The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-26

in which Worth had a part. with Kendall
again on his staff. The following day
Scott made his formal entry into the
capital. Just before fighting ceased Ken
dali for the first time was wounded. He
was struck in the knee by a bullet and
again Worth mentioned him in his for
ma report, saying:
Major Borland and c. W. Kendall.
volunteer aides-d camp the latter
wounded each exhibited habitual gall
antry, intelligence and devotion"
What has been said indicates the d fiji
cultits which newspaper men had Il
overcome To reach their journals with
their packets of news. From three To
five days was the ordinary time hetweel
Point Isabel or Brazos de Santiago and
New Orleans with the news from the
army of Gen. Taylor, from five to seven
days was the time of the passage be-
tween Vera Cruz and New Orleans with
the tldngs from Scott.
In order to gain "A few hours on tn, lr
competitors Lumsdcn and Kendall made
plans for the meeting of vessels some
hours out from New Orleans with a
small and fast steamer. This vessel tn Y
equipped as "A press boat, putting type
settlers aboard her and all the apparatus
Tor setting up dispatches.
The boat met the incoming ships
sometimes at the mouth Of the Missis-
sippi and at other times lay OF the
Gulf coast in the track of approach ny
vessels from MEXICO. once in the hands
of the compositors the messages were
ready on tn" way up the river and upon
arrival they We're hurried to the press
and extras run off. 1t is said that upon
one occasion a steamer was chartered
Tor the voyage across the Gulf from
Vera Cruz at "a cost OF $1,000, an enor-
nous sum for those days, and important
dispatches were put into type during
the passage to New orleans.
Fully as enterprsing was Kendall in
the organization of a means of getting
news across the land. In country
infested by irregular troops the only
means of communication was the
heavily armed Dragons able to stand
off the enemy in fight and the speedy
and cunning express rider who relied
upon his wit and his good horse to cludr
and distance pursuers. The former
might be at the service of the army;
the latter must be the reliance of the
newspapers.
These express riders were employed
their services they had To cXpend large
sums. They provided them with the
Lest mounts obtainahle. AS Taylor adj
Nanced into the interior of northern
Mexico and distances became longer eN-
ira horses were stationed at cunVc-
nlent points on the relay system, Point
Isabel was the objective and as close
connection as possible was made with
the ships for New Orleans
Between Vera Cruz and the capital
the difficulties of the express service
were still greater. The country was
Infested with bandits who ROBBED and
murdered even wounded McNicans. The
nature of the country favored the guer-
r:lla system, The road for miles from
the coast was through sand hills and
'haparral through which progress in the
intense heat was slow. Thence the way
led through tropical jungle where
marauders might pounCc upon strag-
glers with ease.
At two points in tn" mountains the
bandits gathered in numbers under mo-
torious leaders. Mail bags were occa-
slonally recovered where they had been
left after robbers had examined their
contents. SCOTS express riders were
cut Off again and again More than
once there was intense anxiety at Wash
the mountains Of Mexico, In his diary
Anderson mentions efforts 10 establish
some regular expresses,