The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-08-06
FRANK A. MUNSEY.

ing the wire. Before long, however, he
saw that telegraphy could be employed
as a stepping stone only. Then he be-
gan at once to seek another way. First
he tried to get into Wall street, reason
ing that even the humblest sort of place
in a brokers' Office would offer a chance
to forge to the front, but Wall street
was closed to him. Meanwhile he kept
faithfully at his telegraphing, finally
rising to be Office manager at Augusta.
1t was while there that young Mum
sey formulated his publishing plans,
oonfding them to James q. Blaine and
Howard Owen, editor of the Kennebec
Journal, who were numbered among
his warmest friends. But they did all
in their power to discourage him, ad-
yising him under no circumstances to
90 to New York. At last friend offer
ed to put up $500, another agreed to ad
vance $1,000, and Munsey himself
raised $500. When this capital of 3d.
900 was in sight, Munsey resigned his
place and prepared to locate in the big
city. With $3.50 of his own money he
bought manuscripts to begin ON. When
he reached the scene Of his ambitions,
his friends concluded not to risk their
money, and thus it was that he found
himself at the beginning of his career
in New York with a few dollars and a
lot of manuscripts as his only visible
capital The situation bewildered but
did not discourage him. He went to
q publisher, already established, told
him of the lines on which the proposed
venture had been planned and induced
him to establish The Golden Argosy, s.
weekly for boys, and engage its project
or as manager and editor.
Five months later this publisher fail
ed, and Munsey took the publication in
settlement of his claim for back salary.
Then began a heroic struggle, Munsey
assuming the diverse and multifarious
duties of editor, publisher and serial
writer under Fire, - ''Afioat In a
Great City" and 1.-THE Boy Broker
issued in close succession from his pen.
Ninety-five thousand dollars were ex-
pended In advertising the last named
story, and the result was a circulation
and an advertising patronage that seem
ed to assure a continued net yearly in
come of $50, 900. But this did not last.
Though the quality of the paper was
maintained, the circulation fell away
RAPIDLY, and it soon looked as if all that
had been gained would go. Munsey at
first attributed the decline to a deca-
dence of popularity In literature for the
young. With this idea he established
Munsey's Weekly, a semihumorous pub
LEGATION, but it failed of satisfying sue
cess, though the expenditures for pic
lures and literary contributions for its
pages were lavish. Then he went into
daily journalism, taking up the mort
bund New York Star, which he reju-
venated and renamed The Continent.
Through no fault of his, it also hung
fire, and he gave it up.
Then he decided that the trouble
with his weekly publication was the
competition offered by the country
weeklies and the Sunday papers of the
cities, which, by reason Of newspaper
plates and syndicates, are able to furnish
as good matter and almost as good pic
tures as the best general weeklies. To
save his money and reputation he then
started Munsey's Magazine in place of
Munsey's Weekly. No great success
came TO the magazine, however, till its
price was reduced from 20 cents to 10
cents a number, while at the same tina
the grade of its contents, especially the
illustrations, was kept at the highest
| possible level. Today his methods arc
compelling the sincerest admiration
that of imitation in a hundred different
| directions.
Though a very busy man, Mr.. Munsey
| is fond of active amusements, horseback
| riding being his favOrite method of re-
| Taxation. He has never yet found time
! TO marry. l. d. MARSHALL