Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-06-07


the street car, can't you?'
It's sixteen miles, and there hain't
no more street car than rabbit goes
anywhere in sight OF it."
40, excuse me-" said James, 81
thought this was the county seat.
Bnt, anyhow, there's the city hall
Have your man 60 there at least
twice a day, and always in time
enough before we go to press to get
anything late"
"Ain't absolutely necessary" said
the city editor.
say it is," said Jimmy, irritably.
"Police news is OF more dramatic
interest than anything else in the
paper. You must send over and inter-
view the Chief OF Police every morn
ing and again at 3 o'clock in the after
noon"
go, pshaw," said the city editor.
oCuu WHY oNti tlcIC W lubciNlcW
Bill Larson He's the Marshal, you
know. But he hain't never there"
"Then keep a record here of where
he is generally to be found so that we
shall see him without fail at least
twice day"
"Say, you don't know Bill" said
the city editor. He amt never in
his Office, but he's here nine.tenths of
the time. He's loafng around here
all day, aud he comes in here and
interviews himself about sixteen times
an hour. After Bill sits with his feet
on your desk putting stogie smoke in
your face about three hours st a
stretch, you'll say it isn't necessary to
send over to interview him. Why,
he's so afraid Re won't get his name
in the paper that when he arrests any
body he brings them down here first
so that we will be sure and get it,"
"All right" said Jimmy, somewhat
sullenly. "Who does sporting? Do
you send your men out to baseball
games and the like?"
go, yes" said the city editor, cheer
fully. "He always goes. "He's the
best pitcher the Willardville Blues
have got. That's why he holds his
job here. He amt worth his salt as
reporter, but he's a great pitcher,
and the old man gives him job here
so he won't leave town."
"But who covers the games?" said
Jimmy. "Do You go out yourself?"
"Yes, generally" said the city edi-
tor. "Tm third base"
You'll have to quit it. 1 want an
unbiased report. Besides don't see
how you have time to play"
We'll. you'll have to see the old
man. He's crazy about that ball
nine, and he'd have fits if l didn't
play"
"Well, this staff is hired to edit a
paper and not to play ball. I am sur
prised at Mr.. Willard" said James
with great dignity. "Who looks
alter the fires? They should be we'll
covered"
"Not much danger of FIRE getting
away from US. Everybody in the
town goes to the fires. The reporter
would sooner miss meal than a fire.
But there hasn't been one here for
two weeks. Nor" he added dismally,
does there seem to be any prospects OF
one."
How does the paper find out
about the fres?" asked the new editor.
els there an electrical alarm in the
Office that taps the fire off here at the
same time it is tapped off in the en-
gine-house?"
"Well, no." said the city editor.
There amt"
"There should be one," said Mr..
Spencer. "I shall speak to Mr.. Will
lard and have one put in"
"That's a good idea," said the city
editor.
The new editor smiled in superior
fashion.
81 shall teach them a good many
new ideas before Pm done. A fire
gong is an indispensable part of a
newspaper Office. / don't see how
you've got along here without it."
"Well," said the city editor. we've
worried along somehow. The fire en-
gine-house is downstairs in this build
ing, and two of our compositors and
the pressmsn belong to the fire COM
pany. The fire bell is upstairs over
our head, and the devil OF this shop
always rings it, and he yanks that bell
until you can't hear yourself think
until he gets through. The company
makes more noise in getting ont than
steam calliope, sawmill, bursting
steam boiler, and brass band ought
to make, but still think, to be up
with the times, we ought to have a
fire gong like the city papers do"
Editor Spencer remained for some
time looking at fat cockroach trying
to crawl into the paste pot. Then he
said, weakly, II am going out tc
lunch. Your staff will have reported
by that time. Try to classify your
news and see if we cannot introduce
some system into this work."
When Editor Spencer returned he
found the following important items
the work of the reporter, all properly
classified and awaiting his inspection