davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
Home of The Adeciiuc

Another distinguished member of the
staff is the society editor. who Is gen.
orally q lady writer. 1t is her pleasant
and trying duty to record the events
which add glitter to the passing show.
She IL is. who tells who entertained and
how. who were there. what was done
and why and all that. 1t Is tradition
rigidly observed by society reporters
that all events are either charming OF
delightful. and the game with hos.c>ss.
Refreshments are habltually dainty de-
licious and bountcous. Gowns are al
ways becoming. Decorations are al
ways artistic and effective. She Is Kept
constantly at her telephone by aspiring
hostesses and the wonder is that she
gets time to write her copy.
Music and musical people and the
drama and it's eXponents have their
own departments under the eve or
trained critics Often papers reputa-
ton is measured by the dramatic and
musical criticisms contained In 1t and.
though the world in general believes
the quest of news of the drama and
mus.cal realm a most delightful and
BohemIanesque pastIme. II is labor or
no mean proportion. But when tho
work is done. there IS the satisfaction
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26

NEWSPAPERMAN. weary aft
~ er a long days work stepped
~ from the offices of his sheet"
to the sidewalk there TO walt
for n car to take him to th7 place where
a pair OF slippers wcro warmed and
whiting for him in front OF a rosy and
cheerful fire. One OF the first things
that greeted him was the strident cry
of ncwsboy:
"Eyenin' papers, only nickel, half
a dime. They'll keep you readin' Tor
some time"
Evory afternoon for many days this
some lad had burdened tho air with
his cry delighting in lis rhyme, which,
nv the way, he protested was a good
rbvmc. made all by himself, The news
naperman was in q pessmistic frame
Of mind and revolved several matters In
his mind.
ITO think that more than dozen
men have been working hard all day.
not to mention the wires from every
corner of the globe. the printers. stereo-
+vners. prcssmcn and others concerned
,n getting the worlds news to the peo-
nIe of the world and that when all is
said and done. the result of all that
labor can be bought on the street for
centsi"
He unused even more and more and
and asked himself the question. How
many people know how newspaper Is
made?"
He answered it himself and then re-
flected on tho popular conception OF the
daily grind" Of the newswriters. The
average man or woman thinks, he re-
hected, that a newspaperman Is mys-
terious sort of parsonage who lives
Bohemian life, accepts an item of news
when It comes his way. meanders along
the thoroughfare, care-free. happy and
at complete peace with the world,
saunters through the swinging doors of
tho theaters and opera houses, calls
statesmen by their first names and. in
short, lives life different from that of
the ordinary mortal who pays as he
goes and struggles with his fellow man
in seeking the survival that is to be the
portion oil the llltCSl All ILLS
up the story OF the making OF a great
newspaper. telling the news of the day
to be read on the day 1t happened by
the man from the office, the shop. the
store and wherenot as he sits with his
family about him in the evening.
Methods of afternoon and morning
papers are not very different. except
that in the shifting of hours there is n
corresponding shifting of various proc
esses. To show that Il newspaperman
earns his living in much the same way
as that pursued by human beings in
general. he reports at his office, If en-
gagged "on" an afternoon paper. long be-
fore tho stores are open and leaves II
as they are closing If on morning
paper, he reports for work about noon
and works through that day and three
hours INTO the next, quitting his work
after the cars have all gone to the barns
"a trick" OF 10 hours every day In the
week with Sundays and holidays as his
busiest days.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26

one walking into the hotel with grip.
The sixth sense VIII tell him whether
the man has STORY" or whether he
Is merely a tourist who. if interviewed.
Will ask all the questions and give no
answers In return.
Then. too, ever have we with us the
grim reaper. death. Daily he is making
his summons on those who have pio-
necred the WHY when the country was
young. those who were entering upon
the promise following a well spent
youth-and the others. The most try
ing assignment a reporter ever receives
is that of getting an obituary sketch to
accompany the story of u death, 1t is
necessary for the reporter to hurry ana
sometimes he must enter house
shrouded In gloom and hastily enter
upon the object of his GRAND. Perhaps
il is near press time and the shock OF
death has almost stunned the bereaved
family Still the reporter must have his
story 10 give to the world 1t Is all in
a days work and the reporter grows to
regard II as such. One minute he Is
In the midst OF laughter and the next
he may be plunged into the rollm OF
gloom and tears. Come what may, he
is there where the news Is, be ii sad
or clad.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
Newspaper "Runs"

