The Indianapolis journal., 1899-07-02
THEY READ EVERY LINE
THE MODERN PRESS CLIPPING BU-
REAU AND IT'S METHODS OF WORK.
Subscribers Interested In All Sorts Of
Subjects Receive All That Is Pub
Iished I'm Their Line.
Washington Post.

Washington Post.
This is the age of newspapers. and by
common consent the American leads the
journals OF the world in enterprise and
popular interest. The contrast between the
Boston News Letter of 1704 and the modern
daily is almost startling. From hy-leaf
purveyor of bits of long-deiayed news, the
Newspaper of the day has developed into
daily magazine of information, not only on
current events, but on history, politics, the
sciences and arts Of the whole world.
While most readers of newspapers have
dropped into the habit Of specifically skim
ming the compendium of current knowledge
which is deposited at their door every morn
ing for the price of few pennies II is in
teresting to note that there are people who
regularly scan every page and column OF
from 100 TO 200 papers daily. The develop
ment of the newspaper has brought about
peculiar industry, which has to do with
the collection and compilation for its Gus
toners of all that the newspapers print on
any particular subject. The rise OF the
press clipping bureau" is comparatively
recent, but it must be profitable business,
judging from the number of these COM
panes now in the field.
The modern press clipping bureau SUBJ
SCrlDeS 10 all lne pIlllClpdl ucnSPdROiS OA
the country, and employs large force of
readers to go through the lot daily. Their
clients are professionals, who like to pre-
serve all that is written about them;
scientists and inventors, interested in GER
tain lines of development of the mechanical
arts; business men. who want to gather the
quickest news of the various trades in which
they are engaged, as well as novelists, who
gather material for stories from the daily
papers. and specialists in various fields. The
rates, as a rule are 81 for twenty clippings
on a given subject, with reduction for larger
orders. Some bureaus also make specially
of monthly reports summarizing an @ Inat
has been published in regard TO any par
ticuar trade or line OF INVENTION business
development etc.
SOME SAMPLE SUBJECTS.
These are designed to furnish business
men with the quickest obtainable news.
They are in the nature of pointers for man-
ufacturers in all lines who desire TO know
Of new concerns starting up which might
use their product, and for contractors who
want the news of contemplated buildings
and all construction work TO be let. The
reports are typewriter and so classified
that each subscriber gets only what is in
his line. The rates are from IS to 50 per
month for single reports and reduced rate
when two or more are taken. Inc news
is given from all over the United States.
Some of the reports are:
Amputatlon-AL news or partleS loSlHg
hands or feet.
Banks-New buildings to be erected. gen.
eral banking news.
BondS-ContempIated issues or all munich
pal bonds.
Bicycles-General trade news, new stores.
factories, etc.
Bridges-To be built.
Creameries-New, and general news about.
Churches-To be erected and under way.
Electric Plants-To be built, etc.
Farm Machinery-General news.
Fire OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF supplies
wanted.
Factories-CoEtemplate and under way,
all kinds.
General Stores-Just started or to be
started.
lncOrpOratiOnS-AU concerns newly lucOr-
| porated.
Theaters, Halls, Public Buidings-Con-
| templated construction of.
Observation-Disclosures news.
Locations-Giving news of industries seek
| ing new locations; of value to towns and
cities wanting more factories.
HOW IT DEVELOPED.
Originally the founders OF this business
worked merely for musicians, artists and
literary people, and it was intended to pro-
vide them with all the notices of their works
and performances. But the possibilities OF
the business were gradually uhfoded to the
pioneers and there has been a steady de-
velopment of 1t in every direction Every
thing is indexed nowadays, and newspapers,
business concerns, nbaries and various other
private and public institutions collect all the
information possible on their particular in
terests and file IL away for future reference.
But the chief information of the day is
scattered broadcast in thousands of daily,
weekly and monthly publications, and it can
be collected only at great expense of time
and labor or through one OF the clipping
bureaus.
The literary and scientific man is particu-
larry helped in his laborS by the newspaper
clipping bureaus, for he cannot exhaust any
subject without collecting the published
facts and incidents from the various peri
odicals of the day. The trade journals
which essay TO keep their readers well in
formed of the news of their speciality pat
ronize the clipping bureaus extensively, and
Tor nominal sum they gather all the news
that would cost them large salary for an
exchange editor. Railroads are likewise
realizing the Importance of keping abreast
or the times by collecting all the data possi-
bic concerning their business and give per-
manent orders for clippings. The LAWYER
cdIled upon 10 prosecute a corporation or
institution. relies upon the press-clipping
bureaus to collect and sift out of the news
or the day all the items bearing upon the
subject in hand. Ministers, doctors and IN
short, all professional men and unany busi-
ness men, are adopting the plans of the
Journalists and literary hacks who for years
their own.
SOME OF THE SUBSCRIBERS.
Progressive business men avail themselves
OF the clipping bureaus TO extend their busi-
ness. For instance, a manufacturer Of ar
tificial legs has a permanent order at one
of'the bureau for all clippings about acci-
dents where the victims lose a leg. and if
may be taken for granted that the informa-
ton gathered in this way is followed I'D
later by circulars and unsolicited recon.
mendatiors' about Mr.. So-and-so's improved
wooden or elastic or metal legs. Dealers in
building material pay for all items about
projected and contemplated structures in
every part OF the country, and these tins
Iurnish them with lists OF names that un-
ooubtedly bring them customers. ANYTHING
or public nature enough to warrant ub-
lieation in a journal Is sooner or iafer
utilized. Often the patrons of the bureaus
follow up their hobbies just for the pleas
Ire IL gives them. There is an endless num-
Der or amateur and professional philatelists
VINO have standing orders for all items
ABOUT stamps, foreign and domestic Col
lectors Of old and rare books, prints and
emma Keep themselves abreast of the times
Dy ordering all news items about sales of
their particular goods, and in this way keen
track OF the various auctions and DISPOSE
lions of valuable collections The demand
Tor obituaries of private and public charac-
ters Is great, and hundreds of thousands OF
these clippings are sent out annually.
Even the United States government
patronzeS the press clipping bureaus 10
an extent, and gives limited orders for
all Information on subjects that can be
MADE use OF by some Of the departments
II gives one new and vivid compre-