The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-05-28
@2QI
New News
OF Yesferday
BY T.. j.. EDW NEDS

BY T.. j. EDN AI.DS.
on Saturday | old how the inside
history of the financing Il the Union
during the first half If the ei1n War
was lost 10 the world through the
procIaStlHaIlCn Of the late George :
zoe, n as one Of the IeadIng bank
ers Of Civil War DAYS. had intimate
personal knowledge Of the raising Of
the first War leans hN the Federal
government Mr.. Goe always meant
TO write hat important history. but
he kept putting off the task Of com
hitting il TO paper, 50 that death over
took him before ne got around L. II.
In like manner Donald G.. Mitchell
and th1Dlate homas j.. Eckert left
the world without two important his
tories that they planned 10 write
some day.
Years ago | heard his c~onversa-
Q take place petWeen Mr.. Mitchell
and q mutual friend 1t 4 time ahen
We had come across the author O.
The HeNeries Of d Baehelor'' boxing
among the leaves Of the chestnut trees
on his estate outside Of New Haven,
Conn. for the purpose Of finding nuts
for a little girl who was with him.
When bought this place" said
hr. hItchell, Il had Just returned
from my consulate At Venice. One
Of the purposes | had in View in com
ing to this quiet and beautiful spot
was hat | might have leisure and alb
solutely peaceful surroundings ir
which to write my great book, as
hope it will be.
When | was in Venice ] determ-
med to write a history Of the Nenet-
ian Republic. 1t is a wonderful story
rich in dramatic incident and tine.
tured With the brilliant c~olorings O
the Adriatic. But l haven't begun tn
work yet
My friend asked Mr.. Mitchell if h,
had abandoned the plan.
oh. no MIR. Mitchell replied. 1t,
write that work is. stII my ambition
If it is properly done it should b
a work that will live. ! am lakln3
plenty Of time"
But YOU must he careful. MI
Mitchell. not to take too much time.
"Oh, there is no danger of that: i
fact, | have already made 4 conden
sation Of some Of my notes which
may use in the form Of lectures.
But that was as far as the histo1
ever got on ape in the years tha
interviewed between this ~cOnyersatio
and Mr.. MitchelIs death. Cn4ues
tionahly, the history that Mr. Mitch
: ell planned, if written. would hay
borne comparison with the best Wor
ever lone by an American historian
! The history that General Th0n1a
p. Fckert, for many years presldeI
Of the Western Union Telegraph Con-
pany, planned to write related to III
early days Of the telegraph. Wit
| which he was intimately connected
In a conversation | had with him
few years before his death. | spok
Of the curious development Of II
! electric telegraph which centered
and around Pittsburgh, Pa.
That was a remarkable group
young men who tool hold of II
Morse key in Pittsburgh. and Nicil
: itv,. said General Eckert. "Alrno
every one Of them gained great su'
cess III business, and n or two
;, them great political success, Vet eNel
one. as | now remember Il, was
poor boy.
Il am going to write the real hi
tory OF this group Of men n re
history Of the early development
s the electric telegraph General Eel
ert continued. 1T has been told
shreds and patches, but It has neN'
y been fully told. There are dramat
: incidents connected With It which.
q nv opinion. equal any OF the dT
: matte incidents associated with II
development Of the American Ia
d way system. have collected a gre
: mass Of material for the history, al
n one Of these days | am going 10 Ia
1t time and sit down and write II
t But that time General Ecteft heR
a took. and unless he left his mater
in such shape that = book can he WI
/, ten from it. the comprehensive III
! tory Of the early development q 4
t electric telegraph by one who n;
4 prominent part IN It IS lost 10 I
]. vorld-through p-ocrastinatlon.
Downright. 1912. by T. J. EdWart
All rights ~reserEed.1
- L., InaS To See Him. N