New-York tribune., 1910-06-25
CITY RECORD STAFF OUT
David Ferguson Succeeds Tracey
as Supervisor of City Daily.
FOSTER REPLIES TO MAYOR
Explains Service to Newspapers
He Represented, and Quotes
Commissions Paid.

The City Record has new editor. ever
if that isn't his official title
David Ferguson, well known newspa
per man, was appointed Supervisor of the
cftys daily yesterday, to succeed Patrick
j. Tracey, who resigned earlier in the day
The appointment, which is made by the
Board Of City Record. was announced by
the Mayor just before he left for his
home at ST James. He carried with him
the appendix report Of the City Record
Commission, and will determine. after go
ing through It carefully, whether any fur
ther action should be taken.
Henry McMillen, deputy supervisor, re-
signed with his chief. The Mayor will
not say that the designations had been
asked, but a change in the management
was believed to be inevitable after the re-
port of the City Record Commission
The salary of the Supervisor is $1,000 a
year. Mr.. Tracey had held the place since
January, 1904. Mr.. McMfIlen. whose sal
ary was $4,000 a year. had been in Office
fifteen years. It is classified in the Civil
Service. and no appointment can be made
until after an examination
MIR. Ferguson's Record.
Mr.. Ferguson was born in Norfolk. Va.
and educated in Brooklyn. For twenty
three years he has been actively engaged
in newspaper work, for a good part Of
that time on the staff of 1.-The World" He
is a Democrat, but has never taken an
active part in political affairs. His pres
ent home is No. 397 McDonough street.
Brooklyn.
The Mayor said Mr. Ferguson was in
every way qualified for the work both in
experience and character
William George Foster made public a
letter last night he had written to the
Mayor on Wednesday. replying to the
statements made about him in the report
of the City Record Commission. Refer
ring to a statement of the commission
that small weekly papers with a fugitive
had raised their advertising
rates to 40 cents line in the city because
they had to pay a commission of from %
to so per cent to Mr.. Foster, he declares
that Of the weekly papers represented by
him three charged 40 cents and never
changed their rate One other reduced its
rate from 40 to % cents.
Didn't Represent All Papers.
Il may add" he says. that in no year
did I represent more than forty-nine of
the 1872 papers which received city adver-
tising, and these included the official
city and borough papers, there is very
little room for weekly papers with fugi-
tive circulation Such papers, you win
find. were represented by others. not by
me-"
Mr.. Foster says a certified public ac-
has reported that his books show
that "a per cent of his receipts from 1902
to 1909 came from papers that paid 10 per
cent commission OF less. that % per cent
Of the receipts came from papers paying Is
per cent, and only per cent from papers
paying 20 or 25 per cent. He declares that
only one paper ever paid as high as rs per
cent, and none over that amount.
''If the Mayor would inquire says MI
Foster, he would find that all the redes-
gnations made in the Mayors Office were
from papers represented by him to those
which were not"
The service rendered by him to the
Mr.. Foster says. which they
leemed adequate reason for employing
lfrn, without any political or other press
ire or inducement." had nothing to do
With the soliciting or getting Of adver-
isements. It consisted, he says, Of read
ng the advertisements and the proof.
,heeking them. seeing that the proofs Of
publication were properly prepared and
details