The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1911-12-07
stir Great Editor Made When
He Dashed Into New York
Described BY Former
Associate.
James B. Townsend, In the Philadelphia

HooUVJ0lOs
| James B. TownSand. In the Philadelpht
Ledger.
Return at once to afice. Josepl
Pulitzer has bought the paper" Tht
was the telegram that received Ma,
l. lSe3. while attending the funeral Q
. relative In Rutland. VT. for whicl
sad duty I had been excused for tire
New York World under the hate VIII
lam Henry Huriburt by the then man
aging editor, John Gtlmer Speed, who
too. has joined the majority.
The summons was SO abrupt and 81
unlike the comparatively easy soinl
slower methods OF the Journalism o.
that day that e startled me. I realized
at once that while the words were
Speeds. the impulse that directed TIKI
sending OF the telegram WAS another's
and On my journey on q night tratT
to New York tried to recall what
had heard Of this Joseph Pulitzer. and
to paint a mental picture Of what man.
ner OF man he was
H. was not long before I learned
On arrival at the old World building
on Park Row. in New York city-then
only recently erected--I hardly knew
the place to be the same as that had
left. after some years service. only
three days earlier. 1t seemed as II
a cyclone had entered the building.
completely disarranged everything. and
had passed away. leaving confusion
worse COMPOUNDED.
The atmosphere Of the entire build
Ing Was enc Of excitement and sus-
pense. men were hurrying to and fro,
all with tense faces. messenger boys
were wildly leaving In droves. and
nothing was as 1t had been. Joining
the other members of the old editorial
staff. who were huddled together in
one corner OF the sitting room-all with
anxious and excited expressions
timidly asked what was the matter.
You will know soon enough, young
man." replied Mr.. Speed. 1.-The new
boss will see you in five minutes" and
with an upward glance and deprecatory
gesture he added. after US the deluge
prepare to meet thy fate"
1t was not long before my audience
with the new chief c"me and was
summoned into his presence. Well do
1 recollect the tall. spare form, neatly
clothed In frock coat and gray trous-
ers. the thin straggly reddish beard, the
tangled mass of reddish hair: and the
incisive glance through the near
sighted eye glasses that seemed to take
my measure In an instant and pierced
into my timid SOUL
SO this Is Mr.. t." said Mr.. Pulitzer
well. sir, you've heard that 1 am the
new chief of this newspaper; have
already introduced new methods--new
ways l propose to galvanize this force;
are You willing to aid me? Your salary
will remain the same, and you wiz fol-
low tho same line Of work with sug-
gestions as to change and Improvement
under Major Hancock. who will be
managing editor after Mr.. Speed
leaves"
To- my faltering assurance-for felt
as If the breath had left me. from the
rapidly and vigor of Mr. Pulitzer's
utterances-that would willingly re-
nodded and said. Good, I like YOU get
to work." That was all.
This was the beginning Of nearly 10
years active service for and with Jo-
seph Pulitzer. and Of a warm friend
ship which lasted until his death-al-
though one which Of late years / could
not cultivate on my part, owing to the
exigenoies Of business life, his blind
ness. and long absence from New York.
The manner OF my first acquaint-
ance with and rea, knowledge of
Joseph Pulitzer has been described.
20 indicate the mans tremendous and
almost Unique quickness Of action and
force OF character and temperament.
He was. during his active business
mo-. In nay long journalistic life and
subsequent wide acquaintanee-often
intimate acquaintance-with the more
prominent men Of the period, the three
brainiest that have known were
James McCosh, the late president Of
Princeton. Robert G. Ingersoll and
Joseph Pulitzer.
These all were men not only Of sur
passing intellect but Of force, but Mr..
Pulitzer added to the intellectually of
DR.. McCosh and the wide cultivation
and knowledge of Ingersoll all of
which qualities he himself possessed.
an alertness Of mind and body that
the other two did not possess.
. He seemingly never tired in the
early days of the Worlds upbuilding.
He reached the office In the morning.
frequently before any Of the members
OF his staff appeared, and have often
gone up town with him again at early
morning and after the paper had gone
to press, and the last lingering night
editor and copy reader and reporter
had departed.
appearing most Unexpectedly and at
odd times, now arguing with report
er IN the city room on some story
anon dashing into the composing room
to give orders. flashing into the count
Ing room and even descending like a
wnTlWind upon the market reporter to
wax warm over some question Of the
Of cattle the said editor had
stated to have arrived from the west
the previous day.
He loved nothing better than argu-
ment. which he almost invariably be-
gan himself by some negative or posi-
tive assertion. and during the course of
which he keeniy noted his opponents
bearing and manner of speech, while
never losing track for an instant Of
the main theme himself. TT Is by
argument" he said to me. that I
measure q man. note his SHORTCOMINGS.
his possession or lack OF logic, and,
above all. whether he has the courage
OF his convictions. for no man can
long work for me with satisfaction to
or myself unless he has this
courage"
II was not many weeks hardly days,
before the new World under Joseph
Pulitzer had struck new gait. The
old staff was quickly weeded out, and
new faces took the place Of those long
familiar In the old city and editorial
rooms.
We in the office felt from the first
that this remarkable personality,
which had so impressed US on its ar |
rival inside the building would soon
make its impress fel. Cp the great |
public or New FORK, and |
In time upon the country. and we were
not mistaken.
In weeks time the new World I'M
der Joseph Pulitzer was h bull In tie
china shop Of New York toui az ism. |
Il began to smash traditions. customs
and ideas like the proverbial animal |
thA