New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-01
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.AiLesson in Newspaper Economy.
[Fros,, tsse AaAsry arnusl

Inthe year 1850 the late Cornelius Wendell
went to Washington to take charge OF the
government printing as one OF the con-
tractors thereof. At that time the editorial,
composing and press rooms OF the Albany
Ar1us were on the first floor of the north
east corner of the Exchange Building, The
editorial room was separated from the
composing rOom by ABOARD partition, and
afforded barely room for the occupants,
Edwin Crosswell and his assistants. In
deed, SO scant were its accommodations,
that Sherman Crosswell had to take a seat
in the composing room. The furniture of
the editorial room was ON Il scale with its
Aize.
On the arrival of Cornelius Wendell at
Washington, he saw in the columns of the
National lnteliigencer an article c0uched in
Ghe courteous language that characterized
its,editOrials expressing the regrets of its
editors that "their young friends from New
York State had entered into a contract for
work out of which there, was no chance of
into his pocket and went to the h,tcNigeneer
office. 1t was an hOar earlier than Mr..
Gales-we think Mr.. Wendell said it was
Gales with whom he had the interview
made his appearance, and Mr.. Wendell WAS
shown into his room Here he found Il
handsomely furnished apartment; the floor
was covered with a Brussels carpet, a centre
table occupied its appropriate place, on
which there was scattered Il protlIsiOn of
note paper, gold peEs, costly inkstands.
etc.; the rest of the furniture, chairs, book
eases ETC., were en- suite.
All of those costly appointments to an
editorial room did not escape the notice of
Mr.. Wendell. Shortly after Mr.. Gales
made his appearance, and Mr.. Wendell,
pointing to the ARTICLE i'll the hteHigencer,
announced himself az one OF the govern
renewing his expressions of regret at the
poor prospect he (Mr. Gales thought there
was for making money on the contract, Mr..
Wendell asked his attention for short
time to the consideration of some figures
which he and his Albany friends had made,
and on which they had based their views
''that there was money il the contract
After looking at the figures for seine time,
Mr.. Gales frankly admitted that there was
money in the contract, adding, however,
''but we do not do things here in that style"
81 should think not" said Wendell. looking,
around the room and its cost appointments.
Some further conversation followed. when
Mr.. Gales broke out with the question, Mr..
Wendell. how much do you suppose it costs
us to get Ont the b,teligencer ~ IL do not
know, said Wendell, but casting his eyes
around the room, "no more than it ought
to, if the style You live here is sample of
the way things are managed in your office.
Now. look here, Mr.. Gales, l am coming
here to do the government printing, and if
you and l can make a bargaiH>l will get
out the Htcligences for you
Taking up "a copy of that pape-, which
Mr.. ca es' said was a fair sample of the
quantity of matter placed in type daily,
Wendell made his calculations of the cost
Of getting ont the Lstciiigencer, and banded
it to Mr.. Gales. Mr.. Gales looked aghast at
the figures, exclailning, why, Mr.. Wen
dell, it costs more than twice that sum -
And so it ought said Wendell. '.if your
Office is managed on the same eytravagant
scale in which this room is fitted. You have
heard of the Albany Aigus, the paper that
manufactures Democratic thunder for the
State aud nation. THAT pen,' taking up
one of the gold pens that lay on the table.
would buy the furniture in the editorial
rooms of the Argus four times over" Mr.,
Gales probably understood one of the main
reasons why he had failed to make the In
feIhgencer and the government printing
profitable.