The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-01-17
THE ..HEATHEN,, PRN.-l
Five Chinese Newspapers in sam
Francisco.

Five Chinese Newspapers in San
Francisco.
San Francisco has FIVE newspaper
printed in the Chinese language. They
are edited. printed and published in
that transplanted bit of the Orient
known as Chinatown It is known
that the oldest newspapers in the
world is still multiplying its volumes
in China. and the Chinaman in Ameri-
ca, while he may subscribe for a
''home paper" feels the need of a
live local paper.
The first Chinese newspaper prfnted
in the United States was started bv
Hin Gee in Chinatown in 1877, when
he began editing the Tong Fong which
in English signifies THE Chinese
American Newspapers" It was con-
Quoted on too high a plane for ths
denizens of that savory quarter, and
after struggling for two years sus-
pended. Meanwhile the Chinese Re-
corder had been established with Yew
Chew Ii, suggestive name, by the
way, as editor and manager. He was
an extremely practical Chinaman as
well as capable editor, and his paper
did paying business. The publishers
of the Recorder disagreed, however,
and their differences resulted in. the
establishment of the Occidental
few years later the Oriental made its
appearance. This paper had plenty OF
capital behind it and made many adj
vances in Chinese journalism in the
way of Typography and general make
up, and the introduction of illustra-
tons.
There are 1900 different characters
in the Chinese written language and
the pages are printed from Autograph
forms. The Chinese printer sits on a
high stool at a table on which is
large block of lithographing stone; on
! this he prints with brush and pen,
using an ink composed of grease and
| lampblack. The stones are then
etched with acid, as is ordinarily done
| in lithographing. He copies editorials.
news and advertisements from little
slips of copy" and when one page is
finished he goes to. another table and
CONTINUES on another stone. This is
the process which has been used for
centuries in the newspaper publishing
business in China.
| The Oriental however, has abandoned
the time-honored photographic process
and uses type and a modern printing
press. AS before mentioned, there are
| 1900 characters in the language and
several types of each character are
necessary to get out a four page paper.
As each one Of the types cost 20 cents,
| it is evident that the OrientaTs ex-
pense for type was no small thing.
But the Oriental is the most progress
sive paper in Chinatown and has the
largest circulation and the greatest
amount Of advertising patronage.
| Over 1000 papers are printed each
week and the subscription price is S.
a year. Lately it has been publishing
six pages, four of which are devoted
to advertisements at 81 an inch.
One page is devoted to Chinese news,
and a recent issue contained a, SCOOP
lin the Hoang-Ho inundation- This
page is also devoted to scientific
/ articles and poetry, Of which the
Chinese are very fond. Another page
lis devoted to American news; for in
stance the latest news from Brazil,
the excitement in the Sandwich islands
land an article on the Geary law. To
collect and arrange this there is
TRANSLATOR who handles the American
newspapers and translates everything
of interest to Cinnamon; two men
Hook after the news from China as it
lcomes on the steamers; and there are
several local men and editorial writer's.
Altogether there are eighteen men on
the staff. Every edition contains one
lillustrat ton and sometimes many
More than eighteen years have passed
lsince Hin Gees short lived efforts, but
as it's results there are now five news
papers within the space of two blocks
lin Chinatown, each one of which
lclaimS the largest circulation of any
Chinese paper in the United States.
There is a great deal Of rivalry among
the Chinese newspapers, each claiming
the greatest attractions.
The Constock silver mine is 200 feet