Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-04-25
SALT LAKER WHO
KNEW MARK TWAIN
John N. Morley Of This City Tells
How Samuel L. Clemens
Got His Name.
ON BOAT WHEN IT HAPPENED
Relates a Number Of incidents Con-
ncctcd with Early life Of Amcri-
cas- Greatest Humori,t

samuel L. Clemens. the famous
humorist Who died az his home in
New York last week, obtained his nom
de plume Of MARK Twain" which has
given him world renown. ia most
accidental way, and one OF salt Lake
Citys old-timcrs, John NJ. Worley
was running on the Mississippi river
at the time and was intimately ac-
quaintcd with sam" az he calls him.
and still has vivid recollections of
those early days and OF tho circum-
stance OF the adoption Of the title
OF MARK Twain"
Sam was a cub pilot on the river
from about 'd2 90 81. until the war
broke ont and the river business went
10 pieces" said Mr. Worley this
morning Some say he got his payers
as a fun aedged pilot, before he quit
but II he did 1 was not aware OF 10.
He was cub which means an
amateur. all the time as far as
knew. He was pilot on three Of the
river steamers, on the Edward ]. Gay,
the Michigan and the Oceana. / was
clerk on the last named boat These
steamers we're about 600 tons, cost
100000; carried $50 passengers and
freight. made the trip from St Louis
to New Oreieans, 200 miles. In six
DAYS were called 6-day boats be-
cause Il took that time for the trip.
They could make maximum Of per-
haps IL miles an hour up stream.
which was considered pretty fast In
those DAYS.
ORIGIN OF NOM DE PLUME
sam was ON the Gay. at tho
time he secured his new name of
Mark Twain. and was q young man %
about 20 years old. and cub pilot at
the time Bert Bowen was captain OF
the boat Al that time. captain Sell
lers a literary man. and q former
river boat captain was writing for
prominent papers In ST. Louis aud
New Orleans one OF bis articles on
the subject Of river boats of 20 years
ago appeared IN one of the papers.
Some OF the boys didn't like the trend
OF the article So one day CAPTAIN
Bowen said 10 young Clemens:
sam. why don't you write "a piece
and take Off the old mann
Oh. / don't like To- do that; Sellers
is ms friend YOU know said Clemens.
ooh. that needn't be known YOU
won't have to sign your name per
sisted Capt Bowen.
so Sam wrote an article. u took him
several days when finished. he called
I'm Capt. Bowen and several others and
submitted IL 20 them. It's simply per
feet was their unanimous verdict
But what shall ] sign 90 itE ask
ed the proud Young author in a guam
dairy.
AT that moment the pilot called out
lead which means they were sound
"a the river First cast % feet;
Mark Twain" the Iced man shouted;
% feet meaning MARK Twain.
49,.
Bowen. as if cIught Dos h1ppr In
spiration. and % has been Narl Twain
for the great writer from that da" GO
the day Of his death slid Air Woriey
ARTICLE MADE a SIT.
'Thc article WAS sent to The 81 Lotus
Republican. tho New orleans piouyurc.
Bee and Delta. NJ 7 remember rightly.
and 10 created n sensation. and was the
talk of the river men for months. In
stantly young Clemens jumped into
notoriety. which had not been his be-
fore the appearance Of tnt- p'Ccc on
his old friend Sellers and the old-time
steamboat article.
Clemens had done some writing be
fore this We called him lazy in that
day because he had little inclination
toward muscular work. but he would
SIT up an night writing articles.
cone day Mrs Caroline p. Officers. a
wealthy woman Of Matches who had a
plantation and 100 negroes, was on the
boat. and while mp IN the pilot house
with the young cub, she remarked TO
him: Mr.. Clemens. if / were "a girl
7 would set my cap FOR YOU. and take
YOU on the river; your forte is humor-
Gus writing
I'm that day Sam was "a tail, slim.
lankv sort m "a looking fellow. Weighing
115 to 100 pounds; kind OF a slim Jim.
He was a good fellow. ana everybody
liked him. He never drank or played
cards. which habits were almost uni
.srsal in that day IL shows he had
backbone t. him. He never had money,
ard BITS salary was probably not more
than $50 q month.
When the war broke out. boating on
the Mississippi was busted up. and Sam
went west and worked ON the Virginia
city Enterprise iu Nevada He wrote
me and told Of what grand country l-
the west. and advised me 20 como out
The next time I met him was ON the
SWcctwater I'm Wyoming. I was taking
an oX train west and SANS stage over
took u.s.
The last time I mot him was mp ir
Montana some 90 years ago when hC
was ON bis way 90 lecture in Australia
We had a good talk and I went as d
guest 10 listen Co his lecture lie was
"a splendid old Mark. and We am loved
him hc was great American
Mr. Worley was born In Yonkcrs
June o. 1896. lie crossed the plains 1,
times before the lav OF the railroad
RE came 20 Utah the first time 80 year,
ago and settled hero in the aIvffTe