Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-02-03

WHO MAKE GOOD
Reporters Playing Important
Part in Fusion Administra-
ton of New York

New York, Feb. 3.-Tke announce
ment by Fire Commissioner Bob
Adamson, that fire prevention work is
duction in tenement house fires, re-
minds me that newspaper men are
playing a mighty important part in
the success of the Mitchell admins
tration.
Lyman Gage, when he was Secre-
tary of the Treasury, often said that
| if he had any job requiring unusual
adaptability, diplomacy, and political
or business finesse, he would get a
newspaper man to fill it. Mayor
Mitchel's cabinet seems to have taken
leaf out of Cages book of political
wisdom. Some fifteen years ago, when
Bob Adamson was political reporter on
the World, his brother Tilden - both
OF them bright boys, from Macon, Ga.
was star man for the Brooklyn
Eagle George Terrell was co-star.
Bill Bullock, the Irishman who made
no little name for himself as Pat"
of Pats Impressions" was dramatic
critic of the Press. Then there was
Eddie Hungerford, also on the Eagle
wko used to occupy his leisure hours
in working on railroad schedules for
single track roads. That boy could
put enough trains over a single track
to pay fabulous dividends on the stock
of four-track trunk line. Only Eddie
did it on paper, while the railroad
must do it on STEEL
Longacre was a cub who basked in
the very occasional approval of these
greater lights.
Occasionally this group would
gather in Tilden Adamson's rooms in
MOnfno nj
between deals would exchange views
on matters of no importance whatso-
ever. If you wish to listen to abso-
lutely useless and senseless conVersa-
tion get behind a door Willie a bunch
of newspaper men are enjoying the
usual journalistic recreation. Right
at this point it should be recorded
IT I were to follow the usual custom
OF reminiscences'-that even at this
early stage of their development, |
saw in these large municipal lights
faint glimmers of their future brill
lance. But, although l say 1t in sor-
row, / didn't! 1t was just an ordi-
nary blase bunch of newspaper mon
whose blaseness-largely tkin veneer
was terribly impressive to me, the
inexperienced sub
And now look at 'em Bob Adam
son, fire commissioner! Tilden Adam
son, chief watch dog in the finance
the bureau of standards in the finance
department! Bill Bullock, Tammany
Halls municipal critic, who holds up
to public scorn the foolish acts of his
newspaper friends of those grave old
days. Eddie Hungerford is writing
pieces about railroads for the maga-
zines. The cub of tie party is still
Scribbling.
Newspaper men do make good in
high places, and many of them achieve
those places. The list is too long to
give here. / must record, however,
that the National City Bank apparent
ly finds the training of the newspaper
office pretty good basis for success
full banking. Frank A. Vanderlip, its
president, was a Wall street reporter
before he began to make q living. And
be it recorded here also that most of
the reporters who have risen to high
places got their start in country news
paper offices. Yes, it is also true that
most of them who fail also got their
star with country newspapers. ! got
my start in so small and insignificant
country newspaper office that
should be either a bowling success or
most dismal failure. l am not
enough of the former to warrant the
erection of any immediate monuments
nor enough of the latter to achieve a
comfortable berth in a charitable
organization's old mans home. No
one can tell, however, what degree
of comfort the next few years may
bring forth.
-I,ONGACRE