Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-03-06
CLAMORING FOR PAPERS.
The Remarkable Scenes Around the
Stars Counting-room and Press-room.

The Remarkable Scenes Around the
Stars C0unting-room and Press-room.
GREAT JOURNALISTIC AcHrKvKMENT-How THE
STAR NET THE UNUSUAL DEMANDS MADE
ufoN IT BIZ THE INAUouRATIoN-Trs THREE
FAST PRESSES KEPT RUNNING CONSTANTLY.
Among the scenes attending the Inauguration
there were not any more interesting or that
lie interest in the events Of the day than those
about TVE EVENING STAR Office. Since Satur-
day The Stars counting-room has been be-
sieged by people from all parts of the country,
eager to secure supplies Of the several editions
OF the paper containing reports Of occurrences
connected with the Inauguration. The press
room. too, equipped with three fast presses, has
been q scene of bustling activity. Thousands
of people have crowded about the doors and
windows looking with wonder upon the swift
and perfect work of these machines. These
presses, which together print 1,2Oo complete
{oaT-pogs Eont papers $500 m'"ute, have ave been
supply eVs thss demand Dnssad for IN Tnn s0e' srAn.
The operations of the mechanical department
of the Office seem to have been Of as much in
terest to thousands of strangers in the city as
the working OF any of the great departments of
the government 1t was, by means of its
splendid mechanical equipment, rivalins in
capacity that Of the greatest newspaper pub
hshing offices in the country. that THE STAR
was enabled to issue on Inauguration day, within
three hours after the President had taken the
oath Of Office and before the procession had
disoanded, paper containing 12s columns;
most OF which were devoted to a graphic and
complete history of the events Of the day.
WONDERFUL WORK.
The magnitude and rapidity of this work,
the preparation of the copy by reporters, the
typesetting, the stereotyping and the final
issue of the paper from the press. can hardly
be imagined by one unfamiliar with the opera
tions OF modern newspaper Office The feat
was one that has never been equaled, as it
could not be undertaken, in any Office In this
city, and has never been excelled in any city.
The matter published in The STAR Of that day,
il printed in book form, would have made q
volume Of the largest size. The three editions
OF The STAR, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday,
together make a more complete and interesting
history OF the Inauguration ceremonies and
festivities, and all the scenes attending the
event. than has ever been printed on any SINH
lar occasion. Four years ago The STAR was
complimented upon having outstripped all its
contemporaries, and even surpassed itself, in
the manner in which it then covered, in ex-
tended reports, the scenes attending the inau-
guration Of President Cleveland. The achieve
ment of The STAR at this Inauguration would
at that time have been regarded as impossible,
SO far as any Washington newspaper Office was
KEEPING PACE WITH THE TIMES.
THE STAR, however, anticipating the great
and increasing demands made upon it as the
leading newspaper of great and growing city,
has been constantly adding to and improving
its facilities in oil departments. 1t was thus
to perform its part in a manner cred
table to Washington city and to American
journalism. With any less complete establish
supply the orders for papers, and even as it is,
the demand has taxed the capacity of the
presses to the utmost. No other newspaper
office in the city could have met the emergency
or issued in the same time one-fourth Of the
amount Of printed matter.
This demand for the editions of the three
days continues without abatement, and the
presses will be kept at work upon them until
Monday.
IN THE coUNTING-RooM.
The sidewalk in front of The Stars counting
Office has been blockaded since last Saturday
night by the crowd, and the throngs of people in
the counting-room formed struggling mass of
humanity, each impatient to be served From
daylight until midnight has this pressure kept
up-a pressure which not only exceeded the
capacity of the regular force in the circulation
department of the paper, but which overtaxed
the energies of large and active corps Of ad-
ditional workers. From typesetting to the sale
OF the paper wrapped and stamped ready
for mailing. everybody was nerved up
to the highest point of energy and achieve
ment; and amidst what seemed to be confusion
to the untrained observer, there complete sys-
tenn prevailed. Indeed, in no other way could
the great demand upon the establishment be
met. Literally, everybody in town wanted not
only copy but many copies of the paper to
send away. Immense stacks Of STARS, piled up
like hay-ricks and corded up like fre-wood or
lumber, were placed in every available space,
and as these rapidly melted away under the
increasing demands of the crowd new supplies
took their place. At times, however, it was
absolutely impossible to meet all calls, not
the fact that procession of
strong active men were engaged in carry
ing the product of the presses from
the press-room to the hands of clamor-
ing customers. For the time being every
other branch of business in the spacious count
ing-room was suspended in order that the
might be met with the least delay possible.
The lower end of the long counter was utilized
for wrapping purposes. Inks and pens were in
readiness for writing, the address and stamps
were furnished. At the further end of the
Office were large mailing sacks into which the
pdpcTS were put, Tcduy W pe carried away DIV
relays of wagons constantly running to the
post-offce. The newsboys, too, whose numbers
have been largely reinforced by arrival from
Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York, have
carried papers from the Office by the thousands
and rapidly disposed of them.
In a word, never was there a greater demand
for popular newspaper, and never was such
demand better met than by The EVENING STAR
during the pressure of Inauguration times. A
common expression has been that "THE STAR
covered itself all over with glory" majority
of the visitors had no idea that Washington had
80 extensive and completely equipped news
paper establishment as that of The STAR, and
consequently thousands of people went away
not only with better impression than they had
ever before entertained in regard to the national
capital but with new and enlarged ideas of the
capacities of journalism in Washington, as illus
trated by The STAR.
EareweIls.