Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-05-11

she aoaess The prsgrsss et sens ct
the nsuspspsfs here need only "a 50
bach . few years 90 he esusiassa.
hostss cane here about lsso saa
sscssfsi hs imitation into nawsfzpef
hussHsss "a toe ofnee et Tue Daily
nnses. shleh hka ia nsalssske as
"thnaleFsr." especially ia seels4
sense. kvsfy SANDER aud s1'seleua e't
OF goss.p VAS ms<asaed IA - NAV
and there we're Hsny taSt continually
lived In t. eas Of Il. IL wss pteesesy
0aofr PRIMITIVE taaa asy II il cotshi'
poTares. Its facilities were heug ~.
and such thing a. system "a regular
egder was little needed. Nathse
Church. ia editor. hF sat aad hrllaaut
a. Els pSn ess inspired At certain inter.
walls. MAS much Of the uma eosnte-
palltAn genglsmaa Of leisure lie
loved to parade. and never forgot "a
carry with him an impression OF INC
tremendous power sAd insiu-
enc. OF hls newspaper, whsch was
liked OF disslksd Iust according
10 the relations ons rasy have bad with
ii. But what did iioets dor tie was
civ editor. wrote editorials. did the
police beat, the city hall routine, the
courts, the usual meetings, railroads,
hotels and ia TACT all tie grind that
paper i supposed TO watch ia the local
held from dAy 10 day. lie did ,hls
and read proofs too. aud besides found
ample opportunity for leisure with nc-
qnsintances and hale fellows well met.
The local man on The Democrat was
Just as great = poohhaa. lie xas ex
peeled to cover the town and not get
"scooped." The facilities for printing
that paper were somewhat better than
those OF The Times. They had steam
power press, while Len Seymour, now
tire elevator man NJ the City Hall, cul-
uyated muscle enough TO last q tnous-
and years turning the wheel on the
press of Tie Times. Great difference
in the mode Of getting out the papers
now. isn't there?
No ono erey dreamed then that such
covenleuces as may be seen IN The
HERALD Office would ever come 10 pass
in Grand Rapids. That the local field
would be vide enough and sufficiently
important to be divided among large
number OF reporters, not To mention
the telegraph and news editors, teie-
graph operators, editors of distinct de-
partments and special writers. S,ereo-
typing and perfectng press were
never mentioned, We. all OF these en-
gines Of modern Journalism have been
realized in Grand Rapids IN little
over half dozen years. the Times
went up the fiue IN u more primitive
state" than II was when Mr. Church
took hold Of 1t. Perhaps these facts
may be too well known to warrant re-
peating TO most residents. bus they
serve as contrasts Sy which TO illustrate.
how great has been the advancement
of the local press. Take The Times
seven years ago, look 1t THE HERALD
three years afterwards, and continued
TO today equipped with all OF the mod
ern devices, and perfect system and
government, and you have q marvel
Gus fact OF progress condensed in .
nutshell.
The work Of getting out our news
papers now IS accomplished IN bust.
ness Ike msthodical manner. The
city editor, who used to keep an Argus
eve on every direction and byway in
the city, now superintends the work of
his stsH. The reporter, though it may
seem to some he has snap compared
with former days, gives rs conscien-
tious and thorough attention TO one
beat ~ used TO be given the whole city.
One assignment. frequently develops
an amount OF ''copy" that would
swamp the local columns of the Old
Times.
The papers will keep pace with tho
city. There are, to be sure, . few old
fogies who rail at and decry the news
paper, who have eyes and cannot see
that 1t Is the most potent factor in CIV
iiization even 10 the smallest local
hamlet. As Grand Rapid, grows III
enterprise so will the press grow with
corresponding push and energy despite
the frownings of the gray bearded
croakers who, in pioneer days, ruled
the town and held car like censorship
over the uncertain weekly issue of the
pioneer newspaper. TUXEDO.