The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-06-09
NEW YORK NEW SPAPERS.
SOME FIGURES ABOUT WHAT 1T COSTS TO
MAKE THEN.

What does it cost to run first class
New York newspapers
1t costs great deal more than it did
ten or twenty years ago. There is a
great improvement in the intellectual
quality % the newspapers of New York
city. They are better furnished with
talent in every department, and spend
great deal more more money for contri-
buttons 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 newspapers in New York city
are all of them making money, and even
the Tribune. which has been weighed
down by an immense investment in real
estate seems at last to have got through
with the effect of this misfortune, and
commenced to do more than pay its ex-
penSes.
"A tirStrate newspaper in New York
VIII require about ten editorial writers.
whose daily duty it is TO furnish leading
articles and editorial paragraphs. Many
of these writers have their special duties
but there must always he five or six men
who are able to turn their hands to sub
.lects of any description rs they happen
ers will be paid from 500 to $50 per
week, and no man fit to supervise them
and perform the functions of cditor-in-
chief can be had for less than $50 to
200 per week. The reporters are of two
classes: first. those of the regular staff.
who are paid by the week at rates vary
ing 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 rail
road fares, carriage hire, hotel bills and
other expenses are paid by the Office.
"Then there are number of reporters
attached to each paper who are paid ac-
cording to the work they perform, with
out having any prescribed functions. and
who must hold themselves in readiness
to do whatever may he necessary. Some
of these gentlemen are men OF talent and
IL, Il |,
into the front rank as writer's and editors.
| know men who. without having regu-
lar salaries. average from $50 to - per
week. OF these two classes of reporters
taken together. a iirst-claSs paper must
employ about fifty. Next there are the
correspondents, both at home and abroad.
aud 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 both of regular cores
pondents ca reporters and of occasional
contributors, and the different papers
'''''N'
these two classes. In Albany each New
York paper must have it's regular staff
devoted to its service, while in the other
capitals o; such states rs New Jersey,
nsylvania, Ohio and Massachusetts,
the papers are served by occasional cor
respondents since the news of these more
distant places is, for the most part, not
important enough in New York to be
constantly reported there. In Europe,
also, every leading paper has its regular
stall of correspondents in the chief cities.
There must especially be a correspondent
in London and one i'll Paris, who report
constantly either 10y post or by cable.
''In the Sunday edition of most of the
prominent papers of New York city there
IS always a cable dispatch summing up
the news Oft the week and reporting inter-
esting political, social, artistic or literary
events on which the reporters of the As
sociated Press, whose kilograms are for
warded everyday, do not Ordinarily
dwell. Thus the expenses of the sort of
papers We are considering vary for the
most part, mainly according as they
print large or small editions, the chief
difference being in their consumption of
white paper. or this, the WeruLd uses
more than any other journal On Sun
day especially its advertising sheets are
many, and on that day it will sometimes
print $50 columns of advertisements
alone, so that the amount of white paper
it uses is enormous.
But apart from this item, the expen-
ses of one of these papers for the editor
ial department, including writer's rcpor-
ters and correspondents, will be from
81. 900 to s., 600 per week, and its ordi-
nary telegraph bills, including the cost
of special cables from Europe, will aver
age perhaps from 500 to 81 600 per week;
its composition bills will vary from 81 900