Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-04-15
NEW YORK SUN.
The BRIGHTEST NEWSPAPER IN
AMERICA.
Sketch Of the Editor, Charles A. 0ana-A
Brilliant journalistic Career-hox
The Sun IS Mads-The Small
est Paper with the Lar
gest Staff.
A RaCY AND INTERESTING LETTER.


New York Sun, the brightest paper In
America, and next to the Herald, the
most valuable newspaper property In
the country. Charles A. Dana, the
editor-in-chief, is a journalist OF nation
al reputation. He is now near sixty
five years Of age and in appearance is
short and slender. He wears gray
beard and hair OF the same shade. He
has been spending the winter in Florida
and the West Indies, and returned
much recuperated in health, although
he has at no time suffered much from
sickness. / found him as quick and
brilliant in conversation as be appears
in his writings and ready to answer all
interrogations as to the management OF
the Sun. Mr.. Dana will rank in history
along with such journalists as Greeley,
Raymond, Bennett, Mcclure and White
law Reid; therefore q short
Sketch Of His Career
NAV be OF interest. After his connection
with the famous Brook. Farm commu-
nifty, he wrote for the ChronOtyDe in Bos.
ton, and then drifted into the New York
Tribune office. He first had charge
of the foreign department at Sl2 per
week, and at this time he was also en-
gayed in editing the new American cy-
| clopedia, a work Of ability and value,
and now a standard work in American
literature. In the course OF events, as
brains will tell, Dana became the man
aging editor OF the Tribune, and as such
Greeley held him in high estimation,
and felt at one time that be was an in
dispensable adjunct to that establish
ment. But il became manifest in the
development of brains in the Tribune
editorial rooms, that Greeley and Dana,
valuable as the latter was, could not
agree entirely on the affairs OF the day
or the logic OF events. There was a lit
tie difficulty, and then separation. IL
became necessary for one to leave the
establishment. Dana left. This hap
pened early in 1882, and had something
| 10 do with the "On to Richmond" move
ment, which resulted so disastrously at
Bull Run. What then? Secretary
Stanton, who wrote the famous Joshua
and Lord OF Hosts letter to the Tribune,
took TO Dana, and
Dana Took to the Field
lie vas appointed Assistant Secretary OF
War, and sent to the West to cooperate
personally with General Grant in his
operations against the rebels. He filled
this position with ability from August,
1868, to August, 1865. Activity marked
his course during the war. On the sup
preston OF the rebellion il was thought
that new paper was necessary in Chi
cagO. The Chicago Republican, organ
| lied on an extensive scale, with large
capital, was therefore started, but not by
Mr.. Dana. He was the editor in chief.
Ii soon failed because il had more than
one head, ard no paper can succeed
brilliantly with more than one. Mr..
Dana returned to New York. Newspa-
pers here, meanwhile, were increasing
in wealth and influence. Editors were
becoming more independent in their
pockets and IN the utterance OF their
own news. The Tribune was daily be-
coming more an organ OF political lead
ers. Seward and Weed had ceased TO be
power with Greeley. The Times could
not be so fully controlled by mere poll
ticians as they desired. The Herald al
ways uttered the sentiments OF its editor.
The World was largely Democratic. The
Republican party had one set OF leaders
in Albany and another set in New York.
One Of these sets, not too friendly with
the Tribune, needed an organ. They
had abundance OF money, but no jour
nalist.
Dana. Like Bluchsr.
arrived at this juncture. 1t was then
arranged that he should start
new paper, to be called the Erening
TsLsgrGph. There was a long delay. 1t
was finally ascertained that owing to the
opposition OF the Associated Press, the
newspaper could not have the tele-
graphite news of that institution, and
without the news the contemplated pa
per could not succeed, so these news.
papers believed, and the Associated
Press became an autocrat. But IL seems
that every great event must have its
crisis, and in the crisis of this journal.
istic event the genius OF Dana exhibited
itself The New York Sun was q men,
Der in full and good standing in the as
sociation. Its proprietor would sell his
CSldOuSuuNuls
arrangements, patrons, and good will, for
Sl75,000 One morning in January,
1868, the opposition members OF the
Associated Press were informed that
that concern had changed hands, and
that the S,m OF Moses :. Beach had set,
and the Sim OF Charles A. Dana had
risen to "shine for all" who would pay
two cents per ray for its genial and truc-
tifying warmth. In this way
The First Penny Paper
OF the country. after prosperous exist
ence ofover thirty years with its Demo-
cratic tendencies, became an in
dependent organ OF the Republican
party in the metropolis IL did not long
remain as such for in 1872 it supported
Greeley and has been considered an
Independent Democratic paper ever
since. In a short time the old estab-
lishment was removed to new build
ing, which Dana had also purchased for
Sl75, 900 and where, with its new motto
Excelsior" added to the old one, the
Sun has continued to make its daily ap-
pearanee. OF the first number under
Mr.. Dana's management 5000 were
printed. Last week the average circu-
lation per day was over 10000. On
Sunday morning OF this week l27 500
were sold.
hr. Dana's editorials are chiefly noted
for their breyity and pointedness. He
seizss upon the events OF the day and
holds them up, now in this aspect, now
in that, hinging on them the most con-
densed and lively light. He does not
seek TO make elaborate essays; his am-
bition lies not in fine writing: he spends
no long hours in polishing the turn of
his periods. His best triumph as a
writer Is an occasional felicity. He is
the most brilliant paragrapher of the
day. 1t has been truly said that para.
graph OF two or three brief sentences
will often have more force and produce