The sun., 1896-06-23
TEE .WEEHLY HUMBUa."
A Quesr Newspaper Made and Read BIZ
Cyclists In Fall River.

Cyclists In Fan River.
There are hours in the existence of the bicycle
club when It's ordinary pastimes grow monoto-
nous aud It's members seek other diversion. An
interesting and inexpensive means of providing
fun for clubs and promoting sociability among
their members Is to publish q weekly or semi
monthly paper Of its own, to be circulated
among its members ana their friends, devoted
to tho happenings Of tho club. and containing
brief personal notes regarding Its members in-
dvidually. Such sheet was started by q
cycle club In Fall River, Mass, known as tho
Handlers and met with great favor. 1t was
called the Weekly Humbup. 1t appeared every
Saturday and sold for two cents copy. The
first cost OF the plant OF the Humbu1 Publish
ing Company was less than IS. and possessed
the following equipment; One hektograph, one
bottle copying ink. one pen and holder. one
ream of white paper.
Tho mon who made the Hunbrio wero an
editor int chief. pu ublsher and three reporters
As many more reporters were admitted to tho
STAFF as were qualified for the work and would
give their services free. Tho editor In chief
was also treasurer and Office boy. and II the
needed manuscript was late in reaching him
be went after it The publisher was exception
ally handy as q sketch artist, and each issue of
the paper was enlivened by illustrations. This
funotionary was also we'll versed in the mys-
teries of booming circulation. and by his un-
doubted veracity and skilful business manipu-
lation II was shown beyond all question that
several hundred more copies Of the Humbuo had
been sold every week than were produced. Con-
trary to custom. tho editor aud publisher did not
rely altogether the vigilance of their staff for
news material. Nearly every evening they were
at the club conyersing with members and on
tho lookout for items. Like the reporters. they
were always on the alert for inside and e1clu-
sive news, and the person tho gave them good
tip was rewarded either by honorable mention
In the columns of the Humbuo or by the promise
OF immunity from any personal attack in the
next issue OF the paper. Tho reporters wero un-
tiring, and, on the whole. well satisfied. They
were remunerated chiefly by tho honor OF be-
longing to the regular staff OF SO popular an
spared such @ mention e in It's SEQ Columns as now and
then occasioned temporary chagrin among
other members of the club.
club were reported In full. together with such
editorial criticism of the Chairman's rulings
Any thoughtless or malicious person who dis
turbed the deliberations OF 9 club meeting was
persisted in absenting themselves from theso
regular meetings were sure to be vigorously
scored BY tho Humbug. The man who was In.
Der was likely to find a. full account OF
his work in this journal. and no pains were
taken to obscure the perpetrators identity:
In short, no imposition of any sort could
threaten wheelmen. whether in the club house
or out OF It, that was not made to wilt and van
fish by the thorough exposure given to 1t In
If any officer Of tho club was remiss or for
getful about his duty well-directed paragraph
logged his memory. No new make OF bicycle
town and offered for sale without its merits and
demerits being carefully recited and COM
eontaned CONTAIN in ~ ADVANCE propoetens Ito Which were
to be formally brought before the club, and its
readers thus had ample time to consider and
decide for themselves questions on which they
were to vote. From President to bugler and
from the Board Of Auditors to the House Com
mittee the HuDlbu0's criticism and counsel were
always received cheerful!y.
The rapid growth and popularity OF the paper
of their plant. A typewriting machine was pro-
cured. the old HEX tograph was exchanged for
one one of larger dimens!3ns, and the next issue OF
Kind readers. our new press is without
peer. embodying AS It does the latest and high,
skill" Ski ;A''''N'S 't ''''e'''''s anu '''e'AD''''
Thus equipped tho Humbu1 Publishing Com.
pany was equal to every emergency. Reports OF
club meetings were given in greater detail club
runs were announced. correspondents were an
swered 3 promptly. ana The aumhngs doetor OF
Membe who had a fondness for smashing
window panes and reluctance about settling
the bill got no mercy from the editor. and the
men who occasionally took pool checks that
didn't belong to them afterward led a better lfe.
No mem Der OF the club could possess a strik-
ing popularity or nurse a pet cause OF any kind
without the fact soon b"ias discovered and
bugs that extra edition. were often made Of one
NUN Der. and spare copies so at a premium.
AT about O'Clock on Saturday afternoons. tho
hour that the paper was expected. crowd OF
members would gather about the club room
They would discuss the position which the
subject and supplement his opinion with one of
S own Evs5y s vas n.oSs to
Saturaiy enough the @ fearless @ ss and % outspoHen Is
tain whe.lme to the en- that another journal.
ehe and sod 6r een It's
editor spent most OF his time at the pool table
and in writing attacks on the sworn circulation
of his contemporary with the result that in a
few weeks the G0ssip's obituary appeared in the
Ii,rnbn0 under this headline: "A Warning to
With, renewed impulse from having van
Quished Its rival and with a bl.ssful serenity
copy OF Bill Nye's Chestnuts" hired an oblie-
ing weather prophet. aud its paper was there
mail became so massive, owing to the demand
for adver,sinE i space that the clubs letter otter box
cut in the door.
About this time the unexpected came. Tho
absence of three months was too much for tho
publisher. Manuscript accumulated. protesta-
tops besi,eEsd ., HIM. his spirits drooped. and IN
supervising the Hunbu0 and the duties OF a
husband did not cooperate. and the lively little
newspaper that had done so much to cheer the
years ago the club itself disbanded, part 1 Of its
members merging Into a sister club 1t Is well
known fact among tho old members that from
the time OF the ifunL,!g's death the Ramblers
Club began to pine. Members lost interest and
one by one dropped out till not more than a
dozen were left. and they didn't feel equal to
the task OF resuscitating the paper. Only the
other day the directors OF the Humbug Pub
fishing Company held a meeting and divided
the profts on their Investment. After meeting
all necessary obligations and disposing OF tho
Iiumihg's salable effects. net gain of 81 80
was paid to each stock holder.