The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-06-20
TAKEN ON THE FLY.
How Vim. E. Curtis Was Inter-
viewed Today.
Famous Newspaper COrrespon-
dent Was in a Hurry.
HUNTS FOR MATERIAL.
Wants to Write Stories About
Farming.
He VIII Investigate the Camp
bell System.

a Idls ELuDDV little man, Win sawed
off grizzled moustache, came busting
up to the desk at the Copeland hotel
this morning, and Selling a, pen applied
in neat and diminutive ehirography to
the register this autograph:
William E. Curtis and wife, Wash
ingtn."
There was no To- in the tom because
Mr.. Curtis didn't have time to write it.
Y want a room and BATH said the
new arrival. We viii go right up; my
wife is tired" and ne waved his hand
in the direction of a demure little wo-
man in gray who stood waiting at the
rear of the lobby.
"All right sir said the clerk, and
William z. Curtis and wife" disappear
ed upstairs in charge of a bellboy.
This is the William E. Curtis whose
name you see signed to more good
newspaper stories than any other living
man; William E. Curtis, the cores
pondent who puts in his time in Wash
jngton sending out to the Chicago Rec
ord Herald vivid stories about every
thing that is happening in the capital.
He does not look like a newspaper man;
you would rather imagine him to be
successful stock broker or insurance
man. His eyes are the kind that pro-
trude q little; his lower lip drOopS
slightly, but he walks off with all the
steam and energy of a cub reporter
trying to hold his job on an experiment
tai assignment.
". ]. Black, general passenger agent
of the Santa F'e, who at Arkansas City
met Mr.. Curtis in the private car which
the Santa Fe had placed at the service
of the famous newspaper man during
his trip through Texas and Oklahoma,
remained in the lobby to wait for the
return of Mr.. Curtis from the upper re-
gions of the hotel.
Mr.. Curtis" said Mr.. Black, will
s-N1
view. He is so anxious to get informa-
ton himself that he doesn't give out
much. He has the most wonderful
store of information about things ever
saw in a man."
Presently Mr. Curtis reappeared in
the hotel Office. and hurried out to
find a drug store. This was not be-
cause of his thirst, however.
Mrs. Curtis is not WELL" he said.
''She is tired out with her journey, and
wants to have a prescription filled
Whats the object of this trip you
are making2" asked the State Journal
reporter. as he tried to keep up the
hot pace which Curtis set on his way
to the drug store Are you travelling
for business or pleasure2' %
Pleasure! Pleasure!'' the excited
man gasped in establishment as he
plunged through the swinging doors
of the drug store as though he was
making a buck on right tackle. Il
so years! I'm out here on business
seeing things, getting acquainted with
the people, getting stuff to write about
This is the dull season in Washington;
nothing doing there, SO 1 take what
call a summer vacation trip, but am
putting in my time getting material
to write about
Are you going to write something
about Kansas was asked.
Yes, if I can find anything worth
writing" said Mr.. Curtis frankly
Having given orders to have the pre-
scription filled and sent over to his
room, Mr.. Curtis started back for
Copeland county. ''hckety-cut.
''Say, what do you know about this
new kind of farming a chap out here
in Kansas has invented" asked Mr.
Curtis. "They call it the Campbell
system; I heard of it, and I'm going
out here to Cheyenne Wells-I believe
there is such a place, isn't there ?-to
investigate. I don't know what it is
suppose it is some sort of a crank
scheme. but it looks as though it
might make story"
Here was a man from Washington
coming out here to Kansas to investi-
gate a system of farming which prob
ably not one person in hundred
right here in the state ever heard of
And he considered it a good enough
story to warrant a trip to Cheyenne
Wells to get the exact information.
Are you going to write anything
about the oil fight?'' was asked.
mo" said Mr.. Curtis, Il haven't
been near the oil country. 1 am get
ting farm stuff; information about the
farming business is what I'm after
Mr.. Curtis went up to the state
house and put in considerable time
talking to Secretary F. D. COburn of
the state board of agriculture. He
also looked up Fred Vandegrift. and a
few other friends. At 12:45 today he
left for the west over the Union Pa
cific. He will stop at Cheyenne Wells
then on to Denver, California and
Portland. He is accompanied on the
trip by his wife and his private secre-
tary. Mr. Burrows While on the
Santa Fe line he has been accom-
panied by W. S. keenan,. general pas
senger agent of the Gulf lines. He
stopped at a great many places in
Texas and Oklahoma, and absorbed
information about the country. which
he expects to dish up to his many
readers as the demand warrants.