, 1907-05-02
.YE AND
LARAM lie
Continued from page 81


to the postmaster general attracted
much attention at Washington. He
told the postmaster general that, in his
opinion his being selected for the
office was a triumph of eternal right
over error and wrong. 1T is one of the
epochs," he said, Gin the nations on
ward march toward purity and perfec-
ton. l don't know when l have MOTTO
ed any stride in the affairs of state
which has so thoroughly impressed
me- with its wisdom"
Starting of the boomerang.
Shortly after Nye,s appointment as
postmaster, at the instigation of Judge
Blair, a stock company was formed for
the purpose of starting a newspaper
under his editorship. The original
members of the company were Judge
Blair, Jack Strobe, N. X. Boswell,
Charles Meldron and Otto Gramm. The
paper was named the Boomerang
and started in the building on Second
street where now Mr.. OFT publishes
the Wyoming Industrial Journal, and
the first press used was the same as is
now used by Mr.. OFT. AS assistant ed
itor Nye had "Bill" Barlow, now of
Douglas and noted as the editor of the
Douglas Budget and S%agebrush Philos-
ophy. This venture was started in
1881. A year later the plant was 10
ed1to the second story of a livery sta
BILE upon the ground where now stands
the w. H. Holiday company ware
house. Here was stabbed a particularly
vicious mule with whom Nye struck
up a friendship and it was here that
the editor nailed "a placard advising
his visitors to Twist the mules tail
and take the elevator" to his Office up
> The Boomerang remained over the
livery stable for the several years dur
ing which it was edited by Nye, and
which he made its name and his
town famous throughout the length and
breadth of America. Eventually Nye
fell i'll and for months lay at deaths
door in the cottage next to the club
house livery barn. Upon his GONZALES
cence, he went with his family, which
then consisted Of two boys and two
girls, to Pueblo, where he recuperatedr
for a year and then accepted a posi-
ton upon one of the principal New
York journals at a salary which ap-
peared to him to be princely. One of
the conditions of the contract was that
Nye was to write exclusively for the
Among his writings at this
time are many illusions to Laramie
people, in fact Colonel Root is one of
his principal characters, and a series
Of articles in which a suppositious Wis
it of Bill Root and Bill Nye to Europe
described, attracted much attention.
Later Nye went upon the lecture plat
form with James Witcombe Riley and
twice visited his old home at Laramie,
l%ecturing the first time at the univer-
sity and the second time in the Maen-
nerchor hall.
Died on Washington,s Birthday.
By his lectures and books Nye made
money and was enabled to purchase a
beautiful home hear Ashville, N. c..
Here he died February %, 1896, leav-
ing besides his wife, one son and two
His estate was managed
an unfortunate manner and during
visit CT his widow to Europe was
wrecked by the breaking of a bank,
30 that Mrs. Nye was forced to accept
the help of friends to return home. I'm.
less a monument has been erected in
the past few years, even the grave OF
one who had added much to the merri-
ment and literature Of a nation, was
by a stone.
"BilP' Nye can be said to have
been the oriRinatnr' of a style of humor
has become peculiarly Ameri-
can, and has found many imftators. 1t
consists of droll exaggerations and
whimsical relations about anything
Of current interest or of nothing In
particular. There is in addition a phil
running through all which ap-
peals to very many; the philosophy
which was SO striking a characteristic
of the man himself, when he would
write amusing sketches by the hour at
the same time not feeling secure in an
absolute knowledge of where his next
meal was to come from.
Careful Of Feelings of Others
There is one thing that must be al
ways credited to bill" Nye. he was
most careful of the feelings of
and whatever his failings may
have been, was he malicious.
1t has been said that Laramie owes
10 Bill Nye all of the fame with which
It is credited in the world outside of
The Rocky mountain region. The most
frequent remark heard by travellers