The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1903-11-19
MAKING OF A
GREAT NEWSPAPER.
Over Three Months Work BY a
Large Staff to Produce
a Single Edition.

a Single Edition.
Newspapers are so quick to follow
news happenings with full account
Of the occurrences that people have
come to believe all newspaper pro-
cesses are instantaneous. How far
from true this belief is, becomes evil
dent to one who has been privileged
TO see a great edition OF a metropoli-
tan paper in course OF preparation.
The st. Louis Post-Dispatch is
preparing to celebrate its 2Sth birth
day on Dec 13 by the issue Of news
paper which will contain at least "a
pages and will weigh over two
pounds. This newspaper willcost its
publishers over II cents Per copy,
but will be sold at the regular price
- cents. The work Of preparation
for this enormous edition began Last
September, when Ave members OF the
editorial staff we're detached from
service on the regular editions and
constituted the Anniversary Edition
Council.
The first work was differentiation
OF plans and these having been
adopted, schedule was prepared
which resembles railway timetable.
On this schedule is a space for each
page and the dates each por-
ton OF the work on that page must
begin and end-irom the reporter
and photographer to the pressman.
The members OF the council were as.
signed to divisions OF the work and
directed artists, photographers. re-
porters and stenographers In the
preparation Of the features for their
divisions, The head OF the council
keeps them in such close touch that
up to date the work has followed the
schedule faithfully.
Eighteen color pages were planned,
and, az color page occupies more
than thrice the time in preparation
that is necessary for black page of
equal merit, the first work was on
these pages. BY the latter part Of
October all OF the color pages had |
been completed and were in the hands
OF the pressman. They had gone the
long road from the suggestion Of the
editor, the collection OF material by
reporters, the taking OF pictures by |
photographers, the combination OF
pictures in accepted designs by art
lists, the engraving and the electro.
tipping. They were ready to be
printed on the Post-Dispatch's huge
four-color presses.
Before November began q COM
pleted section OF the anniversary edi
ton was on the press.
The necessary paper has been
brought in special train OF 10enor.
nous freight cars from the mills In
the East and stored in the Post Dis
patch warehouse. So fast az the first
section was printed on the big color
presses on the first floor OF the Post
Dispatch building the copies were
carried by elevators to the sixth
II DOr.
There, as soon as the printing of
the second section was begun, aforce
OF men was employed "stuffing" the
) Acond section into the first; when
the third section came up the eleva-
tors that was also STUFFED" and so
the process will continue until all the
sections OF this enormous edition are
combined in the completed newspa
per. The total weight OF this paper
600 900 pounds. The problem OF
distribution is the most difficult ever
presented to the circulation depart.
ment of any newspaper. The edition
will approximate a querter OF a mill
ion complete copies and will be read =
by more than one million people.