The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1874-10-30
New York Women Journalists.

The number Of women who figure on
the metropolitan press may no longer
be counted. Among the daily journals,
at least, their name Is legion, and not a
few of the most influential weeklies owe
much of their interest TO the sprightly
characteristics to the feminine pen. In
this department, If In no other, woman
stands the acknowledged equal of her
masculine contemporaries; and the only
question which affects her advancement
In any branch of the profession is her
fitness tor the duties of that branch.
Hence we see MILDLY Morgan, in her
coarse boots and short skirts, plodding
through the mire of the city stock-yards
as stock editor Of the Times, while the
charming little widow of a Herald re-
porter takes up her husbands pen Just
where he lays it down, and carries out
his unfinished programme with as much
exactness as If she had been all her life
accustomed to the work. One of the
strongest and most indefatigable writers
OF the Star is a Shepard-ess. It is said
that the only redeeming quality In the
columns of the Sun is what flows from
the modifying quilts of two women.
Miss Booth, Of Harper's Bdzdr, needs
no Introduction. Not only as an editor
has her name become familiar to the
literary world. Mary l.. Booth first dis
tinguished herself as an historian and
translator, and for many years confined
herself almost exclusively to those two
departments; but since '67, when she
was placed at the head of the Bdzdr. she
has contributed greatly by her rare
taste and discrimination toward making
that journal one of the most excellent
of its class. Her yearly salary of four
thousand dollars attests the high esti-
mate Of her services by Harper Broth
ers, though it by no means limits the
annual income of this industrious wom-
an. Her brain and pen are ever busy /;
and Notwithstanding her regular news
paper duties, the work of the translator
and chronieler still goes on.
Another well-known name in the
same department Is that of "Jennie
June" wife of d. G. Croly, managing
editor of the World, and the controlling
spirit in DemOresrs Monthly. Mrs
Croly's connection with the New York
press probably dates further back than
that of any other woman so engaged at
present. She discovered her literary
powers very early in life, and readily
learned to put them TO profitable use; at
a time, too, when men, the most appre-
ciative and kindly disposed, were in
clined to ridicule the idea of woman's
fitness for any branch of journalism.
She was first engaged on the Times, but
on the establishment of DcmOresFS s
Monthly, the enterprising proprietors of
that periodical offered her a larger sal
ory, and enticed her away to the sane
tum of fashion. There she has remained
ever since; and from there have gone
forth the thousands of manifold letters
which have made her nom de plume a
hnncafan1d fhrafrul,nFf fha lataH
This system of correspondence was orig
mated by "Jenuie june" and proved to
be one Of the happy hits of her literary
career. Beginning, of coarse, on small
scale, she gradually won her way as an
authority on questions of dress, till
before many years nearly every promi-
nent Journal in the country was glad TO
ooast OF Jennie Jnne'' as its fashion
contributor and to-day that branch of
ner work alone realizes to its projectors
handsome income. At one time she
prepared and dispatched every one of
these letters herself, but long since she
delegated tnat unenviable task to COM
petent clerk, cOntenting herself with
merely debating the form, and aftar-
ward apprOpriating the greenbaek re-
turns, minus certain percentage.
Scarcely less known than Mrs. Croly,
or less popular, is Mary Clemmer Ames.
Of the IldcpendeRt. Mrs. Ames Is
somewhat more versatile in her talents,
and has alternately filed almost every
department of Journalism. Besides be-
Ing an able prose writer, this lady is
also poetess, and of late years some Of
her finest literary efforts have been in a
poetic vein. While q mere schoolgirl,
IN. c. A." began 10 use her pen as press
correspondent, making the Springfield
Repubtic0n her first field of exploit.
But at that time she wrote at rare inter-
walls, and solely for the "fup" Of seeing
ner name in print. II was not until 8
much later period that She took up the
pen In earnest, and her regular conuec-
tlon with the New York press began
only IN '65. From that time probably
yates her introduction to the literary
world. asa Washington correspondent
she became suddenly very popular.
Her style was tinetured with warmth:
discr' mination, pleasantly, and sound
common sense. People learned TO re-
gard her as reliable as well as entertain
ing, aud IA Woman's Letter from
Washington" was never without its
complement of admiriug readers. For
the past two years Mrs. Ames has been
attached TO the editorial corps of the
Independent, having, in addition, a GER
tam amount of regular work on the
Brooklyn Union. Her salary Is now up
wards of $1,000 year.
The only woman employed on the
staff of the New York Herald is Mrs.
Butts, a brilliant and painstaking jour
palist. The husband Of this lady was