The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1875-10-13
THE OLD TRIBUNE CLOCK.

Orange Judd, the celebrated agri
cultural editor, writes q letter to the
Tribune, telling how the old Tribune
clock made him rich man. We
ouote and commend its perusal to al
business men:
"Some twenty years ago, having
inst succeeded from the editorial
chair to the proprictorsbip Of the
American Agricultnrist, / decided
% ascertain by trial whether adver.
Using would not do as we'll for good
thing as for patent medicines and
other humbugs. Though having a
small working capital, 1 resolved to
do what was then a rather large
thing, viz; to take forty lines under
Especial Notices." all in one adver-
tisement. Being unexpectedly de-
1ayed, reached the Tribune office at
sP. NJ, with the advertisement still
to write, while an engagement III The
country required me to take the four
o'clock boat from Fulton slip. Sc,
q curing forty lines space at the head
Of the first column, l went to the lit
file desk on the southwest side of the
office. over which had stood the old
clock for many years. I. intended to
write rapidly variety of matter du-
ring thirty minutes, and in the next
twenty minutes pick out the strong
points, and condense to the forty
lines. Keeping my eye on the clock
occasionally, / wrote on letterbacks'
furnished at the desk, and pasted
them together until l had four feet
or more of copy to condense FROM
I turned to the clerk and asked if l
could have line or two more than
forty. eyes" he said, "you have the
first place; take. all the space you
want CHANGING to notice the city
hall clock, it pointed to ten minutes
to four. The old clock had stopped
at twenty minutes past three, unno-
ticed by me. / attempted to draw
the pencil through some portions of
the manuscript, and in despair threw
the whole at the clerk, with an order
to insert it, and ran for the boat, to
save nine-mile night walk.
The matter troubled me all night,
as an over hasty thing, and feared
to see the Tribune and the probable
bill. Starting before daylight the
next morning, bought the first copy
in the hands of newsboy, and coun-
ted 1876 lines, costing $24 so at that
time, when ordinary advertisements
were eight cents and special adver-
tiselnents twelve and one-half cents
line--a terrible dose for u literary
man, new in business, and with a
small capital. fastening to the Tri-
bune office l paid the bill, and slcwly
and sadly went down to my second
story office, fully resolved to act more
deliberately in the future. The re-
suit: The bold advertisement, con-
spicuously inserted, attracted the at
tention of the multitude canning in
Oh the morning trains. Over 100
dropped in and subscribed on their
way to business; others sent in mes
seugers, and others eallel Oh their
way to a noon lunch. AT 3 p. II. l
had received 226 subscribers from
chat advertisement, and more came
next day by mail. repeated the
dose in the Tribune and other papers.
This experience taught me that if !
wanted to move a crowd with a big
rock | would hurl it at them, and not
throw it out in bits Of pebble and
sand. From that day to this l have
never been afraid to advertise largely
aad boldly-the only limit being the
time / could devote to preparing
good, truthful advertisements, and
so selecting good mediums-the lat
ter a work Of no little difficulty. My
success in business has been album
dantly satisfactory to myself, and, l
trust, to my patrons also. My rule
mas been: Find customers by free
advertising; and. keep them by sup
plying good articles and by fair deal
ings; and whatever of success / have
had has been largely due to the old
tribune clock, which stopped so qui-
ely and at the proper time for me-"
The steamer Fanny was coming
down the Upper Mississippi loaded
With pig lead. AS she was going
over shoal place the pilot gave the
AL L. 1. 4 l. I'LL