Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-06-03
H.ll nsfsnd, Reporter.

N..,h.,o Ore MAY 2s.--To the Editor
Of The Bee. / recently received through the
kindness OF Mr.. Paine, secretary Oh tne re
braska Historical society, copy OF the
third volume Of the constitutional conven-
tlon Of 1871. His predecessor. Mr.. Sheldon
sent me the first and second volumes. IN
those the names Of the official reporters OF
the convention appear; in the third volume
the editor, Albert Watkins, who, It appears
a historian of the Nebraska Historical So
ciety, is SO ashamed Of the work Of the re-
porters that he not only refrained from CIV
inc their names. but In addition, in his pre-
facs "a the book, fings some sneers IN
their direction.
-Four reporters were engaged by the con-
vention-John Gray, John Hall, Dan Brown
and myself. Soon after II adjourned Gray
and l went into the employ OF Ely burn
ham Bartlett Of Chicago, shorthand hrm'
who were the official reporters OF all OF the
courts Of Cook county, Illinois, and who had
had the contract for reporting the illinois
convention, held a short time previous 70
that Of Nebraska. I left that employment
TO take a position as one OF the EDITORS OF
a daily paper in 81. Louis. Brown was en-
nIoved a. a stenographer by the Chicago,
Burlington and Quincy Railroad company,
and Hall returned 10 newspaper work. Hence
"
one would suppose us to he from reading
watkins comments In regard to us.
The report Of the Illinois convention was
made by ten men Al cost OF Sls2 DAY.
The four Of us did the work for the Me-
braska convention-p precisely the same work
at cost TO the state Of sac a day. Our
nav stopped with the adjournment OF the
convention, though we had much work still
10 do in copying our notes. There were then
no typewriters During the sessions Of the
convention we toiled far into the night and
every night. writing up.'
At the time Of our engagement the eon-
veutian hours had been set fer the sessions
20 begin at 10 .. M. with a two-hours' re-
eess Al noon. Later on. night sessions were
held and these frequently continued until a
late hour. / see BY the book Just received
that Il was within ten minutes OF o'clock
q M. when the final adjournment waa taken,
We had no doubt been AZ work since
o'clock the previous mornns,
We used .eft pencil paper IN copying our
natas have been told that members 81 The
convention ~ 1879 had aeesss % this mass
81 manuscript thousands ~ thousands q
pages. witch had been stacked IN e the
sapltel hasemenL This handling weaid have
ths sHset u fsnasrlna ths copy iilsgihis %
= considerable dssfse ana doubtless resulted
IN the loss u many sheets
have locked eyaf thsss three volumes
sIth mnth mtsfsst snA am Aatenishsd y
ana that ~ aia 30 wsll ~ Fspertins Ne
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