St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-05-06
The Fate of Printers.

Printers are failing and newspapers
dying all around us. Many that are
not dead do not live, but are eking
out miserable existence, discredita-
bic to themselves and Improbable to
their patrons. The following valedic-
tory of the Marengo (lll) Journal
tells the true story and should be care
fully perused by all persons interested
in the prosperity of their local paper.
Mr. Burnside has laborcd diligently
and arduously to advance the interests
of his patrons, and the cause of his
failure is the old story of oft-rcpeated
and as oft-brokcn promises
"With the issue of the present num-
Der, the publication of the Marengo
Journal will cease--stop l have no
other alternative it is llobsons
choice. My funds are exhausted. In
stead of snug little capital in cash,
which | had when first came into this
town, | have now nothing to show Tor
it except a quantity of printing mate
rails and long ARRAY Of outstanding
accounts, half of which, perhaps, will
not avail me twenty-five cents on the
dollar. These accounts range from
fifty cents up to thirty dollars and
more. They are for articles and ser
vices which have cost me cash !; an'
had the cash been. paid me on the spo
my profits would have been extremely
e small. But the credit system prevail
1 ed. and | was compelled to adopt 1T
You have the result. Let not the man
who owes me fifty cents for any thing
furnished from this Office, flatter him
self that he has not contributed to pro
duce this result. He is as culpablc il
proportionatc degree as the man who
owes me fifty dollars for job work ant
advertising.
have cndeavorcd to evade the ne
cessity of taking this step. My efforts
, have proved fruitless. Through the
columns of the paper ] have urged
l. the necessity of prompt payment, un
s til the subject became an annoyanc
to the paying portion of its reader
and bore to myself. / have mad
% personal application to those indebte
% to me, and dunned, and dunned, agai
@ and again, but in majority of case
have received nothing except promis
es. Promises are easily made and a
y easily broken. Promises will not cal
# ry on a printing Office, and for tn
If cash paid out have failed to recciv
p, the cash in return.
. AS far as personal application
t. concerned, think have done my d'
It ty. Since the publication of the fir
n number of the journal, have labo
# ed necessarily, scarcely taking hol
, day. | have exercised economy a
most to a degree of meanncss, an
T. applied my head, heart and hands
= the task, to such degree as to ser
: ously impair my health. Money ma
q tiers, health and future prospects, rel
- der it necessary that | should paus
:, in my brilliant career. ! regret it, bu
q cannot helpit. But, nil desperomdum.
h Some friends of the newspaper cl
p terprise in Marengo have acted nobly
J. They have afforded all the patronag
within their command, and contrib
ted in no small degree to the maint'
Al nance of the establishment up to til
y ! prSot tin.~. t. 49, -.e.a-aofion ! mirl
10 mention names, and would be proud
"A do so, but such mention would not
~ proper here. * * Regrcttil
M the unfortunate circumstances viii
G. lead to the sundcring of the strol
it ties of friendship that have bound L
ID for nearly two years to many OF I
=. inhabitants of Marengo, and of N
% Henry County, | remain, truly,
VI s'One more unfortunate
nd Rashly importunatc.
H. EDWARD BURNSIDE.