The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-28
Hard Work In Getting Up
the Magazines.
ALL DUE TO TOPRESENTWAR
Seme OF the June Numbers Had TO
Be Made Up a Second Time.
THE BICYCLE TRADE INJURED.

NEW YORK, May 2S 2S.--[Special. l-Maga-
zine editors have never had harder task
to perform than in getting up the June
numbers just coming out. This may not
be readily understood by the reader who is
not familiar with the way magazines are
prepared, but twill be perfectly clear when
1t Is stated that three months often elapse
after the final "make up" of the body of
magazine and the date Of its publication,
while the intervening time is very seldom
less than six weeks.
This may seem like undue deliberation,
but such carly preparation Of magazines is
absolutely necessary, especially when the
edition is large, in order to insure good
printing. And, as matter OF fact, no
system than there would be under system
of late preparation, since the numbers are
only one month apart In any case. And
in ordinary times, when there is no single
overshadowing topic, like a war, in the
public mind, there is little or no disndvan-
tage In advance preparation. The Christ
mas number can be got up as well In Sep
tember or the midsummer number in
February as later. In such times maga-
zines need only to be "seasonable," and
"timeliness" Is rarely thought of.
Making Magazine UP Twice.
The editors of some of the older maga-
zines have not tried to change the usual
programme In getting up the current
number, apparently being satisfied to get
round to the war in the July or the Au-
H..< H. - H. A.
charge of the newer, lower priced period
icals has been different. They have thought
Il absolutely necessary that the June num-
Der should be entirely up TO date and boil
ing over with war features, and therein
has their trouble lain
One Of the editors told me today that the
juno number of his periodical as original
1y planned was all well in hand when the
blockade Of Cuba began, the articles all
being bought, edited and set, the proof
read, the drawings made, most of the en-
cravings finished pages made up and part
Of the elcctrotyping completed. Down to
that time there had been hope In the Office
Of that magazine that there would be no
war after all, but as soon as the hope was
seen to be futile complete change of plan
for the June number was decided upon.
At Ab V4ANC CNSIl lldki Oik bllt SQltOTldi lIIO6
put On his thinking cap for the purpose of
dayisipg new and timely topics. Fresh
articles were ordered, and writers were
sent long distances in some instances for
the purpose Of gathering the material there
for. In short, the orderly routine Of ths
Office was completely revolutionized, and
for days and days it seemed that the task
An hand was almost TOO big to be accom-
plished- Little by little, however, order
began to evolve itself from the chaos of
the situation, bit by bit tho new number
took form, one by one the new articles
came In, step by step the work Of reillus-
trating was accomplished, and line by line
the extra typcsetting was done. Finally,
. full month later than was expected, the
presses were started.
And, " said the editor proudly as he
exhibited an advance copy Of the periodical
yesterday, 1--WE believe we have made a ten
strike, for our June magazine is not only
timely, but 1t Is well written, well illus
trated and well printed. 1t is triumph
of hustle In all its departments. AS an
index of the wonderful advance that has
been made in the art Of printing rapidly
and well 1t is really wonderful.
A New Poet.
One Of the June magazines, McClure's,
will introduce a new poet, Mr.. James
Barnes, to the reading world. Mr.. Barnes
made his bow TO the public as story
writer through the pages of Harpcr's Mag
azine some years ago, his tale, Loyal
Traitors, winning general approval. His
facility as verse writer has never before
been exploited, however, nor has he been
generally suspected of cultivating the muse
at all.