To follow out this last rule is futile
unless system be followed. System
must be followed and here Is the sys-
TEN:
Each reporter on a paper is assigned
to cover" particular fold of news.
He Is held rigidly responsible for
everything happening in this field and
If rival paper has an item from
his run" which he failed to get. he
has been "scoopcd" and he is certain
to hear from 1t and excuses are not
worth much In a newspaper Office. To
scoop a rival paper Is the constant ain
and delight OF the newspaperman.
The mining reporter. who Is often
styled the mining editor. is assigned to
cover the mines. mills. smclters and
stock exchanges, He visits every day
the offices of the larger mining COM
panies and. when his nose for news"
scents O story In one OF the camps,
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
No. 1.-The Making of
A Newspaper = The
Editorial Department.

most constantly at police headquarters.
covers the arrests, finds out why ar
rests are made, digs up the history of
criminals captured in this city and
held for other towns, tells of police
court proceedings and is kept busy all
the day in telling the sordid tales of
life. 1t is his good fortune to find
many amusing things In his days
work and his stories frequently give
life to the days history of the world,
in the writing OF which he plays good
part.
The business reporter travels about
day in and day out, calling on the ofIi-
GERS of large commercial institutions,
bankers and financiers. real estate
.4-aIars- aAvcAItects and contractors and
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
Among The Courts

The court reporter remains at the
courts throughout the day listening
to the proceedings. scans actions filed
In the various courts and 1t Is his duty
to tell the people of disagreements OF
those who seek the courts to settle
their difficulties This man must be
one who knows how to sense the inn
nortance of various occurrences and
how to Judge of this Importance by
Weighing the Importance of the peo-
ple concerned, the nature of their dis
agreement or the money involved In
the action His stories are often anus
Ing and often pathetic. He tells of
love that has grown cold OF the cruel
tv Of man. children left homeless. of
Important murder trials and other
criminal stories and of n host of hap
penIngs which arc revealed to the pub
lie by him through the agency of the
trials in open court.
Then there Is the man who covers
the Offices of state, county and city
officials, He II Is who tells the pub
lie how its servants are behaving.
what, how and why they do certain
things.
There are the United States courts
and their many officers to be visited
daily by n skilled reporter Many of
the most important actions at law are
before these hlgh tribunals There
are other federal officers to be sought
out for news. revenue collectors. post
masters. census enumerators. examln-
ers. commissioners. land office officials,
the surveyor general. immigration In
spectors. customs officers and so down
long list OF those on Uncle Sans
pay roll who do something every day
that the public wants to know about.
There Is the weather bureau. where
the weather for the next "A hours Is
made The farmers want to know
what about 1t and the reporter Will be
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
Mining and Sporting

Mining and sporting news is con-
fined practically to departments OF
their own and the news of all the city
outside these two departments Is hand
led by a corps OF mon who are all
specialists along their several INES.
There are in general the following
"runs" to be covered-and run Is
IN n reporter what a beat is TO
no,iceman, only a reporter walks fast
or and farther-railroadS. police, busi-
ness. courts, United States. state
county and city offices, hotels. busi-
nossmen's associations, hospitals un-
dertakers and the departments of mu-
sic and drama These arc the rou-
tine matters and there is hest oil
special assignments TO De covered
The reporter comes 10 ms olhet II.
the morning and writes the news that
has happened since press time OF the
dav before and as soon as this is done
etarts ont on n fresh trail. From the
time he starts work he never stops
until the day is donc-and every day
is q long one. .
The railroad reporter calls upon the
officials of the railroads having oftceS
in the city, gathering news as he goes
He gains particulars OF wrecks, ne"
construction, changes in officials and
a vast amount OF information that the
nublic using the railroads as passenger
carriers or for freight traffic Is eager
TO read. More than one newspaper
man has built n railroad. Not tnat
they have actually and physically Dullt
them. but they have been seeking out
Acids which would rapidly advance II
supplied with. railroad facilities and
have been first to suggest the build
ing of railroads to them. The sto-
rIes have attracted railroads already
In operation. or have interested capt.
talists and eventually the roads have
bonp huilt
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26

corners of the globe the days impor-
tant events are cabled to the United
States and then tclegraphed broadcast
to every city where It's subscribers are
located. The copy is handled by the
telegraph editor in the same way that
local copy is handled. The telegraph
editors task every day Is 10 set before
the readers of the paper the history
of the world, He Is u man who. In his
daily task. acquires n knowledge OF
events from every quarter of tho globe
and by reason of this comes to be known
in every newspaper office as the per
ambulating encyclopedia" There are
few questions he cannot answer. but he
takes 1t as n matter of course and Is
often given to wondering why others do
not remember things as we'll as he.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
Alpays on the Jump

