Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1894 — Mr Depew’s Courtesy. [ARTICLE]

Mr Depew’s Courtesy.

“All railroad presidents are not czars,” remarked a traffic official who had been down East attending the conferences on the rate situation, says the Chicago Post. “I saw Chauncey Depew do a thing the other day which should cause you newspaper fellows to hold him in grateful remembrance for ever and ever. One morning, just as one of the most important conferences was about to go into session, a card was stuck into his hand. It had been sent in by a reporter of the Evening Sun. Chauncey never refused to see a newspaper man.

“ ‘Show him in,’ he said to the messenger who brought him the card. “ ‘Well, sir, what can I do for you?’ he remarked as suavely as imaginable as the reporter entered. He was a young fellow, looking as though he had just left school, but stated his business quite intelligently. “ ‘Well, now look here! It is now 10:30 o’clock. There is a meeting of all the presidents of the trunk lines and central traffic associations in session at this minute. I should be there, because they cannot very well begin till I get there, and I can hardly afford to keep them waiting. Their time is very precious.’ “ ‘I am very sorry,’ said the young man. ‘I have just started on this week, and if I succeeded in getting a good interview with you I think It would help me considerably.’ “ ‘Are you a stenographer?’ asked Mr. Depew of the young fellow. “ ‘No, but I think if you will give me an Interview I can reproduce it as satisfactorily as if I took notes of what you say.’ “ ‘All right, then. Here goes!’ And he talked to him for a column or so. “The interview appeared in that afternoon’s paper. Mr. Depew took pains to see it, and it seemed to him to be a complete photograph of what had been on his mind while he talking. He at once sat down and wrote to the managing editor commending the young man for his go<yl work. Next mail brought him a letter of thanks from the reporter, stating that he had been promoted to a position on the morning paper and had had his salary advanced.”