The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-09-07

the army's activities at Benton, but
it must go for a later subject, as
this is newspaper story. 1t will be
enough to recall that, about 1000
strong, this division of the unem-
ployed getting its nucleus, by the
way, in Butte, had Communicated
freight trains and gathered at Fort
Benton, the head of navigation,
where, after building rude bateaux,
it sailed away down the Missouri, en-
route for Washington. Only hand
full reached the capital and those who
did we're promptly thrown in Jail by
the police for mussing up the White
House lawn.
But it was the old River Press
had in mind. Fort Benton then and
for many years later had the dis
tinction of being the smallest town
in the world that maintained daily
newspaper. And bright little, tight
little rag it was. I hope there will
be somebody here from Fort Benton
today among the editors who will be
Butte's guests for their annual con-
yention = somebody to tell me to
what bourne the River Press and its
gallant little staff have wandered.
Where now is Old Man Chemidlin,
who stood in grim silence all day in
front of a case sticking type? Where
is Tom Gordon, the czar of the office,
around whose fussy little press the
loafers of the town gathered every
afternoon? What has become of
George Mclaughlin, tramp printer,
who basked in the glamor of an I'M
confirmed rumor that he was a cou-
sin of William Mckinley?
Dear old Harder! He was given
$50" by the Great Managing Editor
only few years ago.
He was the genius of the River
Press in those days. Editor and own
er, he was also reporter, printer,
pressman, solicitor, carrier and col
lector.
1 can see him now, his inseparable
corn-cob pipe between his teeth, max
ing his morning round. The River
Press was at one end of Benton's
Main street and T. G. Powers store
at the other. Along the line strolled
HARDER, dropping in at each news
source. There were not more than
a dozen in all. A few taverns, a few
stores, the two hotels, the courthouse,
The barber shop and that rendezvous
Of the gossips of the place-the COM
oination drugstore and postoffice.
Harber's notes were nothing but a
lew brew hieroglyphics. Days when
Did Man Chemidlin was on job work |
Ind Tom Gordon was operating the |
OBJ press, named after some of his
ancestors, the editor got out the
sheet alone. Sometimes he wrote no
,opy. He stood up to the case, com
posed his story and set it at the same
ime The local was never more than
/ couple of sticks; the editorial about
he same. The changes in the ads
we're made in a jiffy. The forms
we're tenderly laid on the bed of the
I'D press. There was a rattle and
bang, flash of flying sheets and
n few minutes the run was off.
Once more, pipe in mouth, bundle
# papers under his arm and dog
Jared bill file stuck in his pocket,
he editor started down the line dis
his papers and stopping now
nd then to exchange a quiet greet
ng with somebody just in from the
'honkin, the Highwoods, the Teton
II the Marias.
The publication of the River Press
vas a leisurely performance. There
vas no hectic rush, no wire to bother
Nth; the telegraph news was lifted
ut of the latest edition of the Great
'alls Tribune; but when Editor Har :
er with his edition sauntered down
he street of summer afternoon it
Tas the event of the day. He re-
minded of Cowper's POSTWAR
"He comes; the herald of a noisy
world;
News from all nations numbering at
his back
Like Johnnie Read of the old In
r-Mountain-my first newspaper
hief-and still my ideal as writer