Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1869-08-06
NEWSPAPERS.
Their Ups and Dozens IN the city
of NeW YORK.

Their Ups and Dozens IN the city
Of New York.
The Journal of Commerce, dwelling on
the fact that during the past thirty Ave
years no less than 6fty-ave daily pspcrs
have been started in the city Of New York,
lived for short time, and then died for
want of adequate support. aner having
sunk millions OF dollars, moralizos Ia this
instructive vein
"The reasons why not moro than one ont
(say) Hty daily newspapers succeed are
not generally understood. IL they were,
instances wonld ba fewer OF the sinking OF
fortunes in the unavailng attempt To found
a dsily--a waste Of money as literal and
complete as if the owner had burned it in
bis parlor CRATE.
The frst and greatest OF dim .ulties is
the want of snfiioisnt means. Upon this
point, which has been freqlcntly clucida-
ted, We will barely touch. To run FIRST
class daily (lnd only snch stands the least
chapce of surviving In the struggle for ex-
istence) costs not far from 81 900 day,
even with q moderate circulation. This
rate Of expenditure takes frightful daily
bites out Of the capital, and, unless the
protector has the purse Of Stewart, A<tor
or Vanderbilt, he cannot siADd the inro ads
upon hts funds for uluy months or weeks
or days. Among professional newspaper
men in this city, the cash in hand required
TO give first class newspaper chance OF
life,.i estimated at from q half to three
quarters of million. Its failure, without
such q sum at its back which Il IL prepared
10 invest boi'l, and ssgsciously--is certain
| To-. .Fa all 81 haa h..an
spent In the wisest and most jadicious man.
ner, Is still highly problemAtical. Uoless
all the circumstances favor the underta-
king If there isa weakness or want Of
tact developed at any stage Of it-no
amount of money can put a new daily paper
in prof able operation in this city.
The falling newspaprrs are usually brought
mn with q round turn before many tens oi
thousands have been sunk. The packers
become alarmed, aud back out. II the new
| concern Is stock company, the subscribers
| 10 shares pay but ono or two assessments
aud then forfeit what they have invested
rather than lose more. OILY In few cssei
are men 10 lucky--or perhaps we should
| say 20 foolish-as to 60 on wasting rez
half "a miliion, befnre Abandoning their Ill
advised newspaper scheme Discourage.
ment aud disgust commonly suprrvene by
the time fifty thousand or one hundred
thousand have vanished in the yawnins
gulf.
The editor then goes on to show that th,
newpaper business differs from most other
In the fact that when once fairly established
IL can be iDdehuitely extended, with nj
risk and but little extra trouble-and thei
adds:
Ths promising fields Of irst-class dali,
newspapers being already occupied, no ne'
journals can command great success, or
cept by taking away subscribers from othe
papers. This Is very difli ut thing to dc
II never can be done except in cases wher
the paper Ito be supplsnted wan, only an
persistently neglacts the interest or abuse
the confidence If its subscribers. So Ion
as It pursues Just, honorable aud jndicior
course, meeting the wants Of its Gust ou,el
in all or most respects, the ties OF friendshl
between tho subscribers and the psper al
as bard to break by any outside third part
as the links which bind old friends In bus
ness or social life. Occasionsi defects an
errors, " such there be, in q nowspape
are overlooked bS those who have becom
attached to ii through its daily pernsal Il
years. They may sometimes become di
. sati,f with 1t on account OF sotnethin
which has slipped into its columns. and ma
stop taking it; but the sbSence Of the fami
lar sheet at their house or office for fe
days becomes becomes an insnpportab
depriv alton, and they hasten to take II aga
aud pos ib'y to apologize for having siepps
It, This we believe TO be 8 common exp
rience in the history OF all establisnt
,, newspapers. No friendship on earth Is mo-
/, constant than that contracted by the read
for burnal which makes an honest 81
. | DOrt.