The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1891-02-24
THE FALL OF 4 STAR.
The New York Daily's Past His
tory History of Failures.

Munsey, the recent purchaser Of tn
New York Star, is publisher Of th
Golden Argosy ana Munsey's Week
ly. He has completely changed tn
Star in name and shape, as well as il
the character of its news matter anC
editorial features. Fl is now called
the Daily Continent and measure
sixteen pages, FIVE columns to tn,
page. Mr.. Munsey's expressed in
tention TO present facts in a simple
bat intelligent style. He believe.
business men have no time to devote
10 long stories, or reportorial fine
writing.
The story that went the rounds.
when the sale Was first announced, to
the effect that G. P. Huntington, its
alleged recent owner, had sunk over
$780, 900 in the venture is most posi-
lively denied by that gentleman in an
interview published in the New York
Tribune. He fixes his loss at $40, 900
and refers to the matter as one which
had almost escaped his memory.
The New York Suns sketch of the
history of the Star from the date of
its organic alton well illustrates the
enormous possibility of loss in news
paper ventures even in the most ia
vored locality. and when the oppor-
tunity for success is greatest.
In 1867, the article states, on the
asme morning that the Sun appeared
under its present editor, the Star also
made its entry as new aspirant in
the field of Journalism. Its object was
TO appeal to the workingmen more
especially, and its projectors were san
guine that it won d win in the COM
petition as against the Sun.
The Star started out with little pat
ronage, and its sales decreased instead
of becoming greater 1t was soon in
financial difficulties. Its founders
lost the money they had put into it,
and the paper fell into the hands of
Mr.. Joseph Howard, jr., a clever
newspaper man, with extensive ex-
perience as news gatherer, and a
writer of wit and spirit.
Mr.. Howard was the first edi or TO
Introduce pictorial illustrations into
newspaper, after a rude and inariistic
fashion, it is true, but sometimes very
effective.
Yet he was unable, with all his
labor and ability, to lift up the Star.
1t did not command the public res
pect and excite the public interest.
At last William NJ. Tweed came to
his rescue, and subsidiz I'd the unpro
ftable journal with city advertising.
The Tweed and Connolly ring might
support it, but the public did not
want the paper and when Tweed
and his associate plunderers came to
grief the Star fell with them.
Then John. Kelly acquired the
paper and raised capital for its con-
duct among his political friends.
Under his control the circulation of
the paper was probably much greater
than it has ever been in the whole
history of the enterprise. But it was
a merely fictitious circulation. Mr..
Ke!ly's friends and political followers
bought the Star to please or conciliate
him.
1t looks as if lis complete dissolu-
ton was at hand alter large loss to
Me-. Kelly and. his friends. But
Lieutenant Governor William DORIS
heimer had long had the ambition to
exercise his talents and ambitious as
the editor of a metropolitan news
paper. Accordingly Mr.. Dorsheimer
raistd capital OF 100000 to buy
and run journal. 1t was not long
before this capital wss swept away by
the expenses of conducting the Star,
for the public steadily refused to buy
che paper. 1t never took hold. 1t
could not be pushed into circulation.
Mr.. Dorsheimer moved the Office of
the paper to very eligible situation.
He paid handsomely for
literary assistance, and sought
to make the journal Typographical ly
attractive, employing almost the best
skill he could obtain in the publish
ing department. Yet his efforts were
unavajling. The people would not
buy the paper, and its losses were
steady and appa ling.
Then Mr.. G. 2. Huntington was
induced to try his hand in the enter
prise. He had railroad schemes
which he thought would be forwarded
by daily paper. and especially a
democratic paper, as the Star was,
for he is a republican himself.
The Star then felt that it was on
The high road to the success which
had hitherto evaded it. 1t was backed
bv one Of the richest men in the
Union, aud man who the strongest