We now como to the reporters. a
brilliant array of active men ever pur-
suing the elusive news item That they
pursue the even tenor OF their way
along lines laid down from day to day
is not generally believed: but the read
ing public. as a rule. believe the re-
porter to be the gay Bohemian referred
to before who has some mysterious
sixth sense which leads him to news.
or leads news to him. Only In part Is
this true. The good reporter must be
gifted with a nose for news" and this
gift may be Unborn or cultivated. The
matter of gathering news has come to
the plane of an exact science. Expert
ence has shown news to inhabit GER
tain quarters and these are the points
most watched. though the reporter has
his eyes open and his ears alert every
minute of the day to catch a glimpse
OF fleeting Item. And the good re-
porter will try twice as hard to get
a news item that Is hard to get as he
will to get one that comes his way
naturally In this way. the story that
tries hardest to hide It's light, Is the
surest to get into print
What is news2" is a question fire.
quently asked 1t is a question that Is
hardest of all to answer for the cub"
reporter, who IS the infant of the pro-
fesslon just entering upon the sphere
where everything that happens is ncws.
important or unimportant. To judge as
to which class belongs a certain hap
pening Is the constant puzzle of the
cub In It's Instructions to correspon-
dents" an old and we'll known daily
newspaper of New York gives a list.
which, however, 1t states Is incom-
pletc. of happenings which are print
able nows. The list includes: Crimes.
fires, births, deaths. marriages. public
gatherings, discussions. accidents, bust
ness changes, sales of property, court
trials, visits of prominent persons, ar
rests, sporting events, social functions
proceedings of the stock exchanges.
conditions in the markets. official acts
of public officers. charity workers ac-
tiyitics, changes of weather. public i'm
provements planned. progress of build
ings, settlement of new country. opera
tions of mining companies, etc. The
| list could we'll be multiplied by q num-
Der of three figures. A rule laid down
| in another large eastern paper for it's
| reporters reads: ANY happening
| which affects the happiness or unhap-
| piness of any man or beast Is news.
| Get the particulars as fast as you can
and turn in the story. 1t will be print
| nd {"
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
The Mems Gatherers

Next down the line is the city editor.
who is the captain of the boat" in all
matters OF local news. 1t is he who d.
rects the reporters. makes assign
ments. suggests special "storles"-and
everything a reporter writes. from .
personal Item of one line or more to
an article dealing with the days
murder or the visit of a prince. Is call
ed by the fraternity a STORY" The
word "manuscr1Dt' IS reserved for the
use OF tho jou-rS:ist-who is not claim
d by newspapermen as n brother
and the manuscript" of the reporter
Is known by the shorter and uglier
word, copy" A piece of paper with
writing, typcwriting or printing on 1t
that is ultimately to appear III tho
days paper Is copy" pure and simple
and nothing more. The reporters
COPY being turned In to the city editor.
SIS Importance Is passed on by him and
the prominence to be given 1t In the
) paper indicated. when 1t passes to a
copy reader" who carefully reads 1t,
perfects Its construction and sees that
the item of most Importance is told
first, stH.p writes its heading and sends
II 70 tile composing room. where 1t
passes through many hands. only to
find Its way into the printed paper
Telegraph news Ii gathered from the
four corners OF the world by the vast
and able corps OF news gatherers. the
Associated Press. From tho remote
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
The Police Reporter

The police reporter Is the man on the
local staff who is kept constantly ION
the Jump This man must cover all
crimes, fires. accidents, and whatever
else happens his way. He Is always
looking for something and is rewarded
generally by finding 1t. He stays al
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
The Country Correspondent

