The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1893-06-29
WHAT ARE THE FACTS :?
Do the Citizens Of Clifton Forge
Desire Monopoly in the News
paper Business?


mnce pies make pleasant dreams when uhe
drummer has no brass-when these things come
to pass, and not before-the merchant VINO Is
wise may neglect to advertise.
There is another thing about the wise mef
chant who intends to advertise IN TINS secsloi.
he will choose the REVIEW as his medium Iol
doing 50; and for this reason, that IL mas loiS
way the largest circulation of any PAPER pup
lished il the county OF Aeghany, IL g19 ha in at
least 1000 readers, consequently no olner paper
published hereabouts can give the advertiser 50
good q return for his money as the hEVlEw.
There is a wide difference between 800 clrcula-
ton and 1000. Try it!-CIitton Forge Reuieao.
The above article is taken FROM pa
per under the editorial control of Mr.. q.
F. Moore, and we desire to direct the
attention of the public especially to the
closing paragraph. AS there is but one
other paper published in Allegheny
county,-the Covington Sentinel-we as
sumo that the statement, There is a
wide difference between 800 circulation
and 1,O00" is a thrust at the VIRGINIAN,
for the sole purpose of injuring its busi>
ness. Now what are the facts?
In May, 1891, the VALLEY VIRGINIAN
was brought to Clifton Forge from
Staunton, having been purchased by
number of the most enterprising and
substantial business men in this city.
The present editor was not a party to
that transaction and was not interested
in the purchase in any form. When the
paper was started, he was given the
foremanship, which he continued to hold
until Maj. Yost severed his connection.
At the date of the first issue of the pa
per, it's circulation was about 2400. 1t
remained at that for one year, when by
direction of the editor-after having
given due notice in the paper-all sub
scribers who failed to pay in advance
were dropped. This reduced the circu-
lation one-half When Major Yost re-
linquished editorial control and was sue
ceeded by Mr. Moore, the present editor
was appointed Business Manager by that
gentleman without solicitation on his
part. These relations continued up I'M
til last November, when Mr.. Moore with
drew, and after various other schemes to
sell or lease the paper had failed, the
present Editor and Proprietor was re-
quested by several of the Stockholders
to take full control of the paper. We
acceded to their urgent requests, in
connection with Mr.. G. Collins Taylor,
and have been in charge of the enter
prise to the present. Whether we have
met the requirements of the position is
not for us to say. We lay no claim to
trancendent newspaper ability, but have
endeavored to conduct the paper in the
interest of the community, affording
employment to a number of hands, and
distributing hundreds of dollars.
Taking charge of the paper under the
most unfavorable circumstances = the
Directors having lost heart because of
the collapse of the "boom," and with
the opposition of certain element iden-
titled with rival paper, we have kept
the VIRGINIAN af1oat in spite of their
efforts to prejudice the people against it..
No systematic canvass has ever been
made in behalf of the paper, the present
publisher not having the services of two
or three Assistant Editors nor using a
"patent" inside.
In conclusion, we want it understood
that we did not launch the enterprise,
and if the people of this community are
willing to see an establishment in which
a number of them invested large sum
of money, discontinued, and thereby es>
tablash q newspaper monopoly, we shall
shed no tears. Since taking up our res
idence in Clifton we have endeavored to
merit the respect of her citizens, have
given them the best newspaper we were
able to furnish, met our obligations
promptly, and we entertain the hope
that we may be able-wherever our lot
may be cast-to keep the wolf from our
door"
We have yet to learn that an exclusive
newspaper franchise was ever granted to
any concern in the county of Allegheny.
The printed subscription list of the
VIRaINIAN is open to the inspection of
the public, and is more than double the
number fixed in the statement to which
we have referred.
Our facilities for job printing are not
surpassed by any similar establishment
outside of large cities.
TREASURY OFFICIALS CONFER.