Connecticut western news., 1883-06-27
The Scamp Meeting Daily"

Pine Grove camp meeting begins August 20. The spectre of camp meeting daily paper, looms up in the distance and sends shiver over us, be- cause the ghost of last years daily still haunts us and whenever the question is asked twill the NEWS publish a camp meeting daily this year ?" we are tempt ed to cremate the enquirer, for we are in doubt whether he is making an un- pleasant insinuation or allusion about last years daily, or laughing in his sleeve, hoping to see us in & dilemma again this year. A few facts regarding the daily may enlighten our readers. Few are aware of the expense, labor, worry, annoyance and vexation of soul required to conduct camp meeting daily. In the first place, the patent out side must be obtained from New-York. No one can correctly estimate the number re- quired for each day, therefore some days we fall short several hundred cop ies and other days have as many left on hand. This whole region must be canvassed to get advertisements for the paper. All must be notified who desire papers for the week, to send in their names. This list requires great care and labor to perfect it and know that each person receives their paper daily. Last year Col Hardenbergh sold the entire edition to one person. This gentleman travelled around for days getting sub- scribers and advertisements. He took the papers as they came from the press, mailed them to subscribers and employ ed number of boys to peddle the pa- pers on the camp ground. He has ney- CT been able to collect all that was due him from subscribers or advertisers and probably never will. He managed by hard work and worry to collect enough to settle with Col Hardenbergh and is thankful to come out of that specula- tion whole, not counting his time and trouble. Last year Col Hardenbergh employed six men, (compositors and re- porters) on the daily, besides spending his own time in experimenting it. The compositors were busy nearly all night at their cases and in printing and fold ing the papers. The reporters worked Sunday and the compositors Sunday afternoon and evening in order to pub fish the Monday edition. Last year Col Hardenbergh's composing room con- tained two experienced men, also an ap- prentice, still he was compelled to en- ploy for several days an experienced compositor from the Hartford Times corps. The paper did not pay expenses and all this worry and loss of sleep was unrequited. Several weeks previous to last camp meeting the Col decided not to publish daily, he had learned by experience that there was much labor, worry, sleepless nights and vexation of soul with no profit realized. He was subsequently induced to try the expert ment of selling the whole edition to one man. The result was similar to previous years. We have dreaded the return oi the camp meeting season, fearing that g daily would be expected of us. We have listened to the opinions of differ. ent persons on this subject and the more we listen the more discouraged we be. come. Some suggest that the paper be filled mostly with advertisements and given away, like free soup) Others say s'charge penny for it," some say ''charge two or even three for it. Our idea is, make first class paper or none. Do not confine the paper to synopsis of the sermons, then giving list of the gate tenders, cooks, bottle washers, pea nut and pop corn sellers that are on the encampment, and noting only the triv. ial incidents that occur during the meet. ing, but sandwich in among camp meet. ing items, some of the latest telegraph news of the country. But to diverge g little and moralize. Is there any neces sity for publishing camp meeting daily? It involves much labor, and aside from the reports of the sermons, one days paper is but repetition ot the proceeding day unless the paper i conducted on the plan just suggested Our private opinion publicly expressed is, that the papers are nuisance on the encampment. The newsboys hawk the papers about the grounds and perso1 is interrupted and annoyed every three minutes by different boy soliciting him to buy paper. We have stated the case plainly. Our readers probabl, suspect that we do not wish to publish a camp meeting daily. Your suspicion are correct. In the first place we have not help sufficient to publish daily pa per that would be credit to us or satisfaction to our readers. We thinl the wisest and most satisfactory course will be to collect and publish in ou1 weekly edition, the main features anG most interesting items of the camp meet ting. If there is a journal within 100 miles of us that wants to publish { camp meeting daily, their chance il good. Here is the opportunity, we vii gladly give you the field, our good vii and any points we have gained by sev eral years experience It is nearly eight weeks before camp meeting opens and we thus early state our views in or der to give other editors fair chance tc step in and occupy the field
 LAST week was memorable one fol Connecticut. Hartford and New -Haver entertained the Continental guards ot New-O Orleans, La, and the Washington light infantry of Charleston, South Car olina the Montgomery lodge centen nial celebration at Lakeville; the Knigh Templar's parade and picnic at Brook