Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-06-29
THE GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. JUNE 80. 1859.
GRATulTOUS ADVERTISING.

In the present advanced state If uewspa-
per publishing. il Is ref esling to behold such
examples Of primitive simplicity rs are fur
nished by Sundrv antediluyiun corre-pond-
ents Of New York journal, who in the
most artless and con6ding manner, present
to that paper accounts Of the merits of Va
rious watering places, ofwhich they happen
to be proprietors. and the extraordinary
attractions, merits and advantages of which
are. in their opinion, of great interest to the
public.
II pleasing and edifying, in this grand
march Of human progress. sometimes to
pause and look back ut the rude beginnings
and tedious and painful development OF in
ventions and discoveries which are now in
the full tide of successful experiment. Com
pare Minnie rifle with the primitive fre-
lock, or one of Hoes last and fastest with
the first printing press, or an Atlantic steam
er with the rickety fabric which Fulton first
launched upon the Hudson and there has
not been greater change than in the bust
ness arrangements of the press. There was
time when a newspaper might lie likened
to a tavern kept by private individual for
the sole benefit of the public ut his own ex-
pense, every man being free to come, eat,
the landlord 1t is ludicrous aud pitiable
10 look over the columns of old journals,
and see the heartrending appeals to delin-
quent subscribers, and the generous deduc-
tiOns of prices which were offered If they
would come up and settle Arguments and
entreaties were piled mountain high, and
sometimes when ten or twenty years had
passed without the appearance OF AIRY
red" on the part of the obdurate patron"
dark threats were uttered that his name
would be cut off the subscription list! This
was only small Of the Affections OF the
proprietor. In his widest dreams OF prosper
ity, he did not venture to imagine that his
types, paper and type-setting were ms own
property and could be righttully withheld
from the publication of anything which any
body chose to suppose was for the interest
ofthe public. lie was expected, as mat,
ter of course, to puff and to publish pulfs OF
every invention, scheme, watering place,
hotel, steamboat, railroad, which were to
make other peoples fortunes, with the ma
terials and labor for which he himself had
paid, and to look for his reward in the CON
seriousness of being public benetactor. 1t
was mean and mercenary in him to refuse
to serve the public for nothing and highly
laudable and generous in the public To use
his property and industry without compen-
sation 1t was impossible that such Sys-
tenn could last, the most undoubted certl-
ficates of being public benefactor not be-
ing kind of currency which will pay com
posters, butchers, or bakers. The result is
that the private property of the press is no
longer appropriated without compensation
to public uses except in some rural districts,
where few famished looking newspapers
still drag out a precarious existence in the
forlorn old way, receiving subscriptions IN
wood and potatoes, putting soda fountains
for glass of saltwater, and tobacco shops
for half dozen cigars. But III business
communities, people who have an axe t"
grind are now in the habit of grinding 1t
at their own expense, and do not expect to
avail themselves of the capital and labor OF
others in the printing business, more than
in any other department Of human enter
prise-Rich. Dispatch.
A Coop THING IN THE Story LINE
Some years ago Cincinnati paper received
and printed the first chapter Of what appear
ed TO be most thrilling romance, in the ex-
pectation of being provided with the conclud-
ing portions as light he needed. The chapter
was very ingeniously written, and concluded
by leaving the principal character suspended
by the pantaloons from the limb of tree
over perpendicular precipice. 1t attracted
the attention of the press, and inquiries be-
gan to be made concerning the continuation
of the fate of its hero. Day after day the
victimized publishers looked for the remain
ing chapters. but in vain. They never came
to hand. Finding that they had been sold
and wishing to put stop to the Jokes their
contemporaries were cracking ut their ex-
pense, they briefly concluded they story thus
CHAPTER n.-CONCLrSIoN.
After hanging to the treacherons tree Tor
four weeks his pantaloons gave way, ana
Charles Melville rolled headlong over the
yawning precipice.
He fell a distance of FIVE miles, and came
down with the small of his back across stake
and rider fence which SO Jared him that ne
was compelled to travel in Italy for his health
where be is at present residing. lie is engag-
ed in the butchering business. and is the
father large family of children.