The Washington times., 1906-07-15
WHEN FAIRBANKS
HUNTED THE NEWS
He Had Trying Times as an
Associated Press Reporter
in Smoky Pittsburg.
ALMOST MADE A FAILURE
The Future Vice President Tried to
"Cover" Horace Greeley's Speech,
Narrowly Missing Being Scooped.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. July li.-Charles
Warren Fairbanks was at one time as
ISOLATED with the newspaper boys in
an active capacity. When he graduated
from the Ohio Wesleyan University in
1872 he was twenty years of age, and
he at once cast about for some means
of livelihood. He became a reporter
and entered the service of the Assocl-
ated Press. being assigned to the duty
Of representing that organization in
Pittsburg.
Pittsburg, grimy now beyond words.
was grlmy enough then. and unutter-
ably depressing 10 a country boy who
had just started out to make his own
way in the world Pittsburg then was
a much smaller place on the map than
1t now is. and the Associated Press
thought that one representative there
was sufficient for its needs. And Fair
banks was the one representative. He
had edited a college paper and had in
dulged In dreams OF journalistic ambi-
tion. Now he had to face the hurly-
burly Of covering the city for news.
single-handed.
His First Assignment.
Almost his first duty was TO cover
a convention OF some sort. The town
was invaded by the convention folk.
and the new reporter was hard-pressed
all day and nearly all night for a
week. Right on the heels OF the con-
ventlon came Horace Greeley, who was
stumping the country on his Presi-
Dental campaign. The new reporter,
thoroughly tagged by this convention
week, dragged himself around after
Greeley. and was on hand for the lat
ter's great Pittsburg speech"
Good shorthand reporters IN those
days were rare. Fairbanks knew moth
ing Of the stenographic art. but he made
friends with the star reporter or
Pittsburg daily and arranged for the
use of his proofs after the speech. He
went with his friend TO the hotel
where Greeley was staying, and took
up a position under the balcony from
which the homely and Pugnacious ed
itor-candidate was to address the
crowd. Just as Greeley began TO speak
a light rain began TO fall on the up
turned faces Of the crowd-one Of those
light Pittsburg rains which fall like
mists Of ink. The stenOgrapher covered
the speech, and Fairbanks covered the
stenographer and his precious notes
with his umbrella.
Fairbanks had apprehensions. and the
stenogrspher had the notes. The notes
seemed rather shaky even to the unprac-
ticed eye, and the stenOgTapher was un-
uuestiOnably shaky. He had had a hard
week and was worn out. The rain fell.
the crowd thinned, the speech eventually
came 10 an end. and the stenOgrapher
went away 70 transcribe the notes. Fair
banks was to call later at the newspaper
office for the proofs. Meanwhile he
busted himself about the descriptive
matter and an interview with the great
man.
The Editor Choi :
At the appointed hour Fairbanks ap-
peared at the newspaper office and ask
ed for the proofs OF Greeley's speech.
Speech" yelled the news editor, who
sat on a low platform in the middle Of
a large room, a sort OF island surrounded
bv heated writer's. who were lashing an
ocean of copy" Speech? Greeley's
speech?' And the editor Choked. To
this day the vice president remembers
that pallid face with the fierce eyes
glaring at him under green shade-a
white face with a threatening black
mustache. eyes that bored holes in you
Speech? Greeley's speech2 Haven't
you got Il? We haven't"
Jones" we will call him Jones. took
it," gasped Fairbanks. who had an in
stant vision OF the Associated Press left
in the lurch. and his own discharge. Il
haven't any speech" he added. Where's
Jones?"
Gone home" shrieked the infuriated
editor Couldn't read his notes. Sick?
So am !. We thought you had the
speech"
Fairbanks bOlted. He ran down the
stairs ran down the street. ran 10 the
Office Of the P1ttsburg Post, explained
the case 70 the editor IN charge, who
said:
Yes, we have Greelsy's speech. But
we've given II 20 the New York World
man, who made US promise that you
shouldn't have the manuscript. But"
he continued, after a quiZZiORl pause. as
he watched the disappointment on Fair
bank face, Il guess, young man, we
can let you have our proof slips"
That saved young Fairbanks from a
total downfall, and he hasn't to this day
forgotten that good editor who helped
him out OF a bad hole.