Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-16

ciated Press and such special dispatches as
may come from the special correspondents
of The Star throughout the entire country
He has no idle time. for he is completely oc-
cupied from the moment he comes into the
office in the morning until the paper is out.
The Local Department.
The city editor, who fills one of the most
responsible positions on a newspaper, has
charge of all local news matters. and by
him the reporters are assigned 10 their re-
spectiye daily tasks. Some of the men. of
course have their regular departments, and
unless something special is about to occur
in those departments he makes no special
assignment for them. but he covers the en-
tire city and is responsible for all the hap
penings of local nature. Sometimes in big
event. such large fire, or an extensive
accident involving injury or loss of life to
many persons, he assigns other reporters
to assist the one in whose province such an
occurrence takes place. and so the work is
divided, each reporter taking a particular
phase of it. so that the entire story can be
quickly written and promptly prepared for
the compositors. There is standing rule,
however, that the first man on the scene
of a great disaster shall not attempt to Sc
cure any of the details. but get the bulletin
to The Star Office, leaving the particulars
to others who arrive later. Some afternoon
papers do not attempt to report night meet
ings, but The Star always prefers to have
its own story of a meeting at night and so
the reporters required to report to the
city editor for assignments every afternoon
after the paper is out before going TO their
homes. 1t will be seen that a city editor
must have a thorough knowledge of the
local field, and must be well acquainted
with local people. The wider his acquaint-
ance is the more readily will he receive ad-
vance information of that which is to hap
pen or prompt rews of that which has hap
pened This wide acquaintance is valuable
to every man upon a newspaper, because he
should be always alive to the possibilities
of news, and even if he cannot get the item
himself, it is his duty to Immediately report
the information to the office.
Attention to Local Matters.
1t is this close attention to local news and
that which is particularly of interest to the
city of Washington and the District of Column
bia that has given The Star such a high
standing in the community. While no other
department of the paper is neglected this
local news is of the first Importance, and
people have learned to regard its publication
of local news and its comments upon local
interests as of the highest value. This
policy of attention to the local affairs was
inaugurated on The Star from the very
first Mr.. Tate. the first owner, made that
his chief object, and when Mr.. Wallach
purchased the paper from Mr.. Tate he con-
tinued the same policy as to local affairs
The present owners, who purchased The
Star from Mr.. Wallach in 1867, adopted the
ton to local matters the city has grown
and the field has broadened.
When The Star was started it was lit
tie four-page paper of small dimensions,
and now it has grown so that it very fire.
quently has daily issues of twenty pages,
and its regular Saturday issue comprises
thirty-two pages. Each page is more than
twice as large as the original issue, and
each column on page takes about 1,S00
words Its big Saturday issue includes a
supplement of miscellaneous matter, which
requires the attention Of an editor who is
known as the editor of the supplement, TO
prepare and supervise. To him goes all
the matter that is sent in from outside con-
tributors, whether individual or syndicate,
and he directs what articles shall be used
and returns such as are unavailable. This
requires discriminating judgment and the
knowledge of what is best adapted to the
clientele of The Star.
Fifty years is long life for any paper
in Washington, as Washington has been
known as the graveyard of newspapers.
When The Star reached it's twenty-fifth an
niversary it published list of newspaper
that had been buried in Washington up to
that time. 1t occupied over column and
the list was by no means complete. Fol-
lowing is a list of newspapers whose demise
has taken place since the first issue of TIE
Star 1t is not by any means certain that
the list comprises all the publications Of
Washington which have given up the ghost
since December 16, 1852, but it is large
enough to show how many have been I'M
able to continue n existence that was prob
ably started under favorable circumstances: