The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1883-04-12
The Cost of First Class Newspaper.


did ten or twenty years ago. There
is a great improvement in the intel
lectual quality of the newspapers OF
New York city, and they are better
furnished with talent in every de.
partment and spend great deal more
money for adequate contributions than
they used to spend fifteen years ago.
The cost of white paper formerly
made up fully One-half of the
whole expense of the newspaper,
now it makes up about one quarter;
then, paper cost from twelve to fifteen
cents per pound, now it costs from
six to seven cents per pound. Owing
to this great reduction in the cost of
paper the well established newspa-
pers in New York city are all OF
them making money, and even the
Tribune, which has been way down
by immense investment in real estate,
seems at last to have got through
with the effect of this misfortune and
has commenced to do more than pay
its expenses,
A first rate newspaper of New
York will require about ten editorial
writer's, whose duty daily is to furn-
ish leading articles and editorial para
graphs. Many of these writers will
have their special duties, and there
must always be five or six men who
are able to turn their hands to sub
jects of any description, as they hap
pen to come up. A competent writer
of leaders will be paid from 800 to
$3.50 per week; and no man fit to
supervise them and perform the
functions of editor in chief can be
had for less than from $3.50 to
$500 per week. The reporters
are of two classes; first, those of the
regular staff, who are paid by the
week, at rates varying from $50 to
$50. These perform not only the
routine duties of reporting. but are
always prepared to be sent off
UPON SPECIAL SERVICE,
in which case their railroad fares, car
riage hire, hotel bills and other eX-
penses are paid by the office.
"Then there are a number of report
erS who are attached to each paper
who are paid according to the work
they perform and without having any
prescribed functions, and should be
in readiness to do whatever may be
necessary. Some of these gentlemen
are men of talent and learning and
in time will make their way into the
front walk as writers and editors.
know several men who, without hav-
ing regular salaries, will average
from $50 to $75 week. Of these two
classes of reporters first-rate
paper must employ about fifty,
Next there are the correspondents
both at home and abroad, and these
are likewise divided into two classes,
those who are employed upon regular
salaries and those who are paid as
their contributions are printed. In
Washington, for instance, each news
paper has need of regular eErrespond-
ents or reporters and of occasional
contributors. and the different papers
differ as to the respective numbers OF
these two classes. In Albany each
New York pBper must have its regu-
lar staff devoted to this service
in the other capitals, of such states
as New Jersey, PENNSYLVANIA
Ohio and Massachusetts,, they are
served by occasional correspondents
since the news of these more distant
places is for the most part not import
ant enough in New York to be con
stantly reported there. In Europe
also. every leading paper has its regu
lar staff of correspondents. There
must be a correspondent in LondoI
and one in Paris, who report con
stantly either by post or by cable.
In the Sunday edition of mos
prominent papers of New York city
there is always cable dispatch sum
ming up the news of the week anC
reporting interesting Political, social
artistic or literary events on which
the reporters of the associated press
whose kilograms are forwarded every
day, do not ordinarily dwell. Thu
the expenses of the sort of papers w
are considering vary for the mos
part, mainly as they print large o
small editions.