The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-03-14

investments for them where they must
save in order to carry on these invest
ments. All of the Ledger employees
who have families, as a rule, live in
houses of their own, bought and paid
for by Mr.. Childs, who in return fol-
this has only received back the princl-
pal advanced. He insures the lives OF
all the principal! men of his paper and
pays the premiums himself.
CASE OF MISTAKEN GENEROSITY.
Some few years ago the son Of the
former proprietor of the Public Ledger
came to Mr.. Childs and asked him to
help him start new paper in Phila-
delphia. The youDg man said that his
father had been forced to sell out his
paper at a great loss. Mr.. Childs had
reaped great fortune from the pur-
chase of that property. He thought,
therefore, that it was his duty to help
him now. Mr.. Childs promptly
acquiesced in this request. He took
hold of young Swain, and, through his
individual influence, secured for him
admission to the Associated Press. He
lent him machinery from his office and
permitted him to 90 through and
examine his system of books and lent
him one or two of his chief men to get
under way.
He had made preparations also to
make handsome editorial announce
ment of the new paper, and to do
everything that he could to help it
along. He was warned, however, by
! some Of his men that young Swain
I would simply take advantage of his
kindness, and that any attempt. to be
decently civil to him, would simply
result in an injury to himself. Mr..
Childs would not believe this.
One of his head man, who had been
helping young Swain to get out the
paper, went up the morning OF the
publication to further assist and advise.
He found the doors of the new office
closed and an order that nobody from
the Ledger Office should be admitted.
That morning there appeared an
exact duplicate of the Public Ledger
in style, type, makeup, size of the
paper and, even the title, With the
exception of one word. It was called
the Public Record instead Of the Pub
tic Ledger. It's price was one cent.
It was a direct blow at the very
| man who had done everything
to make such q paper possible.
Without the Associated Press this
paper could not have stood for q
day. Mr.. Childs picked up an issue of
this paper that very morning, think
ing that it was his own. Mr.. Swain
intended for time to call his paper
the True Ledger, but comprom ised by
calling it the Public Record.
1t never succeeded very we'll, how
ever, until Mr.. Singerly, the million
aire, got hold oft. Swain was forced
to sell. Mr.. Singerly the minute he
got hold of the paper changed its entire
character. He ceased the imitation of
the Public Ledger. Through his
skilful management the paper is to-
day one of the most successful and
prosperous in Philadelphia.
HOW TEAMPs ARE TREATED.
Tramps are ameng his callers. Some
of the most hardened drunkards of
Philadelphia go to Mr.. Childs for
money. He says to them very briskly
when they come: "Never mind any
excuses or special story. You needn't
take the trouble to tell me lie. You
want some money for drinks. Well,
! here it is. 60 and drink yourself to
death just as fast as you can. I shall
always be ready to help you in that,
because you are beyond reformation.
| A hopeless drunkard can't get out Of
this world any too soon."
| FAMOUS FEATURE OF THE LEDGER.
His paper is famous for his marriage
and death notices. It is said that in
Philadelphia no one is legally married
| unless the notice has been printed in
the Ledger. In the same way it
| would be impossible to administer
upon the estate of any Philadelphian
whose death notice had not appeared
in that journal. Early in the manage
ment of nis newspaper Mr.. Childs had
his city editor join every one of the
societies of Philadelphia. He paid the
expenses Of his initiation fees to the
highest degree of all the various lodges.
In those days it was customary for
these societies when any one of their
members died to send out circular
| notice of the same to the other men,
oers of the society. The city editor
soon persuaded the various societies of
which he was member to substitute
these circulars by the publication of all
these notices i'll the Ledger. Then Mr..
! Childs would send copies of this paper
ready for mailing to he various men,
bers of the families of the deceased and
their friends, and in this way he built
up an enormous circulation.
| nnvE