Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-23
MRS. ANNA MURPHY.
SELF.MADE WOMAN
Started Own Newspaper With
Nothing and Made Good
at Ii

The day Of the self-made woman is here
Mrs Anna F. Murphy. owner. editor and
publisher Of the Monongahela Valley Herald
OF Homestead, Pa. and political boss of her
section, is concrete example of this fact
Mrs Murphy Is spending few days in Pkila-
delphia to get a line" on State politics
Five years ago Mrs. Murphy. who had
written few verses and college essays dis
covered 1t was possible to have a newspaper
printed in Pittsburgh and not essential for
publisher to own a printing plant She
was in desperate circumstances, with two
small children to support and no funds in
sight. She didn't know an editorial from
an advertisement. but she had always wanted
to do newspaper work. She wanted to do
1t so badly that failing to land a job on a
newspaper, she decided to start one of Ter
own
"Oh. no. didn't know the first thing about
starting" she said naively as she told about
those first days. II went to a publishing
house In Pittsburgh and asked them IL they
would print the paper for me. They asked
for references I had none. They asked IL
! had money. I told them no. but l lad Sc
curity. AS a matter OF fact did own a little
property but it was tied up no one could
have squeezed any money from it. After
some argument and consideration the COM
poIN dSIeeu 10 print my paper. 1nen De-
gan to solicit advertising 1t was quite ex-
citing"
Mrs. Murphy laughed at the memory.
Won Footing In Liquor Fight
II didn't have an idea how to mea sure or
sell advertising. but somehow | managed to
gather up enough to pay for the first paper.
1t was an awful mess, but 1t came out finally.
NY news read like editorials and my edi-
torials were like advertising. I had to collect
from the first weeks iSSue to
out the second But gradually things sort of
Strengthened out till the thirteenth issue. 1t
seemed that would be my unucky number
sure enough, for I absolutely had nothing to
go on. Somehow or other had to get funds
enough to put out that issue. Just at that
time wet and dry fight came on and got
into that. Then things started. People
realized my paper had influence and began
to make money"
Mrs. Murphy, playing the newspaper game
with all the thrills and near-collapses of
game OF chance, championed during those
first years the ant-suffragist cause, the anti
Socialist cause and various reform move
ments started by fellow citizens by her
self. At the same time she was circulation
manager. advertising solicitor collector, edi-
torial writer, reporter and general manager
for her weekly publication. Then she en-
tered politics with vim. and since then
she has been too busy managing things to
take care of all the other departments.
For two years." she said. Il did every
thing Dut the mechanCal work. Now |
have seven men to take care of the business
and editorial departments, while take care
of the policy and the general management.
Irish and Proud Of 1t
I'm Irish" smiled Mrs Murphy. though
the statement was unnecessary. THAT may
account for my unlimited nerve and deter
mination 10 make good despite all the ups
and downs. I had never been in big news
paper Office till / visited the EVENING PUBLIC
LEDGER today ] have met few newspaper
people ! had a college education. but prac-
tical experience has been my real teacher in
this work. ! am studying law now, and
expect to take the bar examinations in Octo-
ber. think I'll make good lawyer. My
newspaper work has helped me great deal
to know business
"Oh, no. I shall never give up my news
paper. 1t is too fascinating"
Then the business woman laughed heartily.
zone of my most delightful experiences
a newspaper woman" she declared. was
half day spent in jail. | think that helped In
my determination to become lawyer. 1t
was just when ] was starting out, l hired a
circulation expert from New York to put on
an automobile contest for me. | didn't know
the first thing about such contests. | just
knew they were, and that other papers used
them with success. II happened the expert
was a shark He fell in love with one of the
contestants and gave her the car, though
when we opened the ballot box afterward we
discovered she was not the winner by a long
sh,t,