The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-06-10
NEW YORK NEWSPAPERS.

at costa a great deal more than IL
did ten or twenty years ago. Their g
Is a great improvement in the intel
lectual quality OF the newspapers of
New York City. They are better fur
nished with talent in every depart
ment, and spend a great deal more
money for contributions than they
used to spend fifteen yeare ago. The
cost OF white paper formerly made up
fully one-half CT the whole expense
of the newspaper, now it makes up
about one-quarter; then paper cost
from twelve 10 fifteen cents pound,
now it costs from six to seven cents q
pound. Owing to this great reduction
in the cost OF paper, the well-estab-
lished newspapers OF New York City
are all of them making money, and
even the Tribune, which has been
weighed down by an immense in
in real estate, seems at last
to have got through with the effect Of
this misfortune, and has commenced
to do more than pay expenses.
"a frst-rate newspaper in New
York will require about ten editorial
writers. whose daily duty is to furnish
leading articles and editorial para
graphs. Many of these writers have
their special duties, but there must
be always five or ak men who are
able ID turn their hands to subjects OF
any description as they happen to
come up. A competent writer of
leaders will be paid from 500 to $3.50
per week; and no man fit to super
wise them and perform the functions
of editor n-chieI can be had for less
than from $3.50 to 5000 per week. The
are of two classes; first those
OF the regular staff, who are paid by
the week at rates varying from 500
to $50. These perform not only the
routine duties of reporting, but are
always prepared to be sent of upon
special service, in which case the
railroad fares, carriage hire, hotel
bills, and other expenses are paid by
the Office.
Then Ghere are g number of re-
porters attached to each paper who
are paid according to the work they
perform, without having any pre-
scribed functions. and who must hold
themselves in readiness to do what.
ever may be necessary. Some OF
these gentlemen are men of talent
and learning, and in time will make
their way into the front ranks as
writers and editors. I know men
who, without having regular salaries,
average from $50 to $75 a week. OF
these two classes OF reporters taken
frst-rate paper must EN-.
ploy about fifty. Next there are the
correspondents, both at home and
abroad, and these are likewise
divided into two class, those who are
upon regular salaries and
those who are paid as their contribu-
tions are printed. In Washington,
for instance, each newspaper has
need both of regular correspondents
or reporters and of occasional con-
tributors, and the different papers
differ az to the respective number of
these two classes. In Albany each
New York paper must have It's regu-
lar staff devoted to its service, while
in the other capitals of such States as
New jersey. Pennsylvania, Ohio and
Massachusetts,, the papers are served
by occasional correspondents, 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 staff of
correspondents in the chief cites.
There must especially be a cores
pendent in London and one in Paris
who report constantly either by post
or cable.
In the Sunday edition of most of
the prominent papers of New Yo:k
City there is always cable dispatch
summing up the news of the week
and reporting interes ting political,
social. artistic or literary events on
which the reporters OF the Associated
Press. whose kilograms are forwarded
every day, do not ordinarily dwell.
Thus the expenses of the sort of pa
pers we are considering vary for the
most part, mainly as We print large
or small 1itions. the chief difference
being in their consumption of white
paper. Of this, the herald uses
more than any other journal. On
Sunday especially its advertising
sheets are many, and on that day 1t
will sometimes print 139 columns OF
advertisements alone, so that the
amount of white paper it uses is enor-
nous.
But apart from this item, the ex-
penses of one of tn ese papers for the
editorial department, including
writers, reporters, and correspondents
will be from 81 900 to 81. 0e0 week,
end its ord mary telegraph bills, in
GLIDING the cost of special cables from
Europe. will average perhaps from
500 to 81 600 a week; its composite q
bills will vary from $1,000 to 1000:
its publication department will cost
from 81, 900 to $4,000; its stereotype
ing will be perhaps $500, and its
miscellaneous expenses from $1,000
to s., 900, making a total or from So
0O0 to $4,000 a week. Oh course
theee figures will be little less in
dull times when there is little tele-
graphing and no occasion for special