Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1890-08-08
PRESS.
The Twsly-Sixth Annual Meeting at Detroit
An Interesting Sketch Of the Or
ganizatiOn.

/ ne western Associated Press holds
its twenty-SiXth annual meeting in this
city to-day. Many of the members
reached the city by last nights trains
and others will arrive this morning, and
the gathering promises to be unusually
large. The steamer City of Detroit has
been chartered and will take a run mp
% st. Clair, dinner being had nj the
Oakland. The business will be trans
acted on the boat during the trip.
Few have any idea of the extent Of
this association OF newspapers or the
magnitude of its operations. 1t is be-
yond all question the most important
newspaper association in the country,
comprising. rs it does, the leading pa
pcrS of all the cities in the interior,
with few In the South and far West.
The association was organized in
Louisville. KY, in the fall of 1868, when
representatives OF the press of Nash
willie, Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, St.
Louis and Cincinnati met for the pur-
pose of periecting a union, the prelimi-
nary steps for which had been already
taken, for the purpose OF securing news
for the common use of all the members.
I AANA 10 NNNA AAAIt AAAf ~ NtAn IltN~
had been dependent upon the New
York Associated Press, consisting of the
seven large dailieS OF that city, for
whatever general news, home or for
eign. they published It was for the
interest of the metropolitan papers to
furnish as meager and unimportant dis
patches as their Western contemporaries
would consent 10 use, and so long as
these were dealt with individually New
York was able TO dictate terms and do
pretty much as il pleased. 1t was the
object of the promoters Of the new or
gauiZatiOn 20 gain the power and lnilu-
euce that come from united action.
The New York Association watched
the Western body closely, and quietly
mterpOSed every obstacle possible TO
check the growth and keep down its
news service. They refused at first to
allow 10 receive any news from them
except such as was sent by their own
paid agent. The first battle was TO in
SiSt on having a Western agent located
I'm New York with power to make his
own selections. so long as the news was
paid for 40 a stipulated price: The next
was over the question Of dealing direct
ly with the Western Union Telegraph
Company as 10 the cost OF transmission,
instead of through the New York aSSO-
citation. The next was 20 place its own
agent In Washington and send its own
news from that great political center of
the country. Every one of these moves
took away from the power and prestige
of the New York association and added
90 that of It's Western rival. Indicating
az the same time steady growth of the
Western Associated Press in financial
strength and charging influence.
The result is that to-day this organ
izaJiou stands AT the head of all similar
bodies and has large clientage of
smaller associations which it supplies
with news, while 10 works in partner
ship with the New York association In
securing foreign news 10y cable from ali
parts of the world, and has its special
agents beside In London and Berlin. IL
has its own system of news service COW
criug the South. the great interior and
the West 20 the Pacific ocean. Its am
uual disbursements for telegraph tolls
and the salaries of agents approaches
half % million of dollars.
OF those who attended the first meet
ing OF she association at Louisville a
quarter of a century ago, we recall the
names of only these as still among the
| living: Horace White, then of the
Chicago Tribune and now of the New
York Evening Post; Richard Smith. of
| she Cincinnati Gazette, now CONNER
cial Gazette: Murat HalStcad. then of
| the Cincinnati Commercial. now of the
Brooklyn Standard Mon and retaining
his interest I'm the Commercial Gazette:
land +. IT, Baker. of the Detroit Adyer-
tiScr ana Tribune, now simply Tribune.
/ The last named was chosen secretary OF
the association at this first meeting
and has been continued in that posi-
| tion by successive re-electiOnS even
since.
The following is n list of the stock
! holders of the association as incorpOr
ated under "a general law passed by TIA,
| Michigan Legislature and approved
March 81, l>65:
| Cincinuati-Tho Commercial-Gazette
Enquirer. TimeS-Star. Nolksbatt aLt
| NolkSfreund.
| Chicago-The Tribune, Times, Inter
! Ocean. journal, News and Stats lei
| uug.
It. LouiS-The Republic, Globe-Dem
locrat. Dispatch, Anzciger, Amcrika anC
| WeStliSchc Post
| PittSburg -Commercial-Gazettc, Post
! Chroniclo-Telegraph and Dispatch.
! Nilwaukee-The Sentinel, Wisconsin
and Herald.
St. Paul-The Pioueer-Press auC
| Globe.
| Miuucapolis-The Tribune and Jour
nal
| Toledo-The Blade and Commercial
Memphis-The Avalanche and APP.
peal.
Indiauapolis-Thc Journal and Senti-
nell.
Evansville, Ind.-Thc Journal and
Courier.
Columbus. O.-The State Journal and
Dispatch
cleveland The Leader and Plain
Dealer.
Detroit-Thc Tribune and Free Press.
Wheeling. W. Na.-The lntelligencer
and REGISTER.
Terrc Haute-The Gazette and En-
press.
Kansas City-The Times and Journal.
LouiSyille-The Courier-Journal.
Sandusky-Th Register.
Dayton-Thc Journal.
Madison. Ind.-Thc Courier.
Nashville. Tenn-The Union and
American.
Springfield. Ill.-The Journal.
Galveston. Textile News.
san Francisco-Thc Chronicle.
Portland. Ore.-The Oregonian.
The affairs of the Western Associated
Press have from the first been managed
with signal ability. II has always had
am able board of directors, and they IN
turn a vigilant and exceptionally cap
liable executive committee. For many
years past the general agent and man
lager has been Mr.. William Henry Smith
lam experienced and Skillful newspaper
purveyor, whose untiring efforts have
brought the vast and complicated service
lup To its present high degree of excel
lencc.
Up to last evening the following mem
beers had arrived at the Russell House
William Henry Smith, general manager
! New York; l. f. Mack, Sandusky Reg
lister; w. y. Halderman, Louisville
! Courier-Journal; Richard Smith, Gin
cunati Commcrcial-Gazettc, accom-
panied by Miss Smith, Mrs. Sage and