The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1877-10-06
DuII Times In Journalism.

Last week we'll dressed gentleman entered
the editorial rooms of the Chronicle and ac.
costed the city editor as follows: ''I have been
subscriber to your paper for years land find
good deal of interesting matter in the Sunday
Chronicle. Now l know that you newspaper
men very often find news scarce and are glad
to get some thing to.fill up with. So thought
I'd write an article (pointing toEa roll.of paper
in his handy and bring it in. 1t will do to fill
up with. News is litteishort just now, is 1t
not?'
"Well,yes, it has been dull for several days."
responded the city editor, looking up and re-
marking that the visitor was a gentleman of
evident culture $50 you think we sometimes
run short of matter. eh? Well, please leave
your manuscript. Can you all in this evening
about IL o'clock?. Certainly" replied the
visitor and departed.
Eleven o'clock came and with it the man
who wanted to help 'fill up'' the columns Of
the paper The city editor requested him TO
be seated, and went on with his work of ex-
punging the surplussage from an article writ
ten by reporter. BY and by tall man strobe
"Got much today?' he inquired. "Not
much, replied the city editor. at
is dull to-dav'' 'WeIl, boil everything
down." said the chief, and withdrew A half
hour passed. and the reporters came dropping
in one by one. "Cut everything down, geutle-
men" said the city editor, and went on reading
the reporters articles as they were written up
and deposited on his table, and the visitor saw
with some surprise that about one.quarter of
every article was erased. "They must be
crowded for room" he thought Shortly before
IL O'Clock discussion was heard in ar adioin-
ing room between two attaches of the paper
Everything is cut down to the lowest possible
notc6, said voice, which the visitor recog-
nized as that of the edtor-incnef "Bnt the
form is already full, - protested the other voice.
u can't squeeze in anything more"
That special from Chicago must CO." said
voice No. 1.
Voice No. 2-'The form is jam full"
No. 1-'Then take out that half column Of
the Independent Convention
No. 2-"Even then we won't have room."
No: Take out that experiment with the
telephone"
No. 2-''That is better; but we are still crowd
ed''
Both men then entered the city editors room.
They were the chief and the foreman Of the
composition room.
chief
"About three quarters of column. If the
subjects were fully written up two columns and
half would be required"
What are theyY' asked the CHIEF
Annual meeting of the Dental Society,"
Leave 1t out" said the chief
stroyed-''
'Condense it into twenty lines" said the
chief "What else?'
An interview with Senator - 1t ought
to have column, but We have only given it a
third
Let it go over Till tomorrow Now, foie-
man, have you room"
'Not yeti have still a column and a half
that | can't fnd loom for.' The chief and
foreman then inspected the form, and the ip-
shot was that a column of '1ve' advertise.
ments and three quarters Of a column of
interesting news were taken boldly out of the
form to make room for more important matter
Inc visitor, addressing the city editor, remarked
mat there must be an extraordinary rush of
news tonight. ION the contrary" replied the
editor, lit is dub. This discussion is a regular
nightly occurrence, and during a service of
years on this paper L never knew a night TO 90
by without quantity of good reading matter
being thrown out for want of room. You will
now seeEwhy L asked you TO call at this late
hour. You are a man of education and exneri-
ence, but you, like the rest Of the pDblic lshor
under the impression that newspapers have TO
struggle to get sufficient to fill their columns.
NoInlng Is more erroneous Metropolitan
oalies are never in q strait for interesting
matter, but are generally troubled as to what
news articles shall be condensed or left ont for
want OF room. Good night."- San Francisco
Chronicle