The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-06
THE NEWSBOY SUPPLAN1ED.
DRIHEN OUT BIT THE IEWSDEdLKR
WIN a STAND AND n ROUTE

|
| HAsn't Cot 1.-THE working Of the New
| Systen-Whore tho Esoys hnvo Gone.
Somewhat as the bootblacks with chairs and
| whisk brooms have driven out the boys with
backing boxes, so tho big newsdealers have
driven out many of the boys who sell the
morning papers. The afternoon newspapers
arc still sold to n large extent by boys but
even with them the news stands, the elevated
roads. and the big stands at tho corners have
reduced tho nowsboys' sales. In tho caso Of
the morning papers the chance has boon very
great Instead OF tho boys NO king for theme
solves. they are hired Ivy nowsu"alcrs to attond
stands or distribute papors. The majority OF
the people who read morning papers get them
at their houses before breakfast They are
distributed by the newsdealcrs. The great
size OF New York, Brooklyn, and the surround
ing cities rs we'll ~ tho convenience OF buyers,
has made the changes necessary.
Tho business has drifted more and more into
the hands Of those who under the titles OF news
companies or as Individual dealers. have prao-
tcally divided up the city among themselves. ,
There are several hundred OF these newsdeal. I
ers in New York aud Brooklyn. They have dis
tricts ofthirty or forty blocks, and though they
will serve customers in other dealers districts,
still the dealers work in with each other to q
great extent and when II customer who Is of
their route applies they turn him over TO the
u6Al9T WHO SupIlIeS tnHl nplEUDOrUOOu, Tos
ceivinR in return similar favors.
This has changed the WHO'D system 81 deliv-
ering papers. The man who has charge OF O
district goes down to the oIces and collects
the papers an hour or two after midnight. On
Saturday nights he goes down earlier than on
other nights and gets the supplements OF the
papers first. Thon he gets the last sheets with
the later news and folds them all together. He
takes his bundle over to the elevated road sta
tion or to the ferry lie has some room where
the papers are picked out and given to the de-
livery boys who take them around to the
houses. This system requires more capital
and credit. moro time, better attention. and an
older head than the old way. 1t is driving out
the boys.
1t Is also giving profits to number OF other
people. By the rules OF the elevated road O
newsman Is allowed to take only one bundle
with him into the ears. 1t is not possible for
the large dealers to put all their papers into
one bundle They often make four or five
bundles, and sometimes ton or twelve. To
have each of these bundles accompanied by Q
mnn would mean that the force would have to
be increased, that an additional number 81 elo-
waited road fares woudihave to DO paid both
WAYS and that extra pay would have to be given
to the men or boys who bring the bundles up
town, when the newsdealer Is capable of taxi
ing them up town himself SO tho newsdeal-
ers have boys helm them over with their pa
pers from the newspaper offices TO tho elevated
station. There each news!ealer buys one
ticket and hands one or two papers to
the gateman. He also gives PAPERS
to the trainmen Some OF tho con-
ductorS make regular pra 'tics OF
going through the cars and collecting ~ els.
They expect one pRner for each bundle A
conductor who has ono Of tho early sunday
morning trains that carry the newsdealers and
seventy or eighty papeiS These papers sell
to the newsdealers for four cents, and tho con-
ductor can readily dispose O. them for or tnree
or three and half cents. This means that he
makes two or three. dollars extra out OF the
newsdealers for each trip. il return Tor lo'tng
them take THAR papers up. There is 10 r.nsOn
why the newsdenlers should not be allowed 10
ing to pay this petty tribute. rs the trains at
that hour are not crowded. Tho carrying up
OF the afternoon papers is another mat or. as
the trains are more crowded 1T that time. but
nothing ike 50 many copies OF the afternoon
paper ;t are - dist i1uied IN ,nf manner
evatcd road; the new-de llers are expected to
give the lanitors and hail boys OF the different
charge, In return Tor this the lani'or soiicis
orders for them, and kcens them poste.i "Dont
fiat the Janitor noilles tn" ncwslIealrr and
nnds out what paper+ tho tenants want. and
before the tenants move out he t"ll- zoe n,ws-
dealers 80 that ho Pill may be "oii"ct..! in
Janitor f. one OF tn" first t. know Of It, and no
notifies tho Eew,~dcaler. Tho hnIl boss get
tor is entitled o at Ioas, one two-r"nt PAPER
aud to thre cent pap ii no " hes
paps Mo Tho the hall ia" boy no and ES tony
return see that tho papers are properly di rib
uted to the tenants, though this II part nj the
work that the tenants might eX, ect thea to
do any way. II there is II mistake made in the
delivery Of the papers the janitor or elevator
take may be corrected before tie tenants lind
4 OUT. Tho pnrers arc usually Ic!t ONE limo
Ur elevator boy 10 sCe that they mr.. MI right.
All Of this is drain OH, the profits wnIch no
newsboy could stand. He would not have
business TO warrant 1t. Mother has he The
capital which would enable him TO supply
These newsGe,,ler hire boys TO hen them.
These boys nigh. he ne%SboyS. but the dis
trlbuting IF Gewspnn"rs has gone through
lust as other limos Ol business have and in
stead Of being ndependent capita,iisIIs they have
Il week for distributing the morning nupers.
which takes hire, or four hours day. II tney
naid extra. Others are employed TO attend
the stands because most OF the newsdeaers.
stands: some Of them have, quite Il hunter:
AZ these stands all OF the daily md some Of
IN town with these big ewsdcalels. He buys
large daily papers printed in New York. in
Guiding tho German AMI french ones. His
sides, when ho sees anything in the papers
Int he likes or anything thnt no want his
friends 10 see ne send out anu OlQerS
twenty-five or nifty copies morr. lie IL ono OF
the greatest newspaper renders in town Mr..
Vanderbilt takes only three papors, and he
seldom sends out Tor extra ones. Two Of the
ihree are morning papers, aud tho other Is mo
afternoon paper that i conducted! by "A mem
Der OF his family Mr. Whitney buys his papers
Iayer reader at his house, though ne may rsad
moro papers at his office; Mr. Rockefeller
does not take any uaDor- at his house.
Most Of the millinnaires who live u ong ] nth
avenue are included in two routes. though
hoy may got other papers on The elevated road
% read on thcr why down town OF get otheR
papers Mt thelr Offices, and many OF Thorn nave
score aries who. at tnsir Offices, clip Out things
which may interest them, or subscribe TO one
u tho many newspaper clipping bureaus.
The concentration OF tho business II news
Oaper distribution has its disadvantages MS
well as its ADVANTAGE. The dealers are trou-
lied IA good deal by petty thcits. Sometimes
heir boys take more papers than tho have
for on their routes and sell the rest
II other times the boys do not de- i'er'iGo
lapers properly, and are followed by cOn-
eieratss who stenl the papers ~ rapidly rs
hoy are delivered. one, Of these dealers
'au2ht n boy. with u hook on the end OF
room handle, HOOKING out IN pcrs fr pa under