The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-10-15
Famous Editor Priced Highly
Military Pass Issued by
General Grant.
REPORTED CIVIL WAR
Last Article Written for The
Palladium Depicts Hor-
rOrs of War.


received today by Mrs. Jesse Alice,
whose father, Daniel Surface, veteran
newspaper publisher and war cores
pondent, died yesterday afternoon at
his apartments in the Westcott hotel.
The funeral will be held at the hotel
Friday afternoon at o'clock and will
be largely attended.
Mr.. Surface, DR.. David Dougan and
Judge D. w. Comstock were to have
left today for New York to be the
guests of Daniel G. Reid. John l..
Rupe, whom Mr. Reid had invited to
be member of the party, went to
New York several days ago. When in
formed by telegraph of Mr.. Surfaces
death he wired to Mrs. Alice that he
would return to Richmond at once. 1t
is not known if Mr.. Reid will be able
to attend the funeral.
Mr.. Surfaces death marks the pass
ing Of two of the Palladium's former
distinguished editors within the last
two years. The first, Isaac Jenkinson,
friend and counselor of Oliver p. Nor
ton, war governor of Indiana died in
1911.
Of Retiring Disposition.
Much was known of Mr.. Jenkin-
sons career as a journalist, publicist,
educator and diplomat. Mr.. Surfaces
career was of equal interest but for
the most part a closed book, even to
several of his most intimate friends,
for he was of an unusually retiring
self-effacing disposition.
A member of the Palladium staff
tells of the difficulty he experienced
in inducing Mr.. Surface to write an
article on his unique, adventurous and
hril
pondent for the old Cincinnati Ga
zette during the Civil War This arti-
Gle was desired for publication in an
edition issued by the Palladium at the
time of the State G. A. r. encampment
in this city, May, 1911. Mr.. SurfaI
first protested that he had not written
for publication for several years and
had "lost the knack" of this art. That
assertion being disproved, he said his
war experience would not interest any
one. After considerable difficulty he
was induced to prepare the article de-
sired.
Ranked High AS An Editor.
1t was written in the graceful, graph
ic and simple style peculiarly his own
which had given him such high rank
among the editors of Indiana at the
period he was engaged in active news
paper work.
But little is contained in THIS inter-
esting article of the hardships he and
his fellow correspondents were forced
to undergo during the great conflict
between the North and South.
Today the war correspondent is
figure of bygone journalistic history
Newspaper men who now follow ar
mics in the field are herded together
many miles in the rear of the firing
1ine.~They are given as little informa-
tion as possible and what dispatches
they are permitted to send to their
papers are thoroughly censored, fire.
quently falsified to prevent furnishing
the enemy with useful information
The wireless, the more perfected tele-
graphic facilities, and the cable have
played their part in robbing the war
correspondent of the romance which
surrounded him before the period of
almost perfect rapid communication.
A Pass From Gen. Grant.
When as a young man Mr.. Surface
took the field to follow the Union ar
mics he was not subjected to so many
restrictions, He was for the most part
permitted to go and come as he pleas
ed, and his work of collecting news
was made easier by the following pass
which Mr.. Surface, until his death.
priced as his most valued possession.
Headquarters, Military Division of
the Mississippi.
Nashville, Tenn, Dec 26, 1868
Guards, pickets and military au-
thorities will pass the bearer, Mr.. D.
Surface. correspondent of the Cincin-
natl Gazette, throughout the entire
command, without hindrance, and gov
ernment steamers and military rail-
roads will furnish him free transpor-
tation to and from any point within
ders.
''By order of
Maj. Gen1 U. S. Grant
Geo. X. Leet, A. A. Gen1"
In the article Mr.. Surface prepared
for the Palladium's G. A. r. edition,
he said in reference to this pass:
Sherman Hated Reporters.
General Sherman had a pronounc-
ed aversion to army correspondents
and threatened to have one shot Gen
eral Grant, on the other hand, was
kindly disposed toward them and
greatly facilitated the work of those
who did not abuse his confidence and
generosity"
While the pass of Grant aided Mr.
Surface much in collecting news it
did not mitigate the hardShips which
fell to his lot. The soldiers were as
sured of regular rations, but Mr.. Sur
face and the other correspondents had
to forage for themselves and were
forced to sleep wherever they could
find shelter.
Raced With WhiteIaw Reid.
The performance of their duty also
frequently took them under fire. Then
there was always the handicap of
poor telegraph facilities. Nearly all the
less important news reports were sent
by army mail, but in reporting a great
battle the correspondents frequently
had to go many miles to secure an
available wire. Once to get to his pa.
per the news of a particularly import.
ant engagement Mr.. Surface had to go
north as far as Louisville and he
traced" the entire distance with his
rival Cincinnati correspondent, White
law Reid, who was then on the staff OF