The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-10-28
ATLANTA NEWS SUSPENDS.
Vain Effort For Two Evening Papers
in Town of 100000.
From the Fourth Estate.l

II
The Atlanta (Ga.) Daily News, after
than one year, has suspended publica-
ton.
This leaves the Atlanta Journal the
only afternoon paper, and the Atlanta
Constitution the only morning paper in
Atlanta. Both are high class publica-
tions and enjoy the Associated Press
franchises.
The News was started by several
men who withdrew from the journal
when the latter paper was sold to its
present owners.
According to the statement of Presi
dent George a. Speer, Of the News,
the paper had lost $4,000 within less
than twelve months, besides the large
investment placed in machinery and
mechanical equipment. In March last
the stock of the paper was increased to
$4,000.
According to Mr.. Speer, during the
month of September one of the stock
holders put up $500 in cash to keep
the paper going
while the staff of the paper was
very sanguine that it could be pulled
through successfully said Mr. Speer,
"a careful business investigation OF It's
affairs by Mr.. Spalding, Mr.. Gohlstln
and myself demonstrated that this was
absolutely out of the question, ana
that even with the superb staff and
magnificent talent which the paper
commanded no Such END cOuId Ds
reasonably hoped for.
THE parties owning control of the
paper saw that the field here would
not warrant the profitable publication
of two evening papers, and that 1t was
better to close down while they could
pay all of their debts and save the
stockholders as much as possible. than
to continue locing money until the
company was insolvent-"
The failure of the News is similar TO
that of the Indianapolis Press. which
was started by Major Richards and
John H Holiday after they were left
out in reorganization scheme
The great risk run in starting a
daily newspaper in a field that is al
ready amply covered is most strikingly
illustrated by the suspension OF the
Atlanta Evening News The paper IN
question was finely equipped in every
way, it's pages were newsy and inter-
esting, and other things being equal
there was no good reason why it
should not have had a successful ca
reer.
But, other things were not equal The
field was already occupied by an after
noon paper which had a firm hold on
the reading public and the business in
terests of the community, and notwltn-
standing the citys 100000 population.
the new paper was losing feature
from start to finish
The man who has decided to enter the
newspaper field, however, is not at all
likely to be greatly Influenced by prece-
dent The fact that others have failed
makes little difference to him. He has
his ideas how newspaper should pc
run, and he carries them out for lin
tied period in any event.
There are few cities that have not a
full complement of newspapers In fact
very many have more than the COM
munity can or at least will support.
1t is safe to say that there have Deen
more consultations of newspapers with
in the past year than in any previous
two years. Taken all in all the public
has been the gamer. The reader finds
the successful newspaper more pront-
able investment than an unsuccessful
one.