The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1907-03-20
THE PAPER THAT
HAD A "PULL"
ReveiIIe Made a Record of Landing
Five Government Jobs in
Thirteen Years.
Newspaper Making and Office
Holding Not Always Good
Combination.

Misguided aspirants for fame and
fortune by way Of the newspaper
profession will find something to
ponder in the history of orr local
contemporary.
The Reveille was established by G.
C. Whitney of Marshall in the fall
of 1885. THE GAZETTE at that time
had incurred the hostility of a
strong political faction and its COM
petitor started in with good pros
poets of success. 1t had for its
first editor one of the cleverest news
paper men Of this part of the state
W. M. Todd, who was the founder
of the Tracy Trumpet, if we remem-
Der rightly. Mr.. Todd made the
columns of the Reveille interesting
and spicy, and it is no fable to say
that for time he had The GAZETTE
editor pretty badly scared. But
Mr.. Todd was not long in finding
out that editing and managing
new paper here was not a get
rich-quick scheme, and an oppor-
tunity offering itself for securing a
clerical position in the state insur-
ance department, under Gov. McGill
in 1887. Mr.. Todd gracefully retired,
and left the tripod for place where
there was never any worrying about
what Saturday night might bring
forth in the way Of returns. Todd
was one of the squarest and friend
Hest Of competitors, and so far as
we are aware, there never was any
i'll feeling between him and the
editor of the rival paper. He has
made his services in the state weigh
masters department invaluable, and
is fixture there regardless Of poll
tics.
The Reveille proved a sort of rab-
bits foot in the way of getting a
political job, Mr.. Todd being fol-
lowed by S. w. Hayes, who had
served as postmaster under Arthur
and stayed in as editor long enough
to pave the way to his appointment
in the U. S. revenue service. Dur
ing Cleveland's regime Mr.. Hayes
found himself out of office, and in
period of dependency he committed
suicide by the carbolic acid route,
his body being found on the banks
of the Redwood, about forty rods
below the falls. one winter morning
about thirteen years ago.
w. A. Abbott was the next editor
to remain for any considerable time
after Mr.. Hayes, and like his prede-
cessors he secured a political.appoint-
ment, this time in the government
printing office at Washington. Mr..
Abbot was never in robust health,
and a few years later his lifeless
body was brought to this city for
burial, being followed a few years
later by the death of Mrs. Abbott.
his widow.
The original owner of the Reveille
did not feel rich enough to continue
as owner for many years, but true
to the traditions of the paper. in
due season became state expert
printer, remaining under state pay
up to very recent date. In the
meantime he sold the Reveille plant
to Geo. B. Hughes, who continued
at the helm with varying fortunes
up to the time when the little school
master, McCleary, held a political
Walkaround to decide the fate Of
four different aspirants for the posi-
ton OF postmaster. Needless to say,
the Reveille rabbits foot was still
potent, and George B. was st" for
four years. While serving as post
master the Reveille was not bring
ing Mr.. Hughes an overwhelming
amount of cash, and that gentleman
took advantage of an opportunity to
unload it upon A. M. Welles, who