New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-26
POPULAR OLSER VATIONS.
EARLY NEWSPAPER HISTORY.
A REPLY TO Mr.. M'ELRATH-THE "sUN's" BUILDING
AND CIRCULATION.


TO the Editor OF The Tribune
SIR: On Christmas Day THE TRIBUNE printed IN
entertaining letter frsn Mr. Thomas McElrath. former
publisher Of tho paper about the early history OF HE
TRIBUNE its relation other papers. In alludng to
The Sun Mr. McElrsth said in substance that by the
aid Of his fathernlaw (Mr Price, he erected building
around The Sun Building, which then occupied the
OF Spruce and Nassau sts and when the Price
Building burned and the falling walls had demol-
shed The Sun Office Mr. Beach then willing to
sell the pirea term of his lease, which lease,
according to Mr. McElratn had ten or twelve years TO
The facts that The Sun owned thrse-story
building covering IL feet on Nassaust 80 iest on
Spruce st. ard 20 feet in the rear subject to
ground lease. Mr.. Price, the father'in law OF MT
McElrath, built a six story building adjoining this
"sun" Building. In doing so the lax building laws OF
that time enabled Mr. Price to damage The sur prop
srty 90 seriously that Mr. Beach found il expo ent to
anticipate possible injury by removing his establish
ment to substantial and cOmmodious quarters AZ
Fulton and Nassau sts His lease OF the Sprucos prop
ery had three or four and not ten twelve years to
run and was re-let to other parties Prices building
was burned and tho southsrly wall falling upon COM
petely demolished Beachs adjopng building, crush
ing and covering It up on it's swn foundation 10 his
haste rebuild Mt Price set his at taking the brick
from Mr.. Bsschs premises without waiting the
fsrmality Of seeking consent. Thereupon Mr. Beach
obtained legal protection and this led to a mutually
satisfactory settlement whereby Mr.. Beachs building
was absorbed in the new afterward known
THE TRIBUNE Building.
Mr.. McElrath says further OF The Sun v: do was
extensively circulated among the class Of people from
whom 1t received the largest share Of its advertising
patronage; but neither OF them { . The sun" or
Herald y often penetrated into the parlors or sit
ting rooms OF tho uptown residcnts Mr. McElrath Is
in error this point. In those days the big six
penny respectables the slow going morning papers
were termed were thought to be the proper thing"
Bat upon the advent OF cent contemporary, with
Clean newsy columns, public opinion sson changed.
The Sun circulated uptown and downtown and into
tho country and in such demand that 1t was the
first paper introduce steam for the operation OF
its presses; well to the first enlarged and
percctet presses which the Messrs Hoe could furnish
The Sun circulated as extensively as any other paper
OF the time question in sttingrOOms parors and the
libraries Of the cultivated and respectable people OF the
In point OF circulation 1t had the largest of
auy paper in the country noted far and wide for
its enterprise in securing In fact 1t in The
Sun office tnat the Associated Press, the grandest
news organization Of the world, was born.
In connection with the introduction OF steam into
The Sun press it is interesting that Mr.
Swan founder Of The Public Ledger" Of Philadelphia,
was then the leading compostor for Mr.. Beach. The
steam boiler was source Of such ANNOYANCE to Mr..
SWANS owing to his fear of an explosion, that
he declined working in the room above it, resigned and
sought his fortunes in the City OF Brotherly Love.
where there was then harsh hiss Of impatient vapor
to disturb his labors. Very respectfully.
Netc- York. Feb. Is. 1888 MOSES Y. BEACH
AN AGED READERS RECOLLECTTONS
VOTED FOR JACKSON THREE TIMES. WAS CON-
VERIFIED FROM DEMOCRACY AND HAS TAKEN
THE TRIBUNE EVER SINCE
TO the EDITOR Of The Tribune.
Sir: was twenty-one years Of age October 9, 1924,
and the 9TH day Of the next month the day which
the Presidential election tosk place in the United States
There were four candidates running for tho Office
Andrew Jackson. John q. Adams. ". II. Crawford and
Henry Clay No ono had a majority over the other
three the election went into the House of Represent
atves Adams elected there. Ivoted for jackson.
becoming voter only seven days before the election.
Well, at the next Presidential election IN 1928 voted
again General Jackson and he elected and
O very good President He WINS nominated again and got
my support in 1882, and was elected BY this time (at
the end of his term having studied politics pretty
thoroughly, became convinced that was not Demo-
crat and would never that ticket again; accord
ingly for the last 1fty-one years have given the
straight whig or Republican party MY hearty support
and altho ugh in my eighty fifth year, still! hope to
live long enough Blaine nominated aud elected
next President
On the first day of March, 1928, left my native town,
wilkesbarre and began work. blacksmithing for
Colonel Gould Phinny at Dundan. Penn; and during
Commerce. took ii about three years then stopped and
took "The New-York Commercial Advertiser think
/ continued to take it for several years. One day
noticed in its columns that runaway apPrenuce BOY
to come 10 New York and start newspaper imihedi
s s1e wrote to Mr. Greeley the same day what had seen
in Mr.. Stones paper. and requested MN TO sen1 me
It and the subscription price. think 1t was called
The New Yorker and that the name was changed
UNE but that time up 10 the present have been
subscriber TO THE DAILY TRIBUNE and consider II one
earth Now how many do you suppose are living
that voted three times for Andrew jackson lOld .
from It's birth : D. YARINGTON
CarbOndse, Penn, Feb. %, 1888.
NUT FOR THE COLLECTOR TO CRACK.
To the EDITOR OF The Tribune.
Sir: VIII you please oblige an old reader with a
little space in the columns of your worthy journal
to ask the Hon L. Masone, Collector OF the Port
II therc is any law regulation made by the United
tom House to draw the salary OF two! Can any en-
ploye I'LL two offices and lawfully receive pay for
both r. r. r.
New-York Feb. 90. 1883.
Sections /, 7o3 1,764, and 76j Of the Revised
Statutes of the United States meet your query
fully, but Section l. 65 is sufficient to quote, as
it proves that if the Collector has any person in
the Customs service of this pot who is filling
two offices or drawing two salaries he is guilty
of an absolute violation Of the law. Section
l,765 reads:
No officer In any branch Of the public service or
any other person whose salary pay emouments
fixed by law or regulations shall receive any ad
dltiOna pay, extra allow ance, alton in
form whatever for tho disbursement of public money
or for any other service or duty whatever unless Tho
is authorized by law, and the appropriation
therefor explicitly states that It is for such additional
pay, extra allowance or compensation.
There is no law or regulation of any kind that
permits the Collector to allow extra compensation
to any officer or clerk for performing the duties
which belong to any other officer or clerk, nor
for any extra services whatever Ed
NUMEROUS HEIRS OF AN OLD MAID
To the Editor Of The 7ribune.
Sir: Is there a law called tho Collateral In
heritanco Tax Law" which entities the State 10 five
n.er cent OF WhateXer q pcISOn leaves who dies With