The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-07-28
The Death OF Newspaper
A Supreme Tragedy of the Four Estate.
Walter Hart i'm The New York Vcle..,,,


lnter-Ocean, historic among Chicago
newspapers, passed to the realm of
remembered things. 1t was death. In |
every incident of the dissolution was
the polsnancy OF physical pain. 1t
was more than the death of>an indi-
vidual. 1t was the death Of an insti-
tuition. IT was the death of human
hopes, of human ambitions, of human
aspirations. In some cases it was the
close of promising careers. Saddest
OF all, 1t was the death of lear asso-
Citations. 1t was the d~isintegration Of
a fabric of friendship interviewer
through many ~changeful years. 1t
was a breaking Of bonds, a parting Of
paths, the scattering of a family to
earth's far places. With a few veter-
ans 1T meant the end of journalistic
jo~urneyings, the beginning Of strange
trails. Whatever of regret evidenced,
however, was sentimental rather than
economic.
have been "in at the death" of a
number of neWspapers-in fact, it
seems difficult for any paper to sur
Vive my connection with it-but none
other has SO impressed me with the
pathos of it's passing. For, be it borne
in mind, the Inter Ocean was not Of
the journalistic ephemera. 1t was Of
the pioneer brand 1t was a paper
with u history-that had made his
tory. in 1871, through 43
years IL Idu SuINlNeO the VlClSSlCOQcS
of various changes of management.
And it was the sole remaining repre-
sentative of those old days of digni-
fled journalism whereof it had been
an unquestioned exemplar. 1t was
the last landmark of an eventful
epoch in that wonderful West which
has seen a magical enterprise build
an empire in a wilderness and rear a
metropolis above a morass. In these
splendid achievements it had been a
foremost factor; nor was it's power Of
local limitation, for it welded a ma
tion-wide influence and spoke with
authority to men in~high places. Now
in this day of it's demolition it was a
magnificent ruin-iike some ancient
and stOried castle, rich in traditions,
making place for a modern villa.
Certain salient features Of the clos
ing scene still stand forth, carved
like white canoes, against a mournful
memory. A snow-haired publisher,
broken but brave, bowed with the bur-
den of finality. Groups of comrades,
subdued Of speech, giving voice to
many things but leaving more unut-
tered. In Swallowed recesses were
rifled desks, lowered over by the
ghosts of persisted hopes, their empti-
ness invested with the Wraiths of
the despair of departure. Upon each
visible object deaths SOmber seal was
set. And over it all was spread like
an impalpable shroud the texture of a
speeches. deSOlation.
Observing the ObseQuieS as a family
mourner, this chronicle of necessity is
most intimately indited. 1t was an Oc-
casion for an epic pen-tO inspire an
%exequial Iliad-had an alien scribe
been present. But none may dip 3
quill into the deeps of his own heart
and write the utmost ~utterance.
There was present a working rem
nant of the old guard, who had no
sought service elsewhere in the days
of impending doom, impelled by somt
imperative sentiment to remain fol
the last sacrament. The night started
with brave banter, but as the hour:
wore on "a gallant jest was tlnctur
ed with tears. There was here no in
different work, no neglect OF any de
tail of duty. Each man performed
his parting task with c~onscientiou
care, as if working for a future in
stead of a funeral. They lost thei
jobs like gentlemen.
When the last page Of copy ha'
been sent up, one Of the boys suspend
ed across the main entrance to tn
local room, a huge placard blackly IN
scribed with a legend go" inclose'
with a mourning border. Upon tn
editorial bulletin board some Sympa
thetic hand had posted this crude bu
significant rhyme:-
When it's go" for men n the form
are locked
BY the hand of the Foreman grim.
What sort of a story can l concoct
Sufficient to satisfy Him
And square myself for the things "
Knocked
For the craftsman's GROWING sin
When it's go" for NY and the form
are locked
And the last edition is in.
Mindful Of the boys on the desf
below, the composing room a set
staff souvenir, and a galley proof WI
pulled for each member. 1t carrie
this head
The Last Shift on the Inter Ocea
Died Sunday Morning, May 10.