Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-03

Capt. late continued with tho paper as cashier,
| but declined an invitation by the new pro-
| prietors to retain interest in the paper evil
| IDENTITY preferring the certainty Of a weekly
| salary to the uncertainties of returns from a
rew and struggling enterprise. He continued
| In the employ of the paper until his death. in
! 1858. The STAR remained over a year in it's
! quarters over the blacksmith shop on d street.
The old building long ago disappeared 1t was
a two-story structure and all the work on the
paper was done In one room upstairs, in which
| the four or five compositors employed had their
| cases and the hand press on which the paper
| was struck off was also located. Stuart Robson
| who long ago dropped his composing stick and
became famous as an actor. and Maj. Powell OF
| the army both worked in that Ettlo room as
compositors on The STAR. Mr.. Leves. who is
| still employed as compositor on The STAR,
| was then engaged on it. and this year rounds up
his forty years of service at a case in THE STAR
Office When he first began work he was one of a
| force Of three or four, all that required to
| get the paper out Now there are seventy men
working around him in The STARS big compos-
| ing room
| UNDER MR. wALLAcH's MANAGEMENT.
Messrs Wallach and Hope meeting with sue
cess in their enterprise moved the paper Sep
tember 80, 1854, to the building corner of 18th
street and Pennsylvania avenue south side
| where more comrnodious quarters were secured
| and where the paper remained SO many years.
| From the very start under the management of
| Mr.. Wailach, who in March. 1855, bought out
| Mr.. Hope and became sole proprietor The
| STAR put forth great industry in cleaning the
| news field. The present editor-in-chief of the
paper began his connection with it in 1855, COM
| mencing work as assistant editor reporter and
| general utility man. As at that time the whole
! editorial and reportorial staff comprised but
\ two or three men, the work assigned to each
was not very strictly defined. The duties of
! the assistant editor might on any day touch the
| whole of neVSDaDer work from rennrtiDO
| case at police station TO writing editorials
His routine required him to get the early morn
ing reports at the old central guard house. write
editorial matter. make tour in search of news
| through the departments. spend some time in
scissoring exchanges. and then for a change ~
! night, to report evening meetings, winding up
| by getting the late hotel arrivals about mid
| night. Mr.. Wallach himself was indefatiguble,
| working i'll every department of the paper and
ever on the lookou. for news. The energy and
| industry of Mr.. Wallach and his assistants. with
the good judgment displayed, had telling
effect. The results of the work of the small
| force, always presented in readable shape,
made bright paper which attracted at
| tention and rapidly grew in public favor.
| 1t was a lively. saucy and gossipy sheet that so
| far as the means at its disposal permitted gave
to the people of Washington the news they
| wanted. 1t was, in fact, new departure in
journalism in Washington, which had been &C
customed to ponderous morning papers like the
Intelsyencer, Union and Sentinel, highly re-
spectacle and devoted to the publication Of
political essays. but not newspapers of modern
character. They drew their support in largo
measure. from government or party favor.
The STAR devoted itself to the interests OF the
people and trusted its fate, wisely az the event
proved, TO the support which the people OF the
city would give to o well-conducted newspaper
Early under Mr.. Wallach's direction The STAR
evinced. what has ever remained leading
CHARACTERISTIC OF the paper, devotion to local
interests.
THE CHANGE OF OWNERS HIP.
After thirteen years of successful experience
in the management of the paper Mr.. WaIiach,
wishing to retire and give his time to the care
of farms which he had purchased, sold THE
! STAR. October 81, 1867, to Messrs. Crosby S.
Soyes, s. II. Kaufman, George W. Adams,
| 4. Il. Shepherd and Clarence b. Baker who
| became equal owners. Mr.. Noyes, who had
| long been associated with Mr. Wallach as editor
( OF the paper, and who had for number Of
Years been practically in editorial control,
| shaping the papers policy. became editor-in-
chief. and the new firm continued 70 develop
! the paper on the lines which had ALREADY been
/ Laid down. In announcing the change of own
ership and the purposes of the manage
| ment at that time The STAR said:
| I'VE mean that The STAR shall be indeoend-
| ent, outspoken, honest. expressing itself freely
| upon all questions of public interest, but al
| ways, we trust. with fairness and good temper
| The time has come when Washington city can
| by night Of her population and business de-
| uand a paper devoted essentially to her in
| terests. Heretofore il has been deemed i'm
| possible to sustain journal here divorced from
| politics, and relying for its supper: from the
| people and business of Washing ton. But the
| Washington of today is something more than 4
political center, with all its interests merged in
/ national politics.
There is a mission here for paper devoted
| largely TO the encouragement Of the hopeful
| new business career entered upon by the Dis
| trict cities. THE STAR. by its Resources its
! commanding circulation and the liberal ad YER
| tisement support it ,ceives is tavorably stu
\ atei 10 undertake that mission. and we shall
enter upon the experiment without a shadow
\ OF misgiving.
| The STAR now visits almost every household
IN the District, and the univerzality of its
circulation causes 1t TO present great attrac tIons
| for advertisers We shall not rest satisfied I'M
I'll Its large circulation Is made yet larger. in
| creasing steadily hereafter with the growth of
| the city. As a newspaper We mean that The
/ STAR shall occupy the front rank. Our columns
| viii show the completeness of our arrangements
! to secure the freshest and the most authentic
| news Neither labor nor expense will be spared
to this end. As a local paper The STAR has
! been unriyaled. and we shall take due care that
its universal reputation as the best local paper
IN the District Is fully maintained. While its
\ contents Will be thoroughly newsy, varied
same time that they shall be unexceptionable
| in character.
I've know what The STAR has done in the
past, and our ideal of its future is a high
| one how nearly we shall succeed in realizing
| that ideal remains to be seem"
Mr.. Wallach received for the paper 500 600,
| and as times were then not prosperous, the
shrinkage OF values following the war having
affected business interests in the District quite
seriously, it was thought tina. he had sold very
/ shrewdly. Ia fact many regarded the venture
| made by the new proprietors in the face Of such
| discouraging conditions ~ foolhardy. but they
I lacked neither confidence nor courage. Their
4 judgment and confidence were soon approved
| by results. for. whatever success the paper had
| previously attained, was far surpassed by the
| career Of continued prosperity upon which The
| STAR entered under its new management.
THE EVENING STAR NEWSPAPER COMPANY.
The publication was continued under the firm
name and style of Noyes, Baker & Co. until Oc-
tober Is, 1865, when the proprietors awaited
themselves Of charter granted by q special act
| OF Congress incorporating THE EVENING STAT
| Newspaper Company" This a change in
| form only, involving no change in the owner.
| shipment or management, each of the origina
partners retaining a fifth interest. January 8
1855, Mr.. Baker withdrew from the company part
ing with his shares, which were divided in ual
portions among the four remaining proprietors
On the Sd day Of June, 1874, Mr.. shepherd an.
nounced his determination to dispose OF his