The sun., 1896-03-15


American journalism" Col. Charles Fl. TsyIo'
estimates that tho circulation OF no daily news
paper IN 1875. or even in 1910, was beyond 300
and that the circulation OF the ordinary wcekly
or semi weekly. did not exceed 600. II we as
sumo that there were thirteen dalics In 1Tso
published $40 times a year, eighteen semi
weeklies, seven tri-weeklies. and $50 weekiies
the aggregate circulation for the year would De
p,ps5 400, and the value OF the paper used
would be S62,41 On the other hand, tho total
number OF copies issued OF all kinds OF news
papers In 1880 was 2.067, 200. which might,
perhaps. have been worth. as white paper,
| sl2 100000. Tho amount received for these
papers was probably not less than s50,00oooo.
Accord ing to the census, the aggregate receipts
in 1880 were $50, 30, 900 for advertising. AMI
| S49,S72. 900 for subscriptions. making total OF
$50. 100000. Tho amount received for adver-
t!sing in 1890 was S7l, ,243. 900, and from SUD-
scriptions and sales, S72.243.000, making a
| total of moro than Sl43000.000. The gain In
advertising between 1880 aud 1900 was about s@
per cent. and Col Taylor is Of the opinion that
tho advertising for the year ending Dec. ii.
1895. amounted to 81 90. 100000. He estimates
the receipts from subscriptions and sales during
| the last twelve months at S90.000,000
There are many other interesting facts In Col
Taylors article. We learn. for example. that
of the total quantity of paper consumed In print
| ing newspapers and periodicals In 1890 about
| so per cent. was used by dailies and nearly 81
| per cent. by weeklles. semi -weeklies. and tri-
weeklies. and the remainder by tho monthlies
| and quarterlies. Tho aggregate number OF cop
les OF papers printed during tho census year OF
1890 for all classes of newspapers and perlodi-
calls was 1851 .l13OOO. or these the dailies dis
tributed 50l6 per cent. the weeklies nearly 32
per cent. and the remainder was divided among
the emi-weekles. tr-weeklies. monthlies, and
Quarteries. 1t is well known that patent in
sides" or papers partly printed in some consid-
cradle city. and partly in the town OF publica-
tion have played important part in estab-
fishing the country weekly press. Col. Taylor
thinks that the stereotype. plato firms which are
making daily newspapers possible in every town
OF seven thousand or eight thousand inhabi-
tants. instead of competing with the newspapers
OF larger cities. nre really helping them. be-
cause. while they satisfy the demand for local
news. they stimulate desire for general news
which only tho big newspapers can satisfy.
Considering the oft-mooted question whether
the publishing OF newspaper is profitable
business. Col Taylor quotes a statement at
trihuted to Erastus Brooks that, during his
lifetime he had seen sixty-seven daily news
papers started and die in the city OF New York
In that city. In 1870. there were eighteen daily
newspapers but all Of them put together had a
circulation Of only 90. 900. In Boston, in lS46
there were fourteen daily newspapers: now ther,
are but ten. yet the average circulation OF tho
latter must be fifteen or twenty times greater
than was that of their predecessors in 1876
Col. Taylor tells us that during the last twenty
years he has seen more than two million dol
lars sunk In daily papers in Boston. With re-
gard to the method of computing the value of
newspaper property. 1t is pointed out that we
seem to have no fixed standard in this country
In England, newspaper property is supposed
to be worth the aggregate of its net income for
five years. So much depends upon the ability
OF the head OF a newspaper that this is con-
sidered n fair valuation. In this country very
poor properties have brought very high prices
and very good properties have frequently sold
for low ones. Mr.. J. Pulitzer. in 1883 paid
S35O.00o for an opportunity" when he bought
the New York UOr'd: tho paper had been losing
from $4,000 to 100000 year for n great
many years before he bought it. The fact Is here
overlooked that membership in the Associated
Press. which the World passessei, was in 1883 a
valuable asset.
Some curious examples OF enterprise in the
earlier days OF American newspapers are cited
by Col Taylor. During the Mexican war Mr..
A. S. Abell Of the Baltimore Sun established an
overland express from New Orleans to Balti-
moro. Dispatches were conveyed by race
horses. or which the paper employed sixty.
Thus 1t came to pass that at that epoch the
baltimore sun not only outstripped all other
newspapers. but beat the Government mails by
thirty hours. In lS46. when the country was
greatly excited over the question OF the Oregon
boundary line between Great Britain and tho
United States, and the cry was $40 or fight,
a combination of newspapers sent a swift pilot
boat to England. which. having obtained the de-
sired news. hastened back.
Astonishing is the improvement made in the
printing press during the century. The old Hat
press of the colonial period. worked by screws,
could print fifty papers an hour. The compound
lever press came next, with n capacity OF $50 an
hour. Tho revolving cylinder press. In 1914.
brought the capacity up to 1000 an hour. In
1927 the London Times had a double cylinder
press that printed 5000 an hour Hoes light
ming steam press. patented in 1S47, was the
first fast press obtainahle in the United States |
II was made at first with four, but finally six.
eight. and even ten cylinders, the capacity of
the latter being 10000 an hour printed on a |
single side In 1871 X. Hoe & Co. completed a |
perfecting press which printed from 10. 900 to
l",o00 eight-page papers hour. Then fol- |
lowed the double press. the quadruple press |
and now the sextuple with working capacity |
OF from 10000 to $4,000 eight page papers m |
hour. and with attachments by which from four |
TO forty-eght pages may be printed. An oc- |
tuple press is now building, which will have the |
capacity OF eight single presses. and will print
from four to sixty-four pages.