The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-05-06
AGREAT INSTITUTION.
The New York Press and It's Tire
less Reporters.

less Reporters.
The universally accepted idea of
newspaper reporter is that he is an inn
pudent, dissolute person, who wanders
over the city until he finds some piece
Of news-no matter of what character,
provided it will find readers, This he
takes to his Office and writes out in
very bad English. Like many other
generally accepted conceptions of men
whose business brings them into public
notice, this is not correct one. Not
only are a majority of newspaper re-
porters upon our most influential me-
tropohtan papers men of education
and OF culture, but their work is sys-
tenatlzed and gathered through organ
lied channels of investigation.
The work of the reporter is given
him by the chief of the local news de-
partment Of the journal with which he
is connected, who is known as the city
editor. The duties of this editor re-
quire untiring energy and the utmost
diligence and application. He must
see that his paper gives all the impor-
I tant and interesting news of the city
and vicinity while it is yet fresh, and if
possible before it has been published in
any other paper. Eternal vigilance is
the price of his position. Every inn
portant and unimportant event in poll
ties, finance, society and crime he
must follow, and see that the reporters
under him investigate and present
promptly for the next edition of his
paper.
The city editor Of great New York
daily has the whole city under observa-
lion, as well as Brooklyn, Jersey City
and the adjoining country for fifty
miles around. He assigns one reporter
to each police court. Men are also de-
tailed to each of the other courts, civil
and criminal, from the district courts
to the Supreme Bench.
An important bureau of news gather
ing is the headquarters of the police
department. Two men from each
newspaper are kept watching the re-
turns of this department day apd night.
Each OF these journals has rooms in
building directly opposite the police
headquarters in Mulberry street. where
the strictest observation is kept upon
all criminal matters. IF a murder or
crime OF any kind is committed in any
part OF the city, it is at once reported
hy the police officer in whose patrol it
occurred to the police station of his
precinct. Thence it is at once tele-
graphed to police headquarters.
record of every event of this kind
smade ona .'blottern in the reporters
nom at headquarters. The moment
thls information is obtained, the re-
porter starts out to hunt up the facts.
he may have whole day in which to
make his Investigations, or he may
nave only an hour; perhaps but half
ah hour. Whenever a fire breaks out
y any part of the city, or an accident
occurs, an alarm is at once sent to po-
hce headquarters. The same trans
MISSION strikes similar alarm in the
reporters building opposite. Ten Sec
eaas after it has sounded-be it midday
e midnight--twenty men, represent
m all the papers in the city, burst
eut OF the door and disappear in the
aHeetion Of the fire. They get there
very often before the engines.
the victim of an accident is carried
g me hospital the reporter visits the
PACE where the sufferer was injured,
sao ascertains how he was hurt, and
saen goes to the hospital and learns his
n order that nothing of this sort
slah escape notice, reporters are sent
y. after midnight to all the police
4 saoons and hospitals from Harlem to
e naftery; for, as most of the papers
# re press between half-past two and
s1 past three o'clock in the morning,
ssae would be perceptible loss Of
sae while waiting for information to
81 g police headquarters. Even five
uases makes an important difference
newspaper Office at two o'clock in
"a. morning. Another bureau of
nai news is the coroner's office.
W sudden death under suspicious or
oinary circumstances is at once
pv1tea TO the coroner and registered
Il ~ - " reporters who cover that Office.
1s! investigate every case for them
49,, g report it to their city editors
ss 50 .he,l judgment. So much for the
4 ~ ny; So1amed through the departments
S. ksscn newspaper has also reporter
4 r;ss oslis daily at the offices of all the
trs|,s snelals, nom the mayor and con-
persss ,iss aown, and learns of any i'm
ps,ssa s,ssns aews that occurs in their de-
III snts q Another visits the sheriff.
oai.;sss ;sst1ict attorney and. the county
On e'frss, s ana one zealously watches the
Ma 49,. 8, where q large room is furn-
1olrr. sn desks and tables for re-