The Portland daily press., 1869-09-29
SELr-MApE MEN. It is a curious fact ths

SELr-MADE MEN. 1t is curious fact tina
nearly all the successful newspaper men in
New York are what may properly be called
"self-made." Henry j. Raymond, who made
the Times, and was in the front rank of jour
nalists, worked himself UP from the lowest
round in the ladder. In 1S43 he wrote let
tiers for the Cincinnati Chronicle, for which
he received about 81 each. He made lv-
ing at that time chiefly by corresponding for
out-of town papers. The Times would now
sell for 81 1,250,OOO Horace Greeley started the
Tribune without capital. 1t is now, one OF
the most valuable pieces of newspaper here,
and Greely is still at its head. The Tribune
Association have, understand, declared a
quarterly dividend of 80 per cent. Its shares
are worth $1,000, the par value of which is
$1,000. The Herald was started by James
Gordon Bennett, his capital being brains and
industry. Bennett is now worth millions,
and his paper yields clear profit of $4OO, 600
per annum. Manton Marble took the World
when it was an experiment. He had no
money, the paper was not paying, bnt he was
aided by capitalists. He built up the paper,
made it profitable, and is now sole proprietor
1t yields handsome annual income. Charles
A. Dana was for several years, managing edi-
tor of the Tribune. He was subsequently edi-
tor of the Chicago Republican, but did not
succeed. He came back to New York, and,
Al COupduy Will OtuGIS, UOuSuL tuc SouH,
which under his management is already
great success. The circulation of the Sun, on
the 1st of January, 1862 was $1,000. 1t is
now $4,000, and growing rapidly. The Sun
is two cent paper The profits on the cir
culation are very small, of course, but it
gets plenty of advertising at 25 to 50 cents
per line.
The New York people advertise literally,
and pay big prices. Hence the Sun, which
could not be published in Cincinnati, is here
very profitable. Business men believe in ad-
vertising, and to this, in large part, is due
the extraordinary growth of the city. The
Sun is printed exclusively on Bullock presses,
which seem to be the perfection of printing.
The machines are much cheaper than the Hoe
press; print both sides at once, and require no
feeders. The expenses in the Sun press
room are 5000 per week less than they would
be if the Hoe presses were used. The Herald
is also running Bullock press and has Or
dered a second.
The Messrs. Brooks, of the Express, are
also selfmade men. believe they started the
Express and are still managing it. I do not
know who started the Post ; but w. c. Byrant
has been identified with it, if not from the be-
ginning at least for great many years. His
capital was made up of brains. 1t is very
profitable paper. The old proprietors of the
Journal of Commerce are dead. 1t pays large
ly. Bonner of the Ledger is worthy of re-
mark in this relation, although he does not
run daily paper. He went into the Ledger
from the case, and now publishes one of the
best and most profitable weekly papers in the
world, and competes successfully with Van
derbilt in the horse line. Speaking of Van
derbilt reminds me that he laid the foundation
of his prosperity. He began on brains, and
now, at ripe old age, has his brains in good
order, and about seventy millions in money.
But have not space to go into this class of
self-made men. 1t is a fact, however, that
nearly all the wealthy men here made their
own fortunes, and therefore, know how to
keep them; but as it is generally in this coun-
try, so it is here rich mems sons are of very
little account; and rich mems son-in-law are
usually of the same sort. Therefore large
fortunes rarely pass to the third generation.
Society is still the better for this. If the
descendants of the rich men of New York
should be as successful in making and keeping
money as their fathers, few families would
soon own the island Washington Cores