The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1910-12-01

? 4
+ WHO'S WHO$
+ M 8
f IN !
+ :
+ SOUTH i
1! 8
By O. " Consty. ]
a NEWSPAPER MAN.
By O. Cou,sey.
a NEWSPAPER A
written for the Sioux Falls Argus.
Leader.

who's Who?" May we never over
look that splendid galaxy OF %self-sac-
riticing individuals who deny them
selves nan privileges to make re-
ports of public functions. who record
the personal deeds of their respective
communities, who visit the sick and
paint scenes of the dying, who Gtvote
columns to weddings and g to
politics, who mould the opinions of
readers and shape the destiny our
IL commonwealth, the newspaper
men OF our state.
Conspicuous in this class Of labor
ers and public benefactors is Clauson
w. Downey, editor of the Mitchell
Daily Republican. Here is a ma who
for nineteen years and six months has
stood al his post of duty, with only
two vacations OF ten days each, nine
years apart. Before making the fol
lowing assertion. w have carefully
gone into and made a comparison, of
the various newspapers of the state,
and we have fortified ourselves with
the evidence. that during the past
eighteen years he has written approx
.imately sin times as much matter as
any other editor in the state. Until
less than a year ago he did all of the
writing for the Mitchell Daily, both
city and editorial, furnishing on an
average six full columns a day; some
days furnishing eight columns, and he
mas gone as high as ten. In addition
TO all OF this he has mostly done his
own proof-reading; has gathered near
ly all of the news himself, acter as
special advertising solicitor for his
employers, helped to set type when
needed, and done many other details
peculiar TO the printing business.
Talk about a strenuous life-there are
others besides Teddy.
Editor Downey's life, from early
childhood, has not been as "downy'
AS others we have known. Born in
Atlanta, Illinois, November Is. 1862,
h came into this world, as a little
"succre." His early experiences were
the common lot of most boys. In
1879 he graduated from the high
school of his native town.
Some editors are newspaper men by
birth-that is. through heredity-
others become printers through
choice, necessity or environment;
Downey entered the profession
though natural instinct. Late in the
afternoon of December 5, 1879, si1
months after his graduation, while
standing in the print shop of the sat.
lanta Argus" trying to crafty or tt
satisfy his smell for printers ink
young Downey was accosted by the
editor of the paper, George L. Shoals
who asked him why he did not learn
the printers trade.
That's Just what I want to do
snapped out the lad; ''can you helI
me?"
Sure" said Shoals, pull off YOU
coat ron up your sleeves, and star
right IN"
Young Downey did not do like boy.
nowadays, pipe out the question
How much are you willing to pa,
me?" He belonged to the "olt
school, that believed a trade was tn:
foundation for success in life ant
that one would have to be learned
even ii it were necessary to be bount
out, like Ben Franklin, as an appren
tice lad.
The boy was soon into it. He wa
set to work with a huge hand-roller
mixing forms On an old Washington
press. Did you ever try it? Their
are some things in newspaperdom t
this day that make ones back ache,
but nothing like lifting and pushin
and pulling an old-fashioned han
mixer. Nothing was said abou
wages. Our youngster was thinkin
about learning a trade-about be
coming a printer - of becoming in
dependent when finally placed on hi
his W resources. Wages? Non
sense! Lucky he did not have t
pay for the privilege.
Saturday night came. The DO
marched up and got paid-$1.50 pc
week. Think of it! Thirty-one year
ago; getting s1.50 Per week for sue.
drudgery. There isn't a lad on tn
continent today who would do it TO
"a cent less than $3.50 per day Can
vet some psople enjoy voting TIL
democratic ticket.l
Wsll, u boy mixed himself as vel
as the type; he blistered his hand
and posed and imposed upon his legs
but he stuck TO it for an entire yea
until he was relieved by anothe
sucker and promoted to the tyls,
case. Here he worked for tire
years setting up type.
He was now of age. Manhood CAV
birth to new ambitions. Dependence
gave way to independence; and til
responsibilities of life made the MAJ
impatient TO earn more money. II
quit the printing business and strucl
out into the field OF t~elegraphy. On
year was enough. The earliest i'm
pressions make the most incffaceabl
records. a printer once-a printe
always.
The young fellow got the western
fever: he struck for Dakota, landin,
at N%orthville, a few stations soutl
of Aberdeen, on the Northwestern
railroad in he spring of 1883. A
that time Worthwhile was about a
bleak as the region around the nortl
poe Of Cook and Peary tell tn
truth.) There wasn't even a road
way up main street.
Here IL young printer got hole
OF an old press, got some space in
breezy board shack. started a news
paper which he called the North
willie Advance" and began TO earn
livelihood, publishing mostly Notice
of Final Proof. Editor Downey har
vested his crop of final proofs a
harvest" time, sold out the paper
returned to Atlanta. ILL.,, and took III
he old job on the atlanta Argus"
Another year at the old stand ~
-. @