Evening journal., 1888-10-09
MAKING NEWSPAPERS.
WALTER WELLMAN ENTERTAlNGLY
TELLS HOW THE WORK is DONE.
II Is Wonderfully Complicated Task, and
Requires tho Brains and Bodies Of an
Enormous Number of Peoplo-some Ct
the Details Explained.
[specIaI corresnondenee.l


Especial Correspondence
CHICAGO. Oct. 4.-The more ono studie.
the methods by which great newspaper
is made the greater are his astonishmeni
and admiration. A stupendous fact i.
the large number of men who assist eacI
day in the getting up Of a big morning
paper like The Chicago Tribune, Times
Inter Ocean or Herald Add to the
twelve hundred local correspondents hired
by paper like The Tribune IN all the
cities and towns Of the west and north.
west, to its Washington and New York
stats sending news over special wires, to
the many thousand correspondents Of co.
operating papers in large cities, who con
tribute their mite TO the Chicago paper
whenever occasion requires-add to all
these the almost innumerable correspond
ents Of the Associated Press in this country
and its sister news collecting agencies In
Europe and throughout tho world, and
you begin to get an adequate idea Of the
vastness Of the machinery employed.
Now let us take look at the Office into
which oil these men ponr their contribu-
tions, the central point around which
everything revolves and to which all roads
lead. It is building which contains, say
five stories and a basement. On the
ground floor Is the counting room, where
all the business of thepaper is transacted
Here thirty men are employed in one CO.
pacity or another. Underneath is the press
room, at which we shall again have occa-
sion to take a look. Riding up In the ele
vator we reach the editorial floor II is
noon. All over the world men are at work
gathering news for this paper, but not
much IS doing yet in the Office itself. The
managing editors assistant has Just fin
ished reading all the morning papers, and
is now looking over the mornings mail
an enormous batch. There are communi-
cations and inquiries about almost every
thing under the sun; many, many manu-
scripts, complaints. communications from
correspondents, offers Of special work,
suggestions to the editor, poetry, stories,
etc. Many Of these he saves for the eve
of his superior, but the majority are as
signed to various assistants for attention,
And in the numbcg Of these assistants
and their special fitness for the work
which they have in charge we get very
good idea Of tho resources Of a great news
paper. ~
In the managing editors desk are a
number Of pigeon holes. marked city"
counting room, Emusic, art, com
mercial, etc. Into the city box 20 com
munications about local matters, and in
few minutes the city editor is looking
them over Theatrical communications
60 to the dramatic editor, musical mat
ters to tho musical critic, art contribu-
tions to the art writer. If there are any
communications concerning commercial
matters they 20 to the editor of the com
Tnprpinl f,aua Tho lffaro,t- a1st,.. ,.,t-,
the new books, magazines and kindred
matter, and even the real estate editor
comes in for his share There are many
communications on sporting subjects, and
these 20 to the sporting room. There
are matters which must go down to the
counting room, such as bills to paw
and chocks to be sent to out of town
correspondents or special writer's Some
of the more important manuscripts are
read and passed upon by the managing
editor himself or his immediate assistants.
There are many questions not connected
in any way with tho business of the
paper to be answered, for every news
paper has its quota Of readers who want
information about all sorts of queer
things. These are turned over to various
men, with regard to their ability or con
veniences for answering them. If people
who send odd queries to newspaper offices
knew the trouble they were making some
poor man | think they would be less free
with their questions, often questions in
which no one in the wide world is in
terested but themselves. It is a sort of
ralc IN all newspaper Offices that these
queries are to be answered, and a news
paper docs not like to own up that there
Is anything that anybody wants to know
which it cannot find out. / have known
o reporter to spend a day or two looking
about town for an answer to one littleuues-
tioni often man goes to the city library
and spends half day looking up some
point for a couple of readers who
have made wager and | have seen the
editor send out two or three
kilograms, at his own expense, in order to
get, and get promptly, an answer to some
question which could be answered only by
q man familiar with the history or poll
tics Of another city or state
You have no idea of tho quantity of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS men usually eall
1t stuff, though meaning no disrespect
which comes into big newspaper Office.
There are stories and poems and ESSAYS.
and all sorts Of things which somebody
must read special articles written for
pay if they prove acceptable, innumera-
bic letters Of travel and almost number
less letters from seaside and other sum-
mer resorts. SO many people imagine
that as soon as they get across the ocean
or at some far away place in this country
the editor OF their home paper is exceed. |
ingly anxious to hear from them. to know
how they took a trip on such and such a lake
or river, how they danced at the casino or
raught fish in the pool, and all they
have seen and thought on their travels. |
TO the extent Of a column or moro
Usually they are very much disappointed |
whom they discover that their con. |
Iributions have been thrown into the /
waste basket, but why they should be Is |
one of the mysteries of human nature. A |
great many people will save themselves |
and loss of timo If they viii /
ny TO understand that newspapers-like /
III other things which are the product 81 1
brains and skill and experience-must /
argely be the work Of men who know 4
what to write and how to write il and I
hat the chances are at least ten to one I
he amateur cannot write ANYTHING which +
IN editor would care to print. Tho fact
hat YOU are in Europe or the wilds Of
Arizona does not make On impression on
he editors mind, for he is in daily. al.
most hourly, communication By telegraph I
With all parts OF the world, and the fact
hat you are in Asia or Kamschatka does
lot make you or your opinions any mora
Interesting to him or his readers than
I you were at home in the Ninth ward.
m the contrary, you are a good deal moro
Important when in the Ninth ward, and q
communication from you about some evil