Every town in the state, and In
neighboring states, is covered" by
correspondent Most remarkable men
are they! In their respective towns
they are regarded as men OF marked
Importance. for they can get the good
things and the other things into print
and they are men whose friendship Is
TO be cultivated. They gather the news
of their towns and people and tele-
phone or telegraph it to their paper.
Arrived in the office 1t is cared for by
the state eCitor. who sorts the i'm
portant from the unimportant, recon-
structs 1t and, In many cases kills
it, The wastebasket is the grave of
KILLED news and the test of the
state editor is to know what to print
and what to kill Correspondents are
not trained experts such as are the
men of the local staff and their nose
for news" is not developed to the point
where everything they write Is news.
All the foregoing is TO tell how news
is handled when ii Is turned i'll by the
reporters, The gathering of news is
the real science of the profession. And
regarding news there are many people
who think that a paper Is conducted
to contain the news about other peo-
pie. but not about themselves. People
who. happily or unhappily, como be-
fore the public in situations which arc
comfortable or uncomfortable, depend
ing upon circumstances. importunc the
city editor not to print that Item. as
IT is unimportant." At the same time.
IL the particular item referred to some
body else, they would search eagerly
for 1T in the news columns. In this
case. as in many others, forsooth, it
depends whose OK Is gored The news
paper when offering Its daily issue for
sale on the streets, or through the
malls or by carrier, makes an implied
and binding contract with the public
to furnish 1t the news of the day, be
IL pleasant or unpleasant. BY reason
of this condition 1t would be as reason
able for a man to ask a bank to ex-
tend loan without interest or real
estate man to house him without ask
ing rent, as to seek out the city editor
and ask not to have an item of news
published. 1t Is the business of the
bank to charge interest. of the real
estate man to require the payment of
rent, of the newspaper to print the
news. True, there are many stories
about persons which contain only
slight news interest and in many cases
the publication of the story might in
jure a business enterprise or n reputa-
tion and at the same time serve no
good end. except perhaps. to furnish
tho wagglng tongue of gossip with a
morsel. There are reasons for and for
not In all cases and the city editor
is always found approachable and open
to argument on such matters. but, II,
in his judgment, there Is news that tho
public should have In the given case,
the story will be printed. This Is
rule prevailing wherever newspapers
are printed and is one of the traditions
of the profession held In the highest
esteem.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26

in this way obtains the story of the
days msrkets. business dealings. real
estate sales. buildings which are to be
built, others which are to be torn down
and his part in the days work is to
tell of the growth of the city in its
financial circles He is man who is
often told of business deals of great
Importance long before the public
knows of them and his information Is
held in strictcst confidence until the
favorable opportunity for giving them
publicity arrives.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
Gold Nine for NeWs

Hotels arc prolific sources Of news.
a good reporter at work among the
hostelr.es VIII dig up" to indulge in
ono of the highly colored phrases of
the fraternity a prince. general. rail-
road king. or other celebrity almost
daily. II may be dull day, though.
and all the "picklngs" In sight arc peo
pie from the mines. sheep camps, cat
tie ranges or farming ccnters. Mnyoe
the public would like to know how the
ores are coming along in the latest bo-
nanza camp. how the sheep are stanU-
ing the winter, what the prospects are
for q good season for cattle or how are
potatoes gcing To be this year. The
reporter VIII be there to find out and
tell II In mis- own way. good hotel
reporter gets to be In time q ferret who
can nose out" a story when nc secs
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-02-26
The Cub Reporter.

There is another source of amuse-
ment in a newspaper office. and thai
is the cub" reporter Everybody has
to start at sometime or another, TO
matter what his line of work But in
the newspaper office perhaps no man is
watched with such keen interest as the
cub" They are all different, except in
one or two traits. One OF these partic-
ular traits is the question asked of the
city editor the day they are hired. II
usually may be interpreted as follows:
WHO gives the theater tickets away?'
Another pet question Is. What time do
we quit work." II he were older in
tina game, the questions would never
have been asked. The fact of the mat
ter is that for the newSpaperman thea
ter tickets are much like thornless
roses. rare, indeed. while quitting time
never comes until Morpheus wraps his
arms about the weary newsSatherer
and fills his dreams with Kaleidoscope
panorama OF actual or fanciful hap.
penlngs in which he dreams himself
always on the spot with his notebook
and pencil.
And so the days go. each one tho
same, with an entirely different set of
happenings to chronicle. for though
history may repeat itself, 1t has to be-
written differently as each day rolls
away.
The news once gathered. edited. head
ell and set in. type. Is now put into tho
forms" which then go to the stereo-
typer. then to the pressroom and on to
tho press. where they are printed by
tho thousands In the hour and still the
rush continues, Tho papers are rushed
to the depots to catch the mails. to tho
carriers for distribution through tho
city. to the news stands for regular
sale. and on to the streets under tho
arms of the newsboys who are selling
them on the street-and for the price OF
5 cents the copy. the product OF u
score of skilled specialists working hard
from sunup to sundown