Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-06-01
MEMORIES OF THE "PREss"
Demolition Of the Old Building Recalls
Names. Faces and Careers--Great
Editors Of the Present Who
Graduated From It's Walls
BY GEORGE NON Mccain
THE crash of falling bricks nnd timbe

| building at the southwest corner or ScVenth
and Chestnut streets stood tells of the pass.
! ing Of landmark that has occupied thnt
! site for more than sixty years.
The old Philadelphia Press building Is
| being demolished to make loom for modern
| structure.
| celebrated newspaper.
Today the wreckcrs are smashing their
way through the editorial rooms where
| giants Of the profession sat for years and
actually not mctaphorically nodded pubic
| opinion.
With It's disappearance there goes into
oblivion monument whose memory Will
endure in the lives of several hundred men
who at some period of its career we're con-
nected with it in editorial. reportorial,
business or mechanical departments.
TOHN w. FORNEY. who founded the
y Philadelphia Press. is remembered today
Intimately by only one man. think.
- He is George &. Pierre, Registration
Commissioner. who worked directly under
Forncy away back in 1857. for the Press
was founded on ...ugrst . Of that year.
Subsequently. as result of financial re-
verses, tho publication rassed from Forneys
hands into those of Calvin Wells. Of ALE.
ghcny City. now the North Side, Pitts
burgh
Tho Press saw its era Of greatest pros.
pority and influence under the joint regime
of Calvin Wells. as owner and publisher.
and Charles Emory Smith, as editor-n
Mr.. Wells was ambitious to make his
newspaper the leading Republican organ OF
the country.
He succeeded.
II was for years tn My rival ot the
New York Tribune. the Republican national
organ for generation.
In the Importance Of Is utteranCes from
1897 to 1907, its editorial columns com.
manded more influence in national Repub-
Iican circles than those of the Tribune.
THE Press during chat period was the
l. finest sample in this country. with per-
maps one exception. of high pressure jour
nalism. The New Yolh World was that
exception.
Calvin Wells. at the suggestion o: White.
law Reid. selected Charles Emory Smith as
suitable man to take the editorship of the
lress Mr.. Smith was then editor Of the
Under the direction of Mr.. Smith there
vas gathered lto tho building at the south
west corner of Seventh and Che,'nu streets
during a period of years the most brilliant
galaxy OF newspaper wrters-cditorial,
rcporforial and special-cvcr known in
PHILADELPHIA
They were men who ultimately developed.
with tn" advance OF years. into noveists,
poets, ">sayistS. playwrights. editors of dis.
tinclI3n. political leaders and newspaper
William T.. Mclean. of the Bulletin,
began his career in Philadelphia in the adj.
'crriSem"nt department of the Press.
,i.ha" Lne s Lat" e., Robert E 4, Dorr became pub.
in which he was succeeded by Henry l..
Soddard, present publisher of that news.
paper.
clark Howell. publisher Of the Atlanta
' onS'l'utlon. was q reporter on the Press
back III 1851.
CHARLES EMORY SMITH. Minister to
~ Russia. aftcrward Postmaster General
Of III" United States, was the most con
spiruouS figure IN tn" political life Of the
Press.
Henry l.. Stoddard became Park Commits.
Sinn"r Of Now York city whIo "Toddy"
Il."uGh'iu went to Nc York and became
Registrar. J believe. of that city.
Charles Emory Smith rarely if ever die.
tat"d nm editorial. His most important cdl.
t"rial uttcranrcS were carefully written ou,
on paper. correspondence size in ink in n
round. flowing, cI"rkIy hand His Office wa'
ON the second floor in the room ext TO the
then Evening Telegraph building
John W. Forn"y's claim on the Rcpub.
lean Party during his career was his high
tarlf principles. lie was vigorous con
tender for the supremacy of American. made
goods
Charles Emory Smith was his worthy sue.
lessor in that respect.
Will" Mr.. Smith was in Russia as Min.
lster to the Court Of the Car. the dcstinics
of the Press were intrust"d 10 the ccre of
a triumHiratc composed of 1al,ott Williams
Samuel &. Wells and for n time, tho la,c
Colonel James II, Lambert. who hanjIcL
State politics,
WHILE to all public knowledge Mr., Smith
w had severed his connection rompletelv
with the Press during his absence abroad
the fact remains thar he kppt very watch
fnl "F" upon its editorial policy during his
absence. "''
ON n number Of occasions he forwarded
editorials which ""r" printed. having to do,
however,. with national politics and fnror,
ab" comments upon the political yi,notion in
ST Petersburg :"
Robert J. Cook, Calvin Wells son.in.
law Wa. business manager during this
period. lie succeeded the Ncyln hrotbers er.S
publishers Of tic Pittsburgh I.nador, who
had, for time. al advisory and directinr
lnhuenc" in N" business department
b"h '"ok vas ordinarily nn amiablc
obstinate, r'oomhn've man wh" had on, dis.
tnrtion' u" vas the author of tho Cook
stroke at Yale whore ho was famous no ON
| oarsman and trimmer. and whose nrowess -
r"ycr"d by old Val" men 10 this ioy
lie has been living in Franco Tor wears
brilliant line Of managing editors
marked the progress Of the Pres Gprnn m.'pps tbs
TWO decades from 81 TO ~. 'Ne
The outstanding figures were NIoeos II
Handy, Ialcot Williams and bradford
Merrill,
Handy ia dead. Williams ia ooo.,..
head of III" Columbia School If rournn,iuIss ,.us
in New York, and Bradford MorriI 1'';a IL
executive editor, and has been for Years ~
tn" Hearst newspapers in thar city. "
A BRILLIANT galaxy Of cdItors. in .chios
n graduated from the = ess in tho no.ioI
] have named. f''''d
Besides Merrill thNr" was also Charles "
Lincoln, Years managing editor of tbo
| World, now executive editor Of tho JJn,oII '
In Philadelphia there are Inhn
| Spurgeon, of the PCBIIC LEDGER John r
Dwy"r. "l the Record. and David r Smi,or
| Of the EVENING PUBLIC LEBGiE ''''e''
OF managing editors there was q oo..-;.
whose names hcgin back beyond the lima t;me
! when Calvin Wells assumed possession ,'nif ns
| tho Press. VI
| CALVIN WELLS originated the idea ~
~ having III" Press publish twelve noros
| on Sunday. f"s'S
| I,