The Republican journal., 1900-01-11
The Newspapers OF Seattle.

SEATTLE, Wash, Jan. l, 1900. An in
dication of good and progressive ''town'
is always recognized in the aggressive
and thoroughly up to- date newspaper.
first class newspaper is rarely found In
dead or ephemeral town. Seattle has a
great many newspapers. three of which
are daily publications-one morning and
Sunday and two evening papers. The
former is the Post Intelligencer Gamiliarly
designated the P.-I.'), the organ of the
Republican party, and the evening papers
are the Times and the Star. The latter is
a new venture, now about one year OLD,
and seems to be flourishing.
Three years ago the Times was third
or fourth rate paper, the morning daily
quite thoroughly covering the field. The
Democratic morning daily--the Telegraph
died when the times grew duh, some
four years ago. The far western news
paper is the best indication of business
and general prosperity, and the growth OF
the Seattle dailies during the past three
yOdlS HfiH bSSb ooIl0llliHS pntHpIIoHhi.
Two and one half years since the
''P. T." was bought by Spokane polti-
clans, grown wealthy through the sale of
the lie Roi gold mine. The price then
paid was about $50, 900 and the paper
has been a money maker ever since, the
"klondike rush. and war with Spain be-
ing the two important factors in enriching
the Seattle newspaper field generally
Since the purchase of the Post, two years
since, the old time Republican policy of
the paper has been somewhat tampeied
with, and numerous efforts have since
been made to purchase the paper by more
loyal partizans. Failing in that attempts
have also and repeatedly been made TO
purchase the Times-the organ Of the
Fusion administration, with the intention
of changing its political complexion to
the "tluly loyal.
At last a figure has been reached which
has brought about the long desired change
in the control of the Post lnlelligencer
The sum was $3.50, 000-a nice figure for
any newspaper ID the Tar Northwest. 1t
was probably not difficult matter for the
late owners to show that tile concern was
well earning interest on that amount, on
even 4 larger one Runners have been
rife that Northern Pacific people were
furnishing the money for the deal, but
that is most emphatically denied by the
new management
As an int resting feature of the sale it
may be stated that it is quite evident that
Elk U. S. Senator John l.. Wilson is 4
prominent figure in the recent deal
What makes tins more interesting is the
fact that his recent defeat for reelection
was largely brought about by the paper
which he will now probably control so far
as its political policy is concerned The
Spokane owners of the paper issued the
edict to the editors and m anagels, during
the Senatorial contest-"kill off John L,
Wilson, or hunt another job" They ac-
complished his temporary defeat, and are
now tout for another job" It is rumor-
ed that they-the Piper brothers-have
purchased the Tacoma Ledger, the sale of
which has been announced, coincideut
with the sale of the Seattle daily.
Both the p. l. and the Times are mod
ern, up-to date papers in all respects,
each having modern and thorough equip
ment, "A page presses, publishing 70 and
? pages daily, and on Sunday the Post
publishing 30 to 36 pages, the Times on
saturday the same. Seattle business men
are great adve rtisers and the papers are
great news gatherers, each claiming 'the
best" circulation-w which means in the
neighborhood OF 70, 600 daily, each.
The evening newspapers of tile Pacific
coast have a peculiar advantage in news
gathering, because of the difference in
time-east and west. When tile after
noon paper in Seattle ''goes to press at 4
o clock p. IN. it is then ! o clock, evening,
in New ork, and so the news of the world
is quite well told when the up-to snuff
evening paper appears on the street.
o. Nj. MOORE.