The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-28
HOW A NEWSPAPER DIED.

ence and who contempiates exchanging
one for the other by launching Sun, or
a Journal, or a World, on the uncertain
newspaper sea. the statement viii be
more fully appreciated when his ideal has
reached the age of three months.
The men who backed the old Seattle Tele-
graph thought they knew something about
the business world before their newspaper
baby was born. J. j. Browne. Of Spo-
kane, had speculated IN everything from
wheat TO town lets: Judge Burke had
tried all sorts of legal cases: D. II. Gil
man had broken bread with Eastern capi-
taiisis and built miles of railroad: Fred
Sander was the greatest living authority
IN the city on real estate matters. and
John Collins had turned to money every
thing with which his fingers came in
contact. Browne. Burke and Gilman were
the original owners. The click Of the type
had not become a familiar sound In the
Office Of the Telegraph before these men OF
experience realized that tnere existed .
path or two in the business world over
which their feet had never before trodden.
paths carpeted with choice velvet for
which they paid New York prices.
The Telegraph had all tase money-eating
and Gilman poured gold and silver down
its throat by thousands. all the time figur-
ing on that very eventful month when the
paper would pay Its own expenses. They
had read that all great journals lost money
at the start. but when the tide changed
banks were necessary in which to store
the earnings. Unlike the turbulent sea,
the Telegraph never changed its tide.
The three owners watched and waited
and submitted to the highwayman work OF
the Telegraph, but that tide, like the LETT
ter the variety actress sings Of, never
came. They then began to lose interest in
this, their shattered idol After time, .
day and sometimes two could come and
go without careful STUDY Ut the ads
on their part. They even realized In their
dying days as newspaper owners that it
was possible for them to eat and sleep
without seeing each issue of their pet.
A crisis came. Burke, Browne and Gill
man retired from the active newspaper
field and gave the control and manage
ment Of the Telegraph to others. These
others had newspaper ability. but no
money. and they failed to make a success
of 1t.
Then John Collins. Fred Sander and
Homer Hill awoke to the important realiz-
alton that the birds in the newspaper field
were singing for them. They answered
the call. but it cost lots of money. Sander
was the first to drop out. He lost some
money, but received a little return by car
rying page real estate "ad'' In the paper,
which was known in the Office as dead
matter. Collins and Hill held on. Collins
owned most Of the stock. and was really
the man behind the throne. He met the
debts Of the paper until rme and his
pocket-book willed otherwise.
Mr.. Hill, who was the manager, sent
through the postoffice. circuar letters adj
dressed to all employees except the men,
bers of the typographical unson. stating
that "at meeting of the directors 1t had
been decided to reduce salaries 10 per
cent" The customary statement that I'VE
hope this reduction will be but temporary
was included in the letter. The employees
were led to conclude that the paper would
in the near future resume the payment Of
salaries. That proved to be a mistake,
Therefore the cut was not felt until year
or SO later. when the papers life was
shifted out and there was final reckoning
between owner and employee. Hill made
desperate effort to run the paper after Col
Inns had for the last time. as he said. gone
down in his pocket to NEE, a payment on
typesetting machines. or to pay paper
bill. or meet the demand OF telegraph
company. The paper, was at the time re-
ceiving as good service as any other paper
west Of Chicago. But Collins, weary Of
the continual drain, said he would put up
no more money, and Hill was driven to
the extremity OF running the paper on
what some people would call love. A re-
porter came near losing his position one
day because In ringing for a messenger
boy he got the little mob on the box ever
too far and a hackman who responded to
the call walked into the managers private
Office and inquired. WHO wants a hack?"
The manager took the hackman by the
hand. led him into the reporters room, de-
manded an explanation, received 1t and
then told the hackman he could go. The
hackman was evidently acquainted with
the study of economics then in progress IN
the Telegraph Office and murmured as he
passed out the door: II knew id well
they made a mistake over at the Office
when they told me the Telegraph wanted
a hack"
There was circulated about the, office
the outside world refused TO handle it
what was known as HIPS currency. The
banking system back OF IL was a remark
able one. II was almost an insult to the
manager for an employe to ask for money
After a time none but new employees made
such extravaganza requests. But checks
were plentiful. Any employe TO whom
money was due-and i cannot recall any
empioye that ever owed the paper money
could get a check. Present it at the bank
where the paper was repured to have an
account. and you were informed that the
manager had not yet made his deposit
Days. weeks and sometimes months went
by before the employe who presented his
check found that there had been a deposit.
Once a new man on the paper tried 20
make record for himself by shadowing
the Telsgraph's manager until he saw him
enter the bank and make deposit. Then
the empioye rushed In. presented his check
and received the cheerful information
that the deposit was for special purpose
In the end the checks were taken care of
By the paper, but the empIoye had long
and anxious wait. He never tried TO ge,
his check cashed at any place other than
the bank. He knew there was law on
the statute books for passing worthless
checks. So he kept them In his pocket and
waited for developments.
An instance Is recalled when the print
ers. who had received several hundred
dollars In checks, which they had carried
for some days, threatened to go out"
unless the checks were cashed within four
hours. Those were four momenfous hours
In the life of the business manager OF the