The Benton weekly record. [volume] (Benton, Mont.) 1880-1885, 1883-06-02
GOULD AS A JOURNALIST.
ssGath,s Tells How the GreaG sioch
Dealer Rum ssthe Worid.s' and
Found 1t an Unprofitable
Investment.

In letter to the Cincinnati Enquirer
sGath'' gives a sketch of the origin, early
career AMI history Of The New York World.
| So much OF it AS relates TO Mr.. Jay Gould
experience as journalist demonstrating
that the man who ''gobbled up the en-
tire telegraph system of the country ana
half its railroads couldn't run a newspaper
is of present interest, and is quoted hore-
with:
Mr.. Gould seemed to be very proud OF
his paper for While. All of Mr.. Gould's
friends took a hack at editing it, Mr.. Nor
osini, Mr.. Gould's broker, would TIN oW
| off three or four columns Oh the condition
of the stock market, and mark il third,
fourth or fifth columns of the first page.
Accordingly. when the aged subscriber to
the paper threw it open to learn just how
much dynamite had been employed under
John Brown and the Queen, he was excl
ted to find that if he would put his bottom
morning news. Mr.. Sage dropped into the
literary vein sometimes, and had three or
four columns hoWing thata put 0 # and call
~ the stock market were as valid as call
preach. and some of his enterprising young
secretaries ratified along in a right cordial
way about the enormf US crops that had
already exceeded the capacity Of this and
that tonnage to carry them. Mr.. Field.
who belongs to a well known literary FAM
lily, had his favorite measures written up.
But somehow or other the more these
things were said and written the fewer
people came into Wall street. A limited
number of persons were buying the paper
every morning to read its Wall street
notices in order to know what to avoid.
Everybody read everything reversely or
adversely, and the big spectators who
had gone a. amateurs into the newspaper
business found that they were cutting their
own throat 1t occurred to the Gould in
terest it was time TO assault, on behalf of
it's Southern Pacific property, the Willard
or Northern Pacific interests The Will
ard interest had in meantime also bought
a newspaper, and the challenge was taken
up. The people looked over into the ring
and formed both conclusions both pugi-
lists. In short, newspapers published by
spectators and promoters were merely by
letting out their mutual secrets and en-
mites and spoiiing the common shambles
where they drew the blood of human cattle
in general.
In little while newspaper publishing
by spectators was found to be all outgo
and no income. The World had big
deficit every week, which Mr.. Gould's
check had to meet. The express probab-
ly had a similar deficit, which Mr.. Field
had to meet, with considerable astonish-
ment that his literary style was not appre-
cia:ed. How the Post came out in draw
ing the last sands of reputation from the
de I'd Byrant, could only be inferred by its
loud howls in advertising o. the editorial
page and statement that the circulation
of Il paper bore no reference whatever to its
Influence.
Finally, after nearly q year of misery on
Wall street, with a general public gone
forever, with no new public coming in,
with scteming !ecrepit and swindling ex-
posed at every point, Mr., Gould resolved
to sell his newspaper, if nothing else. But
he had gone to work and put up a large
aud costly building, and wanted his mon
ty back. He was not willing to pay any
further premium for having found out
The difference betWnen moving stocks and
m wing public opinion.
Mr.. Hurlbut was also concerned to know
w at was going to become of him in case
there was sale of the old type metal and
worn subscription machine, and the eel
ebrated standing advertisement that few
young gentlemen would let themselves out
TO entertain the company Of our great par
venues at SO many dollars a II ght. TIE
author of this startling proposition to re-
fine the metropolitan dinner circles was
bound TO be taken care of if that could be
accomplished. When successive vic
Tins presented themselves to
buy the paper, they told
ihlt they must carry this massive piece
of human sideboard on salary. They
declined this proposition as somewhat pre-.
posterous. It was like buying house and
allowing the old Invalid veteran who had
rented the fourth floor front to keep his
bed under the new arrangements for the
remainder of the year.
1t got at last to be the tragical incident
Of this city as to how the World was te
be taken from under Mr.. Hurlbut and
transferred to somebody who would edi1
1t. The engineers who succeeded in put.
ting an apron Of stone under the Wash
ington monument without lifting that
venerable structure were called into requis-
ition to achieve this work. but they alwayt
fund the incumbent sitting down witt
the Earl of Roseberry or some other fore,
ign visitor, for whose private benefit Mr.
Gould WAS snending all that money, anC
the editice could not be taken out from be
meath him. At last Mr.. Joseph Pulitzer
succeeded in greasing with his shekels lh,
threshold of the office; and while tn Ear
of Hostberry and the editor were discuss
ling the latest edition of ssBurke's Peeragt
on the half shell, they both noiselessl,
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