The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-02-20
JOHN ADAMS THAYER,
81 TO-DAY, A UNIQUE
FIGURE AMONG PUBLISHERS

fortunes are not to. be made in
the magazine business''-o so we are
assured by the promoters of new pub
LEGATIONS who have stock to sell. Ger
tafnly many magazines have made for
tunes for their owners, but, with one
notable exception, only after years of
grin ding toll and dozens of diSap-
pointments. The early struggles of
men like Mcclure and AGunsey are
known to all. John Adams Thayer,
one of the founders of Everybody's
Magazine, found short cut to for
tune, and. in the brief space. of four
years, made a fortune from his publ
cation. Mr.. Thayer was born in Bos-
ton ffty-two years ago to-day, and
began his business career as a print
er. While still a young man he
learned the type founding trade, and
was employed by plants in Boston and
st. Louis. The story of his life has
been told in his photographer
work, 'Astir," one of the most inter
esting books of its kind ever written.
Mr.. Thayec is not one to hide his
candle under bushel. He is not
afflicted with undue modesty or note
worthy humility, and he takes full
credit for. his success. His story,
he declares, is one of hard work, not
luck" He began his connection
with magazines twenty one years ago
as advertising manager of the Ladies'
Home Journal. Mr.. Thayer admits
that he was the best advertising man.
that publicttion had ever had. His
connection with the house of Curtis
ceased when he asked the boss for
an interest in the concern. Then
followed his brief career as business
manager of the Munsey Company, at
a salary of $500 a year. His stay
with the Boston Journal as advertising
manager was also off brief duration.
Then he Joined the staff of The De-
Hneator, all the time fostering an
ambition to become a magazine pub
Usher himself. The opportunity
came when Everybody's Magazine was
placed on the market. He formed a
partnership with E. J. Ridgway, a
young Ohioan who had for several
years been the general manager of the
Munsey Company. For time the
magazine tottered along between sue
cess and failure: Then Mr.. Thayer
induced Thomas W. Lawson to write
'tFrenzied Finance and the Ameri-
can people went wild about Every
body's- The presses could hardly
turn out enough copies to supply the
demand. and would-be advertisers had
to form in line and take their turn
at handing in copy.
The Ridgeway-Thayer Company
was formed in 1903, and in 1907 Mr..
Thayer retired with more money than
he knew what to do with. The dis
solution Of partnership was due to
the project to establish Ridgeway's
Weekly, ga militant journal for God
and country" which was published
simultaneously in fourteen cities. Mr..
Thayer didn't approve of the plan,
and withdrew. He soon had a chance
to say, 81 told you so,'' for the ambi-
tious weekly gave up the ghost after
a three-months' existence that had
cost 100000. After travelling about
the world for some time, Mr. Thayer
entered the magazine field as the
publisher of 1.-The Smart Set
& Prince Mohammed Abdul Moune:ln,
only official son of the KhediVe of
Egypt and heir apparent to the throne
was born fourteen years ago to-day.
He has three sisters, all his elders.
Prince Mohammed will be educated
in. Europe, as was his father, Abban
Hilmy, who attended colleges in Wien
ma and Lausanne. The Prince is the
great-great great great-grandson of
the ilIustrious Mohammed Ali who
was the founder of the present Egyp-
tan dynasty.