The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-09-11
OLD-TIME JOURNALS.
Charles PrOsch's "reminiscences
Of the Elder Bennett.
HOW THE "sUN" WAS STARTED.
Hard Time In Getting the
''TImes'' on It's Fcet-The Eccen-
tricities Of Horace Greeley.


the policy of spending money to make
money. He never grudged the money
necessary to secure a scoop" as 1t IS
termed nowadays. He was progressive
and aggressive; his contemporaries were
conservative and content with the methods
which governed publishers a century ago.
They waited for the news to reach them
by the old time-worn channels; he en-
ployed trusted agents to procure it for him
while they waited. This was the secret of
his success. He was the first 10 take adj
vantage of the facilities afforded by ocean
steamers and the telegraph for obtaining
news. Soon after the Atlantic cable was
laid he published in New York important
European events before those events were
known to the journals of Europe. which
were often indebted to the New York
Herald for news which they should have
had first. This was done by means of
active correspondents abroad, whom
he doubtless paid as generously as he
did the newsgatherers at home. The
son has profited by the precepts and ex-
ample of the father. Thus the Herald
leads today, as it did fifty years
ago, the papers of Europe and
America in the publication of news.
1t was the first to publish details of
the battles in the Crimea: the first to find
the long lost Livingstone; the first to pub
fish the result of the Chilean war: the
first to find Balmaceda and chronicle his
suicide; the first to give publicity 10 start
ling events in all parts of the world.
1t was said and generally believed that
Bennett started his paper with 5000 of bor-
rowed money. At that period papers
were often printed on types and presses
hired and not owned by the publishers.
Thus one with even less capital than he
possessed could indulge his ambition to be
an editor for week or two. When he had
got his paper we'll under way. with large
subscription list and a profitable advertis-
ing patronage, Bennett made money very
fast. But he was not very scrupulous as
to how he made it. For example: During
a period of depression in almost every
branch OF business, when many merchants
were believed to be on the brink of ruin,
the Herald contained an announcement
that II was preparing and would soon pub
lish lists OF the solvent aud insoivent mer-
chants of the city. Instantly the business
men became alarmed; the solvent and the
insolvent repaired to Benefits office,
many of them with all the money they
possessed or could borrow, to pay for the
column. 1t is hardly necessary to add
that this scheme resulted just as he antic-
ipated; by it he was said to have realized
upwards Of 100000. He not only amassed
great wealth during his lifetime, but left
his son, in addition thereto, paper that
earns for him nearly 81, coo, 900 yearly.
The Epening Post, William Cullen Bry-
ants paper, was among the oldest of the
New York journals fifty years ago, having
been started some time prior to 1880. 1t
was one of the most conservative of the
old journals. was long the organ of the
Democratic TOR Loco Foco, as it was tor
some years called,) party, but was really
a paper of little force and no enterprise.
Like all the morning papers of that Pc
Rod. it was issued only to regular sub
scribers at cents copy, none being sold
on the street.
The first and long the only 1-cent news
paper was the Sun. which commenced to
shine in 1888. Ben amin III. Day started
it on sheet 8x10 inches. which, when
folded once, resembled the four-page
tracts issued by the American Tract Soci-
ETY.. Each page contained about 5000 ems
in two columns of 1900 ems
each, or 1900 ems in the en-
were printed on sheets about the size of
single sheet Of the PosT-INTELLIGENCER,
and never issued double sheet.
The Sun from time to time enlarged,
and changed proprietorship until 1910,
about which date Moses Y. Beach became
the owner. 1t never made any pretense
to competition in the publication of late
news, depended entirely upon its ex-
changes for every item it contained and
always practiced the system of condensa-
ton. 1t employed local reporter and ed
itor, who was also compiler. A peculiar
feature of the Sun was its columns of mar
riages and deaths; to this feature it was
largely indebted for its subscription list.
which for some years exceeded that of any
other paper in New York. Every spinster
and widow In tile city, as we'll as many
others. who could spare 6 cents week,
subscribed for the Sun to see who had mar
ried or died in the preceding twenty-four
hours. When they had carefully scanned
these lists they had no further use for the
paper except to start lire with it. The
original notices of these events were in.
serted at charge of % cents, 80 cents and
$l-the latter sum being paid for the ad-
dition OF one or two verses to the notice.
These paid-for notices were supplemented
by clippings from exchanges, for which, of
course, the paper received nothing. The
success of the Sun was due In great mea-
sure to this feature, which was not only
profitable in itself, but largely augmented
the circulation and led to the acquisition
of many columns of wants and other
transient advertising.
In 1871 the Tribune was Published under
the management of Horace Greeley and
Henry j. Raymond. The latter two years
later was employed by James Watson
Webb as assistant editor and in 1851 start
ed the Times with a capital of $780, 900
supplied by warm personal friends ana adj
mirers. In less than year his capital
was exhausted, and Raymond, but for the
Intervention of Fletcher Harper, would
have been compelled to again seek EN-
ployment for his talents in subordinate
position. Mr.. Harper. with $4,000 in
cash and the extensive advertising patron
age of Harper Bros, went to the relief Of
Raymond and rescued the Times from its
threatened downfall. After the death of
RAYMOND the proprietor of this paper was
offered by the notorious Boss Tweed ST.
sessed concerning Tweed's stealings.
Jones, the proprietor, refused the offer,
published the e1poSe, and became the hero
of the day. Tweed He'd but was captured
III the West Indies and died soon after in
a New York prison.
Mention of the most distinguished of all
the journalists of New York, or of any city
or country. it may be truly said. has been
reserved TO the last III these "reminiscences.
He was known and recognized everywhere
as the friend and champion Of the labor
ing man. lie vas no friend of non-pro-
ducers and idlers, of whom he often wrote
IN tar from complimentary terms. When
Horace Greeley visited Europe, during
bret vacation, Ire was met by crowds in
Great Britain and Ireland, in Germany, in
france and in Italy, who warmly greeted
him as their friend, though on the CONT
nent they only knew him through the
translation OF his articles into their own
tongues. His thoughts and his pen were