The record-union., 1896-10-23
CALIFORNIA PRESS STATISTICS.

An observation of the publication in
terests of the State has recently been
taken. This observation embraces re-
ports made by publishers themselves,
in nwhich the circulation claimed by each
individual newspaper and the number
Of employees upon each is certified by
the proprietors Of the various publca-
tions. The circulation of the leading
dailies in the State is published by
themselves and has been incorporated
In the statistical facts presented below.
There are $50 living publications.
About sixty Of these are ostensibly pub
lished in the interior, but are printed
in whole in the city of San Francisco.
Their Office equipment in the country
consists Of a table an inkstand and
steel pen.
The aggregate circulation claimed by
all the papers in the State is 1,26S, 127.
Excluding those who cannot read at all,
Foreigners who cannot read English,
persons who do not take any paper,
and this vast number Of newspapers
claimed to be subscribed and paid for
by the press of California is furnished
to about 80, 900 people. Assuming that
the statements of circulation made by
fheepapers themselves is true, it fellows
that those who are taking papers in the
State must take about nine copies each
In order to make the statement of cir
culation credible Of course, this is
wholly incredible, but it should be a
matter of regret that the statements Of
circulation are so far in excess of even
probable truth.
There can be no doubt concerning the
accuracy of the statements of a large
number of the papers which have
handed in the statistical facts concern
ing their publication. But on the face
OF things, 1t is utterly impossible that
the people Of California should be sub
S. rihing for 1,26S, ,327 copies Of news
papers.
The actual number Of subscribers is
necessarily a matter Of conjecture. 1t
is probable that the papers are not cir
culating one-half the number claimed
by them. There are about 300,0 900 vot-
comprises the total male population. To
assume that each one Of these voters
subscribes for four California pEblica-
tions is on the face of things absurd.
The number of employees reported by
the publishers Of the State is no doubt
accurate. According to the returns, the
number Of personsemployed in the pub
lication of papers in this State is 1872.
Allowing five persons to each one in re-
ceipt of salary connected with the
publication Of newspapers in California,
and the business supports about 1900
Of the population of the State.
The aggregate circulation Of papers
in Nevada is 16,204. There is reason to
believe that the statement of the Ne
Tada paper is approximately true. IN
the Gubernatoria1 election of 1894 Ne
vada cast 0,50S votes. The circulation
of it's local press is therefore about
6-10 to each voter, a statement con-
tanning a. slight exaggeration of the
fact But IL the result Of the observation
In Nevada be true, 1t affords a key to
the actual truth of the situation Of the
Local press of California
The statements received from Arizona
correspond closely with those from Ne
vada The claimed circulation of the
local press of that Territory is %, 500,
while the vote In 1894 was 13, ,527. being
about the same number of papers to
each voter in the Territory as reported
from the State of Nevada.