Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-10-12

pers had sent at once TO the fire all th-
men each could spare, because evening
rev sDdpers must race against time on
this story. There was no such immedi-
ate huste for the morning newspapers.
1t was then 1880 p, m, and there was
time enough before going TO press TO
get up a new history Of the world II
that were necessary. The Tarrant dis
aster had assumed large proportions so
quickly, however, that IL was neceS-
sary for the city editor TO partially re-
cast his schedule and double up some
of his ASSIGNMENTS that he might spare
more men for this story. The reporter
who covered the West Side Police court
was notified to write the jailbreaking
story also. Half an hour earlier TINS
story had a fair chance Of getting on
the first page. The conditions had
changed rapidly, and column on an
inside page was all that 1t was worth
now. The contests In the Congress dis
trlcts, to which special men had been
assigned on previous DAYS, must be
written by the regular political report
ers today Some of the department men
were assigned TO additional stories and
the city editor found that he could CON-
masd at once the services Of a dozen
reporters, with as many more In sight
later IN the afternoon. The men who
reported for general work were now
arriving rapidly. Summoning half a
do2en men 10 his desk the city editor
briefly outlined the disaster as he then
knew Il. ] he most experienced Of them
was assigned to do the general story.
That H. he was to write the introduc-
ton, describe the fire and the eNplos-
ions. deal with the causes, and tell all
the news about the wrecked buildings.
other niei would he sent out later to
get details which this man might want
10 use In ms story. A second reporter
was assigned to the news of the build
ings for block around which had been
damaged, and 10 such personal expert
enccs OF the survivors as he might OBJ
tain. a chad man was sent TO the
Leonard street station TO obtain from
all sources there a list OF the missing
Another reporter was sent 20 the Hud"
son street hospital, where most Of the
injured would be token, because II was
near the fire, One man was as
signed to cover the New YORK and
st. Vincents hospitals and another 10
cover the Gouyerneur Hospital The
regular Bellevue Hospital reporter was
expected to look out for the IRE We
tins at that institution. Half a doz-
en- men were held In reserve. The FIRST
reporter who had been sent 70 the
Church Street station rang up the city
editor to say that an information bu-
reau had been established ut the Leon
ard street station, where all reports
OF missing people would be made. His
assignment was therefore char ged at
once He was told 10 find some member
Of the Tarrant Drug company who
could tell him exactly what drugs had
been stored I'm the building and possl-
bly, offer some explanation of the ex-
ploslon. Other reporters were seat out
on the assignments made out ed lisr in
the day which must be covered. The
city editor then found time to talk
with two or three men who had waited
TO see him on matters Of importlnce
to the paper" which proved 10 be dull
axes OF their own to grind. He
dictated half a dozen dispatches TO
suburban correspondents and talked
with az many men over the telephone,
The city editor Of a daily metropolitan
newspaper is a busy man.
when the second editions Of the af-
ternoon papers began coming to the
desks OF the city editor and his assist
ant, each was scanned quickly for
news. The big headlines placed the list
Of dead at $50 and announced that
Chief Croker and thirty lramen had
been buried In the ruins This latter
report proved TO be untrue, but be-
cause Of 1t a reporter was at once sent
90 get the facts about the missing fire.
men. Il requires several hours Of hard
y; to run down such a rumor as
{, and New York newsp pers, uni ke
those Of Paris. are not expected to print
as news unverlhed rumors Of the street
The reporter who was doing ths gen
eral story OF the fire now had 1t well in
hand and he rang up the city editor
TO outline IT, He said that . needed
help to look up odds and ends Of the
story, and two men were sent to rep0t
to him 4 bank building which stood
across the street had been partially
wrecked by the explosions and il was
rumored that the clerks in their hurry
to escape had left large sums Of money
on the counters. reporter was as
signed 10 investigate this, see the off,