Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-05-05
PRINTERS LOOK
BACK rs YEARS
Tri- City Typographical Union
Observes Silver Anniver-
sary.
BANQUET AT NEW HARPER
@. nj. Lukens Tells of Conditions OF
Craft During the Fifties-
Others Heard.

Celebration of its 25th or silver an
nivcrsary by Tri-City Typographical
union at the Harper house took on the
aspect Of big reunion and get-to-
gether session last evening.
After the preliminary meeting else
whore, the cohorts from the three
cities assembled at the hotel at 9
O'Clock, and when seats were occupied
at the banquet tables on the second
floor dining room 1t was seen that not
far from $50. were seated, including
number OF the charter members of 25
years ago, guests. and By no means
last, eight or ten ladies. most of them
actively engaged now in "the art pre-
Sentative In the three cities.
the best that the New Harper az
fords was on the menu and as course
after course was brought In, apprecia-
tion was exceeded only by wonder. till
at last it gave, way completely to sati-
ETY.. Nothing had been done by halves
either by the union or the hotel And
every one who participated in the af-
CIoudas Toastmaster.
o. NJ. Cloudas of Davenport was
POSTMASTER for the occasion, and
when the cigars were passed, he made
felicitious little address, introducing
George NJ. Lukens, himself an old
time print" to talk on "Old Time
Prints II the vernaoular of the typo,
it may have to be explained that by
prints" in this phase printers" are
indicated. Mr. Lukens had experience
at the case as early as the SOS in Chi
cago, Davenport, st. Louis, Memphis
and elsewhere, later before retiring
to his farm out overlooking Rock
river. He had long experience in Mo
line while the ''hend-set" days still
fingered awaiting for the Mergentha-
lers to swoop down and work a change
in methods and in the art itself. The
change in methods has enlarged print
ing Offices and newspapers, has given
employment to many more men than
before, and the change in the art is
one from which it is desirable to re
cover as far as may be. Mr.. Lukens
told of his early afiliation with the
typographical union and of the old
time prints with whom in his long ca
reer he came in contact. Not q few
OF them later became congressman,
governors of states, senators, foreign
ministers and the like, indicating the
higl average character and ability OF
the "old-time print
when the war Broke Out.
Mr. Lukens was in Memphis, Tenn,
just before the breaking out OF the
war of the rebellion, and when it came
to taking a vote in that city for or
against secession there was greas
tenseness. It was given out broadly
that it would not be safe for any one
to vote openly against seeding. Mr.
Lukens and a couple of other prints"
voted, nevertheless, openly against Sc
cession. Mr.. Lukens was later sum-
moned before the committee OF safety,
he pleaded guilty to the charge of hav-
ing voted against seeding He was
giver opportunity to make amends by
agreeing to serve in the confederate
army This he refused to do. He was
practically banished from the city,
with the invitation to "go north"
thing which he was very glad to be
given the privilege of doing. His fel-
low northern sympathizers were like
wise given their walking papers a lit
tie later.
Tribute was paid to the old-time
printer in many ways. Mr. Lukens re-
ferred especially to loyalty to the Of
fee in which the printer worked The
secrets of an Office. acquired while in
its employment, were inviolable.
History of Union.
T. F. Wheelan of Rock Island gave
a brief history of the union and its Is
years of success and advancement A
few "reminiscences of~old- timers among |
tri-city prints" were recalled by P. S. |
McGlynn of the Moline Dispatch |
Some of the most interesting ones |
were omitted, like Levi Davis, who |
worked at the case In Davenport till |
he was about 80 years of age, County |
Judge T. d. Eagle, Milton Jones. long |
in and with the Rock island Argus, |
William H. Sherrard. John A Melon |
aid, Seymour Randall. Weinsheimer,
the two Goode brothers, and a host of |
others.
Bert w. Newton, president of the |
union; w. d. Hall of Port. Byron and |
a number of others were called out |
and made felicitious remarks.