Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-01-06

ing from right TO leLt IS W. II. Cdlu"o
William G. Holden, No. s, George Muir
Another letter distinctively Billy"
Caldwell in it's flavor and teeming with
recollections and anecdotes galore has
been received from the reminiscent
pen Of the we'll known former Ottum-
wan. It deals in particular with the
men whose pictures are shown IN the
old photo resurrected by Judge Frank
w. Echelberger and sent by the
Courier to Mr.. Caldwell in Topeka.
The Joy at receiving the old photo in
which he was one Of the seven men
pictured as the Courier" staff and
whole works In the infancy of the
Courier back in 1865, is best told by
Mr.. Caldwell in the following:
1 have a letter from my whilom &C.
uuaintance, that reporter of yours,
Mr.. Canny in which he encloses pic
ture of group of the old Courier
force, and asks me if remember the
gang. Remember them! Why, bless
your soul, yes, as we'll as the very
moment that the picture was produced
although the occasion is somewhat
dim, as I cannot positively recall that
1t was just before or directly after the
Daily Courier was born, but 1t was
along about that time. have num-
bered each one so that you can rec.
ognize them as speak of them. |
perso~ ally painted on a piece OF card
board the words Courier office, and
swung it by fine wire above our heads
No. l, is the proprietor and editor,
also postmaster, James w. Norris
"Uncle Jimmie as every one knew
and called him. He was a man OF
energetic character, always doing
something for Ottumwa, never firing
in writing any ane everything in the
interest Of the old town. He came to
Ottumwa in earlv days directly from
Chicago where he had successfully
established the Chicago Daily Journal,
which plant he sold to good advan-
tage, and then bought the Ottumwa
Courier from Richard H. Warden, who
had founded and published the Week
ly Courier and also served, as post
master.
I am not positively certain just
when Norris bought the Courier, but
I do remember the occasion very
wildly. It was while the Courier &C.
cupied the second floor of the A. l..
Graves business brick building-a
three-story building, the first floor and
basement being occupied by Graves
himself as leather house; the second
story by the Courier, and the third
floor by the Masonic lodge. The build
ing stood next east of the corner on
which Neville afterward built, i. e.,
the southeast corner of Main, and
Court streets; the purchase was made
by Norris just about the time that my
apprenticeship expired-so that it
must have been about 1854, maybe
1855. It was while the Courier and
postoffice together occupied the little
one-story brick building on the north
east corner Of Market and Second
streets Gust back of which lived the
Roots, the marble cutters fanny and
next east of them lived the Devins,
in the then pretentious mansion now
occupied by the Wapello club, that
the Daily Courier was born and the
picture was taken.
No. 2, is Tom Eichelberger, brother
of Judge Frank. Judge Frank .Eichel-
berger! Say, do you know, the last
thing recall of that chap was when
the Eichelberger family were running
the OH OLLuuWd : uOuSS (OIlSludlly
Becky Halls tavern.) ...... 49,.
Frank had taken a course somewhere
in bookkeeping. One day happened
in the hotel Office and found Frank very
busy with his books. I asked him if
could see them. ooh, yes. glad to
show 'em to you," said he. The pages
OF day book he was working on then
stands out as clearly as the sun in my
eyes right now, and one entry I'll never
forget It was the double entry sys.
tenn that he was working, and this was
it:
Flour, one Dbl. to cash DR.. .7.S0
Cash by one Dbl flour Or. ........7.s0
Eichelberger by cash, one
Dbl -four, CT. ..................7 $50
Cash to Eichelberger one
bbl -four, Or. $50
don't know whether Frank ever got
over that mixing process, but do
know that such complicated systems
are not in use to any extent these
days-anyhow in Kansas. But, if
Frank is as good a Judge as he was
then a bookeeper he is plumb good
one, nevertheless I can't help seeing