The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-12-01

A SINGULAR NEwsPAPER.-Mr. Moses A.
Dow recently declined to be considered cam
didate for Mayor of Charlestown, Mass, for the
singular reason that lie did not consider him
self qualified for the office The following ac-
count of his newspaper viii show that he is
otherwise man of original ideas:
A newspaper man has lust been elected to
the Massachusetts State Senate, from Charles
town, whom few, except his own class of read
ers, have even yet heard of vet, with one ex-
ception, he is the most successful proprietor in
New England. This person is Moses A Dow,
who publishes the Waverly Magazine. Twen-
ty-fve years ago, when the MilIerite excite
meDt began, MIR. Dow had a small book print
ing office in Boston. He Sc cured the printing
of Joshua v. Hines, who was the business
man of the sect, and as there was great deal
of it, he made pretty little sum by the ar
rangement. his he lost in real estate invest
ments, and, the Mllerite fever being over had
no opportunity to redeem himself He then
went to work at the case as a journeyman
printer Not being very good one, he found
1t hard to earn more than from six to ten dol
lars week in. those days With family on
his hands, this made him very poor He then
conceived unique plan for a newspaper. 1t
was to be a weekly -lterary" periodical, to
which every one should contribute who desir-
ed. There was to be no standard of merit for
admission of writers to its columns. On the
contrary nothing was to be excluded. 1t was
to be comparatively very expensive in its ty-
pography and paper, but not cent should &c
paid t. authors their compensation being the
privilege of appearing in print with the best
type and the best of paper. The project seem
ed q wild one. Mr.. Dow had not q cent of cap-
ital and as he unfolded his plans to type
founders and paper men, no one had the least
confidence in it. 1t was long time before he
could get credit and cash for his fret number
but these were at last obtained, and by work
ing closely himself, he succeeded in getting it
aud IL
was very handsome, for he had capital typo
graphical taste. The people who wrote forit
first bought and then their friends followed
suit There was an enormous amount of read
ing in it, and contributions piled in from am
bilious folks who found new sensation in not
having their stories and poems rejected. Soon
there was handsome income derived, which
Mr.. Dow shrewdly devoted to giving the paper
yet better dress. His circulation increased
with each new writer, and be was more and
A literary Bohemian FROM London about this
time made Mr.. Dow's acquaintance and in an
evil hour dor Mr.. Dow's pocket) this indiydu-
al was engaged as edition. He set about win
| moving the chaf that was sent in. This did
| not answer at all. The circulation began to
| fall off almost as rapidly asit had risen, and
1 it was soon apparent that the paper mu
| die, or part with It's editor. The latter course
was chosen, and prosperity returned. The
| opening of the war was a heavy blow ts
| its circulation, but it rallied from this in
| good time The income from it is now
| fully sixty thousand dollars year. The
| entire edition is sold to the American News
| Company. 1t has few subscribers, 10 editor,
/ and no exchange list. 1t just travels right on
| the high road of prosperity by being demo-
| cratic enough not to discriminate in what it
| publishes, except on the ground of morality,
| where it is very particular. 1t is not even sem
sational. Its forte is harmless love stories, such
| as young women like to write, and very young
women like to read, too, if we may judge from
| the extent of his sales. A class read 1t who
have not appreciation for any more stimula.-
| ing mental diet. If it does not strengthen il
| does not deprave. Probably readers often out
| grow it, but plenty ST. p in to iin their places.