The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-12-14
KEEPING 4 scRAP-BooK.
IL IL Becoming Quite the Style With
Everybody.

IL IL Becoming Quite the Style With
Everybody.
Washington Special to New York star.
The preservation Of newspaper clippings
for reference has become an art in Wash
ington Public men preserve the para
graphs about themselves which are sent 10
them Dy the National Press Intelligence
Company OF New York. Department chiefs
preserve the articles referring TO subjects
within their official scope, and news
paper correspondents seize every scrap
which may bear on contemporaneonse events
or describe the personal peculiarities or odd
adventures OF men in public life so gen.
eral has the scrap collection become that
there is great competition 20 devise 9 sys-
ten which will preserve the clippings in the
most compact form, well indexed Tor really
reference. The clumsy scrAp-book has
been almost entirely shelved. / know only
ore man who maintains \ scrap collec-
ton of any magnitude who adheres TO
II. he is William Eleroy Curtis, author Of
The Capitals OF Spanish America" now
acting as agent of the state department in
guiding the delegates to the Pan-American
congress about the country on tour Of
inspection. Mr.. Curtis has so many inter-
ests that is Is Impossible for him to mem-
orixe for future use the facts be meets in
daily reading. AS he goes through his
papers. therefore, he marks here and there
an article which he wishes TO have pre-
served. An assistant goes over the papers
and clips the marked articles. which be
paStes together in long ribbon. To this
ribbon he adds every day, until il
forms heavy roll Then At regular per-
iosis he takes down the serap-book, and
cutting the ribbon into lengths, pAstes IL
i'm the gummed columns OF the book. As
soon As book is filled it is indexed and
laid aside Mr.. Curtis has now q very
ponderous and complete collection OF the
writings Of every prominent newspaper
correspondent wRb has been in Washing
ton in the last ten years, 50 well az articles
al interest, almost without number, con-
earning distinguished men and women In
every part Of the woria
To the casual reader II might seem like
charee Of plagiarism 20 accuse Mr.. Curtis
ana other newspaper writers here Of using
the confeats OF other peoples letters IA
making On their oxn. But il is quite the
custom. and il ear hardly be called bad
custom ether Washington letters. ike
fashions sn dress, ran In cycles. At rssu-
Jar intervals the leading daily Newspapers
pFahlish descriptions Of the bureau Of en-
craving and printing, the patent office, the
interior af tae executive mansion, she
money vaulfs in the treasury department
ana other places which every t0ariSt who
eonees 20 Washington visits. some ct
these artisles may be entirely Original,
uacSs OF fhesn ere original in payE The
oorrsepsnaeus. who his preserved several
r....~s 80. fsss ssrsss saniesst can " hen o.
rsortnnitv alters. combine the information
they cuntaln ia 81 effective way. and milh
a sr3ce az contena Tofsnsors fact aided, can
Ynake a Enest ualAfaale dish. TRs informs
ton whieh Re apTsopriates Is I'll 20 he Or
sa5asd n srst hand II he chooses TO seek
II * i FeCasslssx - common pYopxrtv
Hs does 30 one ar iniastiea IN APP
rrorriafsnz Is, teE even the newspaper
reader wio fsfhAps asvsnred another
artiele en- the same tgp8c 4 yeag ago wizh
av5sfgrv. resaEa zes DO familiar Ingredient
IN the zish that - set before hiEa today
The newspaper rs&3er gisnces ore. his
.srs.- 50 haYEls5lg that Hhat be eess there
gazkes little permanent IEnrTess Ten 81 hiEn
or course no correspondent can aisors4 To
become ensiresy . scrap saok writer" lie
go@es originality oE expression aus becomes
duH and psosy. Bat every Rsboa lester
in Washington depends more or Aess on hiS
scrap caslsetian- oes 81 tAs h@sE kne~n
writer's 81 few yesgs ago used 70 say 70
enosber wsig-kDowa letter writer 81 keep
Al Of xour letters. and wherever I run
short q reE1in8csscrs fail rack 90 thea
The president keeps a scrap cslIectoE.-
81 leAsE. ane i kept 81 TIE White House for