Page:History of Oregon Newspapers.pdf/476

Rh do you think of Judge Ingraham?" "What have you to say in regard to the trial generally?" Stokes managed to make his answers pretty thoroughly foolproof. The overemphasis on non-essentials in the opening of the story appears obvious.

Some accident stories from the Eugene Guard, June 15, 1872, indicate some slight advance over the newswriting technique of the 50's:

"Accident.—On Monday a team belonging to George Petty ran away about six miles south of town, throwing Mr. Petty out of the wagon and breaking one of his arms in three places between the elbow and shoulder. He was brought to town and his injuries attended to.

A few days since, Zimmerman & Co.'s mill team ran away, throwing the driver out of the wagon, one of the wheels of which passed over his thigh, lacerating the flesh in a horrible manner. No bones were broken.

A man named Garraty, who lives on Coast Fork, was recently kicked by a horse, his collar bone and shoulder bone being broken and other injuries inflicted."

And a little more of local "news" with the customary bit of editorial and a political dig thrown in (June 1, 1872):

""Dead-Beats"—During the past week our town has been over-run with a lot of scalawags and loafers who have no visible means of support. They are all Republicans and were brought here for the express purpose of voting the Republican ticket next Monday. Look out for them!"

The 80's still saw a considerable percentage of the news stories told in the chronological order, starting right at the very beginning, whether the beginning was important or not. Here's an Oregon example, from the week-old Daily Northwest News, January 8, 1883, which the reader apparently is expected to take at one gulp:

About 6 o'clock yesterday morning when Harry Brannon, a little newsboy, was passing the Chicago Exchange, on First street near Salmon, he saw a man fall heavily upon the doorstep, where he laid [sic] motionless. The boy thought the man was drunk and passed on about his business. Shortly after Policeman Putnam found the man, and after feeling his pulse, came to the conclusion that he was dead. Coroner Cooke was notified and took charge of the remains. The dead man was found to be John P. Savage, a barber lately employed at Gumbert's shaving parlors at First and Yam-