Letter From the Governor to Drive as Fast as I Could

During my first 11 years working, you all know that I was a photojournalist in NJ. I had many adventures, here is one I remember.

I was taking pictures of the Governor of New Jersey, William Cahill.

I don't remember why, it was 45 years ago, but it was critically important that the picture I took got in the morning edition of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The newspaper was printed in Philadelphia but it covered South Jersey and was the biggest, newspaper in the area.  The Inquirer had a strict deadline for photos and news and Cahill, of course, knew that. I also knew him from previous assignments. He told me that I had to get to the Inquirer in 15 minutes with the picture I had taken, and gave me a special note from the Governor, saying that I was on official government business and if stopped to escort me to the Enquirer and not give me a ticket. He told me to drive as fast as I could.
I ran to my car and drove at over 100 miles per hour over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, most cars didn't go much faster back then, and mine was one of them. I was hoping to see a police car chasing me so that I could show them the note.

The Benjamin Franklin Bridge

This is what my camera looked like

I was also wondering if I pulled the slide to have the film exposed on my 4" x 5" film in my Speed Graphic camera. I didn't know what would happen to me if I didn't have a picture on that film. All cameras were film cameras back then with no light meters, auto-focus, or anything automatic. I had forgotten to pull the slide only a few times in my life and as I drove I was hoping this wasn't one of them.

I got to the Enquirer in time and waited until they developed the film, it came out perfect and appeared in the Inquirer the next day. I could continue to live another day as a photojournalist.