El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-03-10
GIVING THE NEWS
To THE READERS
What An Affair Like the
Columbus Raid Means in
the Newspaper Office.

O4AS ANSWD pbCO1 O444RCs
"B-r-r' buzzed the telephone. The
news editor was in the land Of slum-
bers, but hopping out Of bed. rubbing
pair OF sleepy eyes and Elancing
at the clock on the wall that regis
tered $50, he answered hello"
a friend on the other end of the line
said: Battle at Columbus, n. NJ Villa
has attacked the town. American
troops are fighting him. Town is burn
ing. Deming has just telephoned the
FL Paso police and hear that the
Southwestern railroad has some news.
Good bye"
Down went the receiver. Click.
click, click" it went until central an
swered. Give me $3.50. central, and
hurry, please" The city editor an
swered in a jiffy and 4 sleepy voice.
Come on, Norman. big story at Co
lumbus, n NJ Villa attacking the
town. Beat ii to the Southwestern
general offices and I'll 20 to The Her
aid" said the news editor. still rubbing
his sleepy eyes and wondering why
il was that every story that has brok-
en- on the Mexican border has general
ly broken when people wanted TO sleep.
The machinery was in motion for
the people of FL Paso to get the news.
Two newspaper men, while others slept,
hurriedly climbed into their clothes
and FASTENED i'm their respective but
different directions.
Getting @On the job
Soon the news editor was at The
Herald office. where the printers were
gathering for their usual early morn
ing commencement Of work. SiX-fOrty-
five is the time TO begin. but printers
are early risers and always get TO the
office earlier.
When the news editor said there was
a big story coming up, every printer
was alert. for printers are loyal to
their paper, and printers like big news.
They always strain every effort TO
help ger it to the public as quickly
What can 7 do to help YOU" asked
the foreman. who has been on The Her
aid so long that an extra would not
be an extra without Charlie ward SUI
pervisinE the makeup.
Get the pressman and the stereo-
typers, if you will said the news
editor.
Getting the Story in shape.
Meantime the city editor had
reached the general offices OF the III
Paso q Southwestern railroad and had
received his first details and was tele-
phoning them in.
Then. while the foreman called the
Dressfnan and the stereotypers and the
circulators. the news editor was writ
ing the story and the city editor was
getting in a long distance call from
the Southwestern building TO Colum-
bus. y. NJ.
The reporters were not summoned,
for reporters generally work late at
night and would be needed Tor the
hard grind that was coming on during
the day-editOrs are supposed never 70
get tired, never while n big story Is
breaking, anyhow.
sleep Not Necessary.
The news editor wrote and the city
editor te!ephoued-aiterna to the
fort and to Columbus. then to the news
editor I'm The Herald office. Then he
would talk to the Southwestern opera
tors and get what they had and phone
The Herald again
It was not long until the first extra
Herald was shot into the stereotype
room. then TO the press room and then
onto the streets. a second extra fol-
lowed and was on the streets a Few
minutes after s o'clock. with the names
of all the civilians dead and the Off
cial account Of Col. Slocum Of the Co
lumbus battle.
Paper Never Stops.
By this time. the entire force was
ON hand and the news editor ana Ihe
city editor went for breakfast and a
shave. Another extra, made up by the
assistant news editor. followed, while
they were refreshing themselves. Ihls
contained kilograms from Washington
and Columbus that the American
troops had crossed the line after the
raiders and had killed IS MeNicans as
the bandits fled.
But the public was entitled to more
news. and news was developing fast.
Senator Fall had started things at
WASHINGTON: the state department had
issued its usual declaration that some
thing would be done, and the dead
Mexicans had been counted at Column
bus The fourth extra was issued at
i o'clock ,...
At / o'clock, the regular first edition
was out.
Then followed the usual Arizona
mail edition and the Panhandle-NeW
Mexico mail edition, each with the
latest news developments on the situa-
ton.
The Finishing Touches.
Then came the Home edition, the
eighth Of the day. at 3 o'clock. but stu
there was news and The Herald force
worked on.
A mail edition. the ninth, inter
vened. Number 10. the Sport extra,
came at 8 o'clock, then another mail
edition, the 18th issue for the day, ah1
still the force was ready for more-lI
the occasion warranted-fOr the Herald
force has issued Is extras in one day
and did not think it an extraordinary
performance. .
This is a sample Of a days work III
4 newspaper office, yet there are PEG
pie who think a newspaper man ne
is a bed Of roses and that eoltors are
always in a quandary for something
Na no ne