New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS..
A GREAT NEWSPAPER INDEX.

THE AMER CAN NEWSPAPER bIRECroRf Twenty
second year. ssvo. PIP; xviii, l'f'2. george l.
America is prc-cmlrentlv the country Of newspapers
Their number and character are alike indicative oi
American intelligence Last wear the entire nuinDcr I"
established periodicals published in the incd >'a'e>
and Canada 17.760. When if Is considcrcd 'hs'
the first newspaper upon this continent was S'aTcu III
Boston less than 200 years ago. the ,iSnh'sh'e oi
these figures j., strikingiy apparent IN rcnIY 'ho
growth of American newspapers dates from the e>'"b
lsnncnt OF our National independence NO o'i'er
country has witnessed anything that can Dc compared
with it, The increase in the number OF newspapers
since the Civil War has been especially marvellous
But Just what the number was thirty years ago 1t Is
impossible to say. because there waS no complete s'
in existence few of the largest advertising agencies
had private lists. hut aside from the most Important
publications in the great cities these lists were chc;y
local.
In 1860 however the advertising agency OF George
T. Rowen & Co. determined upon the collection and
publication of a 50 called Newspaper Directory. which
should embrace the mention of publication in tho
country of "a substantial and permanent character
The work has been continued since that tine. the book
swelling ia size with the increase of tho number ~
newspapers each year. unit; the present edition, when
has just been issued and which Is small octave vol
unc Of about 200 page The labor involved in tho
undertaking would be great for successful results
if il had not been gradual growth during the twenty
two years But even taking that fact into account. Inc
publication "A marvellous evidence of enterprise ana
industry.
The statistics disclosed hy the volume worthy az
careful SCdy by every business man who believes IN
The efficiency OF printers ink in the successful conduot
Of mercantile affairs OF tie entire 1890 puhlici-
lions enumerated l3.lGf wcckic>. 2,l0l are
lnomthles and 626 dalicS. The remainder, which
issued various periods. are Of slight
importance for the large advertiser Although the news
papers of Canada included in the list tic entire
f,a+a Oh. nDA
now published in the United states alone The
large number of wcekcs is accounted for by the fact
that that is the form in which the newspaper OF
small community first appears. Therefore
much tho larger part Of them are papers of small
circulation in fact the weelcs of largest circulation
arc those connected with daily newspapers. New York
Of heads the other States in the number Of
publications less than LIS standing to her credit
singular it may seem. Maine claims for her news
papers the largest average circulation. The explanation
this anomaly is that al Augusta are printed several
special publications. that have no claim to the name
newspaper" but which distributed over the
country immense numbers. Illinois is second in the
number of publications issued and Pcnn yvana third.
The difficulties in the way Of an accurate ascertain
nent Of the respective Calculations Of these ncwspa
pers Tor such publication as this. we believe to be
absolutely insurmountaLlc The publishers Of the
Directory. with sublime confidence in The purity
Of the editorial conscience. offer to accept true lin
the absence Of express proof to the contrary such
rating of the circulation Of any newspaper as Is editor
or manager may vOuch for i'll writing. II l. perfectly
evident 10 any ono having familiarity with such
matters. that this afIOrs ample opportunity for IN
scrupulOus newspaper managers grossly 10 eNasecrate
the circulation Of their sheets. The honorable pub
Usher cannot enter into such competition. and there
fore frequently prefers not to give statement OF cir
culation to be placed in comparison with his less
honest ncighbOr The compicrs OF the Directory.
of course have 10 be or their guard lest any news
paper should. by its silence and conceament. secure
The same advantages Others do by their exaggerated
statements: consequently IL need not cause surprise
70 the publisher who has furnished no statement mat
he circulation of his journal is moderated.
Eut despite these difficulties and the mpoSsbilliy OF
obtaining absolutely ratings this publication affords
much comparative Information in regard 10 the proper
disposition Of advertisement; among Journals OF the
different classes Making all allowances for mac
curaceS it is entirely certain that there are less than
400 newspapers and other periodicals in the United
states that have circulation exceeding $4,000 copies
II business wishes TO restrict his advertising
20 comparatively few journals Of large circulation.
he can select those OF any particular locality, or those
OF H. whole country. II lie confines bis advertising to
daily newspapers he will have still smaller number
10 examine because he will find there less than
The arrangement OF the newspapers in these lists is 20
admirable that time need be wasted. II IT were
practicable for George p. Howcll & Co. to make abso
uteIy correct ratings of circations this would be an
ideal publication for its purpose.