The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-12-29
AN ODD INDUSTRY.
Finding Customers for Artificial Limbs
Through "a Rureau.


Yes" said II. :. Allen. manager OF the
Coast Press Clipping Bureau. who is up
from Portland al the Hotel Northern.
there Is not one person in fifty who has
an intelligent idea OF what the press clip
ping business Is. a business that within the
past dozen years has sprung from nothing
10 immense proportions. and is now used
in almost every walk and business OF life.
The Press Clipping Bureau is now
found in nearly every large city. The Off
GERS read the papers OF all or a particular
district or the country. The items after
being read are clipped and pasted on
slip with the name, date and town. At
first press clippings were used principally
by politicians. artists and public men who
desired 10 know what the press of the
country was saying OF them and their
work. Writers. scientists, preachers soon
found II invaluable in collecting data.
Trade. class and religious papers then
went 10 IL for their news items IL could
give them by its highly systematized detail
work, with its large staff of readers and
thousands OF papers from ell sections
range, accuracy and promptness otherwise
utterly impossible.
THE growth of this business has been
such that some bureaus are now begin
ming 10 specialize. One New York bureau
viii take nothing but personal work. 1t
does a big business with the cabinet and
members of congress alone. The leading
bureaus in the East are Burrells, Henry
Romieke and the Manhattan. Of New
York; the Boston Press Clipping Bureau
and the Chicago bureau. Most OF these
cover the entire country, and have staffs
of from fifty to 100 people each. Indeed
the business now has an organ called The
Clipping Collector published by Frank a.
Burrel the pioneer of the business.
Nearly all the government offices and
departments. such as the postoffice, secret
service, weather bureau. treasury, etc,
take regular service, which is used as
check on local officials. complaint IN a
local paper of poor postal service in any
town thus reaches the department with
speed and accuracy. Nearly all the rail
road. steamship. telegraph, telephone cor
porations use the bureau in the same way
There are some curious features in this
business Baby carriage manufacturers
send for birth notices, tombstone dealers
for obituaries: artificial limb houses for
amputations; while the man with fad Is
the most numerous and peculiar of all.
But most supply houses, covering large
district OF territory, come TO the bureau
for names of probable customers.
"It is a business that takes many years
OF hard labor in a populous community be-
fore il viii pay. Our bureau is the largest
west of Chicago 1t is nearly eight years
old. and is only Just getting TO the front
where 1t pays running expenses. We have
three offices, in San Francisco. Los An
geles and Portland respectively. and read
nearly every paper from sitka. Alaska. 20
Guaymas. Mexico. from the Rocky noun
tans TO the Pacific.
"Our work for a large number OF state
boards and commissions is interesting.
Fruit pests, etc. 20 10 the board OF h0rti-
culture. violations OF game laws 20 tho
FISH and game commission. experimental
road work to the road commission. etc.
Thus valuable data are accumulated from
every locality. OF course. contractors who
seek 10 keep posted in proposed railroads.
reservoirs water works. bond issues, ssw-
ers. public buildings over the Coast nn4
the service almost a necessity.
THE newspapers are generally very giad
10 see that their papers come to the na-
reau. because they become widely quotes.
their influence Is much extended. because
their roasts and praises got o. the people
for whom they were intended. Advertisers
learn from their press clippings where
their ads. would do the most good. fHFT
also frequently consult with The barrau
for the same purpose. cur bureau does a
very considerable amou.t 90 the rNclanaH
and department work for some of ere
leading coast dailies The bureau aFI.es
are also general centers Tor the papers -
their districts. and have proved o. De- al
vantageous sources o. them 20 iufafms-
lions. news and business which has rrs ..f-
Ell in hearty cooperation.
Mr. Allen returns O. Portland tHmagrrH
He expects 90 visit Seattle aEH.n before
returning TO the head oflse Iu 1an Eran-
cisco.