Telegram-herald., 1890-10-20
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cc.ali ztaa nasgser Bst IS NeN York
ths task assumes la4HnloIA fEazersioas.
AL fsv people kaoD eew il = d7re. 10
neWsgap~g ever Paaes,-ec esnElosea
saoaga reporters - itself 70 cover TIE
evsuts q TIE great eltk. fas uDiDpoF-
tAut routine pllaos coarts. s1nSA nres.
fssts acgi3eats. 81 lis h&R5.sd oy TIE
neNs ass.s rloas wGleA are ran 0n fhe
.zEue plan as e The wsA regulated eafy
department - . nsssslApsr There &ss
several II these 4ssocistsas ia New YORK
ana each one employs hfty OF sixty mea
who seonr the cay for itC,ls
As sc9n ~ one of these men obtains
his facIs he tskss Ihssa 70 ths 90 aud
writes them up preparing - many
duplicate copies - there are nsssiiaf fssrs
served - his association. Thlz explains
the fact that one sometimes soek accounts
of some small happening told IA three OF
four different newspapers IA exactly the
same words "a hrn tie ten i an Inn
portang one. however. the elty editor. Il
there i time generally turns TIE story
received from the news association over
10 one Of his Own reporters. who re-
writes it and, If possible. obtains some
new facts
The heads of these associations are ex-
pert newspaper men and are thoroughly
responsible The consequence Is that
when au article is received from one Of
them the city editor has bat u See from
the heading il il be advisable, Il 50, and
if II is not important enough 10 be re-
written, il Is sent at once 10 the printer
without the careful scrutiny and editing
required in most cases In this way the
city editor is relieved Of many onorous
duties and petty responsibilities, and
considerable time is gained
II is duh day when twice as much
news matter as can be printed is not sub
United 70 the city editor. In most Of the
Offices the motto, "Get news: honestly
if thou canst, but get IT," is an exponent
Of the principles practiced therein.
| Make every man, woman and child a
news gatherer," is another motto. This
is accomplished by treating every one
who either brings important informs
ton, or gives pointer" as TO where j
can be gotten, literally. Such persons
are always remembered on pay day, anC
come in for sums large or small. in the
ratio of the prominence given the mattel
furnished and space occupied.
All the large papers have from sixty
to hundred men on the reportoria
staff of the city department. Some o.
the papers pay all the men regular sal
aries, some all space. some salaries ant
space both, while others guarantee
certain sum TO each man, and in cas-.
the material he turns in measures in ex
cess Of the guaranteed amount be re
oeives the benefit of such excess. Mani
of the reporters write also special
matter-''stories" on all sorts of genera
subjects, which are published in the bi,
Sunday editions, and for which they re
ceiye extra pay.
Each prominent channel of commerc
is covered, or attended to. by the mos
accomplished man in that special fiel,
on the staff For instance: The railroaC
news is gathered by man who ha
through years of experience learned tn
technique of this branch He is &C
quainted, even familiar, with all tn
prominent railroad managers. superin
tendents and ticket agents. Some of tn
papers send regular men through tn
dry goods districts twice a day. Thes
men know everybody in the trade, an,
are given many pointers" The custom
house matters are seen to after a simila
fashion, while wall street is covered b.
z a man who is known to every prominen
banker down town.
The civil and federal courts are re
ported accurately by men whom lon
practice has made as familiar with th
docket" as the court clerks themselves
These men are veritable encyclopedia
in everything of historically lega
character. They have considerable in
1uence, not SO much with the Judges
whom they dare not treat with anythin
but respect, but with the court officer
who are looking for political prefermeni
and particularly the ambitions youn
members of the bar. many of whom ow
their starts in life TO the puffs give
them by friendly court journalists
Henry IRVING DODGE