Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1907-07-23
TROUBLES OF THE PUBLISHER.

1t Is not QlIlcult 10 lIHdBlue Ho" tiic
average subscriber to The Enquirer,
who gets his paper so regularly on
Tuesdays and Fridays or Wednesdays
and Saturdays, as the case may be, has
long since begun to look upon the work
of publication as something as easy
and regular as the operation Of a clock.
AS a matter Of fact, no individual
now connected with The Enquirer, can
remember that there has ever been a
variation Of as much as an hour from
the time at which The Enquirer ought
to 60 to press and the time 1t actually
did CO. Publication has been held
back from eight to twelve hours on
election occasions; but this has never
been done until after an advance an
nouncement.
Upon a little reflection, almost any
individual ought to be able to very
readily realize that such regularity and
promptness is necessarily a source Of
perpetual concern and trouble. 1t
kepes the publishers on their mettle
from issue to issue and the fact that
come what may the paper must appear
on time, is not calculated to encourage
loss or waste of time. The wheels
must be turning constantly, else Tues
day afternoon or Friday afternoon
would bring a give-a-way.
But the publishers have been in
trouble during the past two weeks and
that trouble has been more aggravated
than usual. At times 1t looked as II
there would have to be an almost in
definite suspension, and 1t was through
no fault of theirs. 1t was a matter Of
getting paper, and the fault was prin-
cipally with the railroads, that same
old difficulty Of getting goods through
within a reasonable time.
/. For many years past 1t has been the
custom Of The Enquirer establishment
to buy its newspaper stock In quanti-
ties sufficient to last about six weeks
and the wholesale paper people from
whom the stock is procured, have or
ders to ship a new supply about thirty
days before the old supply is exhaust
ed. This is in order to allow just
plenty Of time for delay on the rail-
roads.
Bills were received indicating that the
last six weeks supply had gone out as
usual; but 1t did not come in on time.
The stock on hand began to run dan
gerously low; but still no paper. Three
weeks ago an order went forward to
the dealer to ship 1000 pounds by ex-
press. They, however, decided that
maybe they could get the paper here
by the Seaboard Air Line, and tried 1t
that way. The stock on hand at this
end of the line was going lower and
lower, and nothing yet to be heard
from the 1000 pound shipment over
the Seaboard or a larger shipment
over the Southern. There was a per-
emptory telegram to ship 500 pounds
by express. 1t came through all right;
but after 1t had been exhausted the
same old predicament was presented.
There was another telegram for 300
pounds, and just as it seemed imper-
ative to telegraph again the 1000 ship
ment over the Seaboard came in and
next day the ton shipment over the
Southern was reported. There are now
more than 5000 pounds Of newspaper
stock in The Enquirers wareroom, and
orders have already gone forward for
two tons more.
The experience recited has not only
been very annoying to the publishers;
but also very expensive, the express
and telegraph bills alone amounting
very nearly to the cost Of 500 pounds
of paper All of this however, counts
for little as compared to the loss and
inconvenience that might have been
occasioned If The Enquirer been forced
to skip one issue.