Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1853-05-19
Making Newspapers.


Fewer persons understand anything about
the B'Odas operandi of getting up newspaper
than of any other branch of industry. Very
feS know anything at all about the incessant
toll and drudgery, anxiety and vexation attend
ant upon the weekly publication of the most
triAing periodical. Because they can look over
it in few minutes, perhaps read the whole of
it in a couple of hours, they never think of
what pains and labour it costs to arrange the
whole Of it letter by letter.
For the instruction of the readers Of the
"Free Press" we will give hasty history Of
the production Of a single number. Usually
twelve columns are set up for each paper
Each of these columns contains one hundred
and sixty lines and each line contains, on an
average, thirty five letters, points and spaces
or there are 35 pieces of metal used therein
By multiplying the number Of columns by the
number Of lines in each, and that product by
the number of letters in each line, it may be as
certaned how many letters are in each paper
exclusive OF advertisements. By applying this
process to the Free Press it may be discovered
that there are. in each number, one thousand
nine hundred and twenty lines and sixty-seyen
thousand two hundred letters. All these are
set up, one at time, and have to be twice
handled each week, After they have been
used they must be deposited, one at time in
the boxes, to be used again. Add to this the
press work and you may have some idea of the
amount of physical labor bestowed upon each
paper.
But this is not all. The reading matter must
be supplied from some source or other. This
Is the most vexalious, as well as the most re-
sponsible part of the business. 1t requires the
most lengthy patience and indeiatigable toll
The items of news must be collected from the
four quarters of the globe, as they are furnish
ed US by exchanges the wants of the patrons
must be studied and understood, SO as to adapt
the whole TO their needs; essays on all subjects,
must be written, to amuse, entertain and inter-
est them, being always careful that nothing cal
culated TO corrupt morals or endNnger virtue
shall make its appearance.
Such is an imperfect sketch Of the duties per-
formed every week in the Office Of the Carroll
Free Press. The same routine must be gone
through with ffly-two times for the small sum
Of couple of dollars to each individual who is
reader thereof Poor pay certainly.
During the greater part of the year the du,
ties Of an editor of political paper arc pleas
ant enough From the time Of the annual
election. until the next campaign opens, all he
has to do engenders no personal strife or ami
mostly but when an election is 10 be lost or
won, his situation is trying in the extreme
His political friends must rely upon him, as the
conductor Of the principal engine, for the ac-
complshment Of the purpose they have in view
II he be honest and sincere in the cause he
espouses, he will do all in his power for the pro.
motion Of his cause and were he to be defeat
ed, il there was nothing else to encouter bu
his own disappointment and modification, tht
reflection of having discharged his duty woulc
be sufficient solace. But in all such cases h
has, TO some extent, the charge of the persona
interests of the candidates Of his party. N
man is candidate without being influenced b
motive with some little selishness in il. Iii
ther the love Of gain, or laures to be won
mixes itself into the calculations Of all Of US
Pure and unadulterated patriotism is a YER
scarce commodity. Hence the anxiety for sue
cess is, to great extent, personal NATTER
Under such circumstances the editor of DC
lctical journal has "warm berth" during a
electioneering canvass. After he has done a
In hispower to secure the success of his part
friends, he may be thanked by The unsuccessfl
candidate, in the discontinuanee of his pape
Such has been the case.
In addition 10 these there are thousand lii
tie trials, vexations, annoyances and troubles
the like Of which the world never Dreams
One tells him the paper is too prosy. anothe
that II is too humorous. One thinks there i
too much politics in it, another that there is no
enough. One stops his paper because his pos
Office has been removed further away from him
another because he is out Of Office and SO il
goes 6
Bat perhaps We have said enough on this sub
ject. II any one thinks an editor has an easy
peasant place, he viii come 10 very different
sOnelesan upon trial Of it.
nev'i' has been crying "copy" for the
.a'' nan nOur' 50 ~ had better quit and let
bin have ibis, all Of which Is accordingly done