The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-06-28
Burlington .SSscspapers....7te
HACK. Eye...Past and Present.

HACK. Eye...Past and Present.
In November, 1854, We purchased the Hawk
Eye newspaper, at that time printing q tri.
weekly edition of less than two hundred and .
weekly edition something less than three hun
dred. In June, 1856, the Hawk-Eye absorbed
she Daily Telegraph, and on the 2sth day Of
June, Of that year, seven years ago to-day, We
issued our FIRST Daily in Burlington with circu-
lation less than three hundred, our weekly issue
added to that Of the Daily Telegraph being
about 500.
At that time there was not printing machine
in Burlington better or faster than Foster
hand press, upon which the enterprising Daiies
of that day we're run of, in average editions Of
eight to twelve quires-the morning papers
being printed the afternoon before in time to
ALLOW the "boys" to distribute their cases and
60 fishing, the paper being kept from the pub
lie until the next morning.
Every thing Was then conducted on the old
credit system. Some paid but more did not
But those who paid nothing for either subscrip-
tions or advertising stood on the same footing
and got just the same benefits and privileges as
thoss who were foolish enough to pay. The
slsesls" we're then accustomed to run very
hard competition with the proprietors in the
matter Of advertising, taking the cream Of the
business in the shape Of perquisites. In those
days the green ones advertised what they had
to sell and paid for it. The knowing ones had
trick worth two Of it. They courted the local
they asked him to drink--they gave him oys.
ters, lager, echnspps, cigars, ETC., ETC., etc.,
got their traps pulled and almost attained an
Immortality Of fame besides, on the ecstatic
and grateful eplurges Of 'ye local." The local
waved fat, lived high and spread himself anna.
aingly, while the disconso.ate publisher did
much thinning" with very little success
His days were few and full Of trouble.
In those days editors and publishers did but
little work. They were TO b. found, for the
NEST part, in bar.rooms, bllliard.rooms, nine-pin
alleys and other fashionable places Of resort,
talking lsarnedly and giving the cue to an in.
teressing circle Of admirers Their papers were
supported BY the politicians, who thereby hoped
to get into Office, and the emulous owner.
Of town property, who bet their bottom
dollar on Burlington and would come down
Handsomely to an editor who said hard things o,
"Nipintuek" and other rivals and got little
revenue from . small amount Of job printing
done .. most e1horbitant prices; Of revenue
from any other source there vas none or mex
70 lone.
Over al this there has come . wonderful
change in the last seven or eight year, Tn
old hand press has given place to the powe
press, and it again 70 the steam engine and fas
printing machinea Idleness and elegant leisur
have given place to work. With the TELEGRAPH
and With steam We are able to print Dali
newspaper which is found 20 cheap and SO valu
bic that ito subscribers now number more thou
sands than hundreds At the beginning. Peopl
that We could hardly coax seven years ago t
take our Weekly, now take our Daily AID p,
for it in advance. Instead of printing stall
newspaper, with nothing in it, one day, to Gil
eulase the next, our paper is kept open till IT,
or three o'clock IN the norning of the day Q
publication and contains 4nevs from all d,
tiors' full and complete, each d.v,. issue coz
tanning as much mater" aavSose Of an eptjr
week 1t the period spoken Of, .s.ipabIe for q
small a sum a. to carry i. into eve., family.
The paper now gets spontaneous, sse,,l GER
erous support, because the proprieto. b "a |,
bored solely to the end Of making it "a.< s~aDe
and tie BEST" and has put no faith in prince. .
in politicians. He has depended solely up,
legitimate revenue from subscriptions and adv,
Using, and has bent Ill his energies to this e,
TO make the paper . necessity to every bod
That our readers may see how great has be
the change wrought BY continuous labor q,
how much more profitable is the policy Of fai,
fully and energetically serving the public
large than OF tosdying to politicians and fatte
ing town pride, We subjoin from our cash DO,
the cash receipts Of the Hawk.Eye Office
.Jaa.ary, 1855 and January, 1862:
Total cash receipts for Jan. 1855 lll,o5
:" f" 1862 S0l5, 9s
From zoo our Daily circulation has risen