
|hospitable planter. over the name of
d. r. Walker, which stood for Dirt
Road Walker, had to himself the post
of the kingdom lying east of the Will
mington & Weldon Railroad and he
was a prime favorite with all.
The Devils.
Before telephones and speaking
tubes and such other modern nuis-
ances were sent as plaques on the Reo-
pie of the fourth estate, the devil was
pa very important link in a newspaper
office. He was the purveyor of copy
from the editorial rooms. 1t sounds
better in the plural, and when you
went to hunt and wake him UP no
would help you bring back proofs. He
always knew what cases were empty
because their geniuses were "remem-
bering their misery no more" and in
sweeping up the office he gathered
scraps of yet other information about
men and things that made him most
desirable person to keep an eye on
He lived in the hope that he might
one day become a tramp printer and
blow into New York or San Francisco
on late cross tie, and was pursued
by the narrowing and morbid fear
that he might in the course of his in
diligence in unnecessary work degen
crate into an editor of either high or
low degree, and keep succeeding devils
walking up and down and seeking
what they could devour-and copy.
i will reverse the order of our brace
of devils. because a line will tell that
Dan Riggan was good looking lad
of spirit and sufficient sense to take
care of himself as we'll in the world
as in the composing room, and there
is every reason to believe that he has
done so, and of course all the hopes
are that way. A gem on the going
away of Upchurch is thu only name to
give the few lines which Mr.. Hale
wrote of him. | doubt if you can find
his name elsewhere but in that paper
But it is there to stay. He was called
Goose Upthurch. Why. nobody knew
He had sense. and of rare sort Be
fore he fell i'll he had sense enough
to leave off his evil ways and to go TO
that sweet tempered Christian pastor
the late Rev. Doctor Norman, and ask
to go into his fold. Mr.. Norman had
a very small meeting house in a very
humble part of the city. and / sup
pose there must have been a score!
of us there to keep the lad company
until "the form was locked up for
the last time, but I do not believe it
has been given to any of us to forget
the tender modesty with which the
handsome young preacher told the
homely life story of that poor boy
Major w. A. Hearnc.
The world goes on, and some of us
with it. A quarter of a century back
impersonal journalism in North Caro-
lima was a doctrine not to be tolerated
and perhaps it is not today by some
halt million worthy people, and one
who practiced it was liable to the
pains and penalties of personal dis
approval. But none of these things
much concerned Major w. A. Hearne
an editorial writer of vigor and an
industrious and intelligent compiler
of newspaper matter. The series of
articles which he wrote under Mr.
Hale's supervision on the development
of the States resources by means of
transportation routes are of pu'ma-