The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-04-21
A !. BIC STORM
IOriHinAl.1


"where's Dorsey:' asked the ely
editor sharply.
Don't know, sir. He hasn't beer
seen about here since the hurricane
began"
And he won't be seen about here
more than once after It is over
Dorsey was a reporter He had beer
On the Argosy several months, but bad
not given satisfaction. There was lit
tie local news except in the line OF
crime, and Dorsey's reports OF criminal
cases were confined to a mere outline
Of each case He had been warned
without effect to make them more at
tractive." The truth is Dorsey shrank
from the work. The details OF muir.
tlers. robberies and such things had q
very distressing effect upon him.
Then came telegraphic dispatch
from the West Indies that hurricane
was raging there and was making
straight for the region where the Ag-
cosy was published. Dorsey had never
seen a hurricane and longed to view II
at it's most interesting point Of obser-
yation--the shore. So without asking
leave at the Office he took train and
in few hours was standing OH hill.
top looking out on the harbOr. The
wind was blowing steadily and the
ocean was covered with whitecaps,
looking from where Dorsey saw them
like pack Of wolves, charging and
tnmbllng over one another. while d
low moaning seemed to come from
those trotlden under. Directly beneath
sailors on the ships in the harbor were
busy taking in yards, making every.
thing taut on deck and looking to the
anchor chains. Dorsey went to a
house. borrowed spade and dug a
hole Just large enough to hold his
body and give him room in his front
below the surface to hold pad for
making copy Then, getting into 1t, he
began to write
Fortunately he was stenOgrnphe1
and could write very rapidly. As the
storm grew In intensity 1t brought with
1t an intensity Of feeling in Dorsey
AS one page after another was cram.
med into his pocket he grew inspired
u
Of pictures of the sea. the sky, the
storm birds on the wing. objects fly
ing through tho air, people fleeing for
safety. men rushing about on the decks
OF the ships, the roar Of the tempest,
the curling Of roofs. the fall Of houses.
the uprooting Of trees. and, lastly, one
ship after another breaking its cable
driven landward, lifted OH the crest
Of wave and hurled as by some In
visible Titan on the shore.
Dorsey stayed in his hole till most of
the scattered houses on shore and all
the ships In the harbor were destroyed
Indeed, till night had closed over the
blown down the hill, picked himself up
at Its base and made his way to rail
way station. 1t was several hours be-
fore he got transportation, and then
Oh an engine sent out with man to
make preliminary inspection Of the
damage done to the road. At mid
night Dorsey went into the office of the
Argosy. When the city editor saw him
coming he pointed to the door.
I've BEEN began Dorsey.
Get out! Come back tomorrow and
get your pay"
I've got u report Of the Storm per-
sisted Dorsey.
$50 have l. Get out.'
Dorsey turned and went to the Office
Of the Banner.
Want coast description Of the
storm?" he asked the managing editor.
"Of course we do. Got one? We
sent man. but he didn't get through,
Dorsey pulled out his crumpled notes.
go in there" said the editor, point.
ing. land send your copy up as FIST us
you write 1t. can give you column.
Hurry up. It's getting late.'
Up went the first instaliment, and
when the proof came down and the
editor glanced 1t over lie sang out to
Dorsey, You can have two columnsv'
When the next proof came down, the
editor cried again. Make 1t three col
umns. IL YOU like" Then it was Five
colnmns!" and at last ''You can fill the
whole paper"
The next morning the city editor of
the Argosy sat in his office with his
heels on his desk looking over his RI
val's paper.
Il had no idea that was such n big
Storm he remarked as lie read the
article on the hurricane THAT was
the biggest storm l ever heard off, he
went on after finishing the third col.
umn. lie closed the description Just
ns the proprietor of the Argosy walked
In.
lid You ever hear Of such a fright
sul Storm asked the city editor.
you've been reading the Banners
report. There have been plenty OF
storms ms big or bigger, but none has
ever had such Il big describer."
At that moment Dorsey walked In
tor his pay.
"All right" said the city editor. go
to the cashier. You've got week due
you"
What are you going to dor asked