The sun., 1891-01-28

whose name was more familiar TO tho public
Therefore Mr.. HOWARD seemed to have
come reason FOR the high hopes with which
he undertook the conduct OF n paper OF
his own and really this clever journalist
made the STIR II readable paper enough. II
was slar-dnsli. ilppnit, and never dull. We
bciicvr that Mr.. IiowArD was the first editor
u Introduce pictorial illustrations into n
newspaper. after II rude and inartistic
fashion. IL IL true, but sometimes very
effective.
Vet hc wa unable, with nIl his labor and
ability, tp lit M the STIR. Tho paper was
worse OFT than "ynr. II DID not command
the puylic respect and excite the public In
forest. A. last WILLIAM NJ. TWEED came to
his rescue. nui subsidized the Improbable
Journal with city advertising. distributed to
IT with n free hand, and paid for at enormous
prices. Probably during those days and for
n brief period Mr.. HOWARD may have done
very well pccnniarily: but the circulation OF
the star wns MS small Ms ever. The TWEED
and CONNOLLY Ring might support II, but
the public d.i not want the paper; and when
TWEED and his associate plunderers came to
grief tho Star fell with them. 1t had no
backing except In the Ring.
Then JoHN KELLY. desiring n newspaper
organ of his own, acquired the paper and
raised capital for its conduc. among his
political friends. because OF his position le
also was abc 10 induce politicians, saloon
keepers. and men ambitious OF office to buy
tho Star regularly. Under his control. there
fore, the circulation of the paper was proba-
bly, much grcnter than 1t has evor been
IN the whole history OF the enterprise. But
II was n merely Fictitious circulation. Mr..
KELLY's friends and political followers
bought the Star to please or concllate him.
not because they wanted to rcad It, Hence,
when he ceased to exert his influence In It's
behalf til" business Of the paper fell to its
natural and very low level. The result was
TINT the daily publication was discontinued
and only Sunday edition was issued.
1t looked as If Its complete dissolution
was at hand after largo loss to MIR. KELLY
and his friends. But Licutenant-G Governor
WILLIAM DoRsHEIMRR had long had the
ambition to exercise his talents and abilities
as tho editor Of metropolitan newspaper.
The Star was at hand; as q moribund
paper 1t was purchasable for q small
sum, and Its discouraged owners were
anxious to get rid OF 1t. Accordingly, Mr..
DoRsHEIMER raised a capital OF 100000 to
buy and run tho Journal putting some OF
his own money into it. and getting the rest
from gentlemen OF prominence with whom
he was on friendly terms. and who ad-
mred and trusted his unquestionable
powers. 1t was not long before this
capital was swept away by the expenses
OF conducting the Star. for the public
steadily refused to buy the paper and thus
help in paying the cost OF It's publication. 1t
never took hold. It could not be pushed into
circulation. Mr.. DoRsHEIMER moved the
Office OF the paper to very eligible
situation. He paid handsomely for lit
erary assistance, and sought to make the
journal geographically attractive, employ
ing also the best skill he could obtain In the
publishing department. Yet his efforts were
unavailing. The people would not buy tho
paper, and Its losses were steady and ap-
palling.
Then Mr.. c. P. HUNTINGTON was induced
to try his hand In the enterprise. He had
railroad schemes which lie thought would
be forwarded by daily paper. and especial
ly Democratic paper, as the Star was, for
he is Republican himself. Besides. he
had great lank account to draw upon.
and that seemed to him sufficient to assure
tho success OF the Star, howeve cal mi
tous Its past history hnd been. He wanted
to got bill through Congress to enable him
to decrease the interest on the bonds OF
the Central Pacific Railway, and there
was great scheme for laying down
cable railroads in this city. II the Star
could help with these. he could make mil
lions. Therefore he was ready to rick some
thing on 1t.
The Star then felt that 1t was on the high
road to the success which had hitherto
evadcd 1t. 1t was backed by ono OF the
richest mon In the Union, and q man who
had the strongest OF Inducements to carry
1t through to prosperity and power. Yet
the paper did no better and probably worse
than before. The public would not buy it,
would not read it even hit was given to them
for nothing. Governor DoRsHE1MER died
oppressed bs"the cares 1t imposed on him,
and badly in debt, because Of the obligations
with which 1t had loaded him. From the
beginning to tho end Of his connection with
1t the Star lost money heavily and every day.
At length the paper was sold at forced
sale and bought in by clerk OF Mr.. HUNT
INGToN's and for his interest. Thereafter
the samc experience OF loss occurred. The
people would not buy tho paper. and its
| small circulation we'll known and indis-
putable. prevented its getting sufficient sd-
vertising to help 1t out.
From first to last Mr. HUNTINGTON alone
has sunk more than Sl.OOo.0O0 in the concern
without having gained anything what
ever from 1t for his railroad schemes. The
money is a dead loss to him. The total
amount lost on the paper from Its start
until now must exceed $l.1o0,0OO. In its
whole history it has never won the support
or tho respect of the public. Neither money
nor talent could lit it up. 1t was weighted
as il with lead from its inception and never
could get alloat OF itself.
Now new hands will try to give tho con-
Germ buoyancy by changing its name and
transforming IL from Democratic into q