The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1920-03-25
DISASTER FACING
SMALL NEWSPAPERS
INQUIRIES TO SUPPLY HOUSES
BRING IMPORTATION THAT
SITUATION Is VERY SERIOUS
Especial Correspondence)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, March "a.
Printers and publishers in Nevada
must advance prices more rapidly
than they have done in the past, or
go out of business. This statement
seems amply justified by investiga-
tl conducted by your correspon-
dest during the past month, wi.ile
endeavoring to purchase stock and
machinery and equipment for new
publication, and to secure both edi-
torial and mechanical help.
Not only are printers confronted
with rising prices for all their sup
plies, but the fact develops that they
are doing business on a mighty pre-
carious basis, anyway Asked for
some assurance of supplies of paper,
ink, and machinery, wholesale deal
ers tell one quite frankly that they
, cannot give it. Prices for what sup
plies can be obtained are liable to
go anywhere, any time.
An incident came to light yester-
day which illustrates the case. Just
after arrangements for print paper
| for the new publication had been
| concluded with the largest warehouse
| here, the supplying concern received
an order from an old customer in
| an Idaho town for a large addition
to his regular supply of print He
had held subscription contest which
largely increased his list. He had
to be told that his order could not be
filled at the present time. More than
that, the paper house didn't know
when ii could fill the order. nor what
quality of stock it could supply, nor
what the price would be. What the
Idaho publisher will do with his
paid-in-advance subscription list is
problematical.
This paper concern took your cor
respondent through it's warehouse
and showed its usually large paper
,tock depleted almost to the vanish
ing point in many lines. Print paper
was one of these. Bond paper was
lar Hammermill bond. The house had
small stock of colors, but of white
| there was not ream of any size OF
weight on hand. A carload shipment
due to arrive was said to be almost
taken up by waiting orders.
A printers supply house exhibited
a letter from the famous Miehle
printing press works, requesting thai
no orders be booked for these presses
as the factory is now nine months be-
hind in its orders. Another letter
was seen, from the Chandler & Price
press works from whom The Silver
State recently purchased new ma
chine), saying a further advance il
prices is about to be announced. TIL,
same from the Lee press works. Th'
same from manufacturer of stitch
ing machines and punches.
What will hurt the feelings of Tht
Silver State most at this time, prob
ably, is the announcement that il
may have no more of the beautiful,
white Meteor print paper it has beer
using This high quality of print i!
to be no longer manufactured. Every
body, it is said, must come down t.
cheaper grade of news stock. Manu-
facture of the famous Portland print
which The Silver State tried to OBJ
tain, but could not, was discontinued
a year ago.
: Weekly newspapers in Utah, you
correspondent is informed, are nearl.
all on the basis of 50 to $3.50 yea
subscription price. This would maxi
Winnemucca tri-weeklies look lik
bargains at Sc the year. which i
charged by the Elko newspapers.
Printers, linotype operators, an,
newspaper men are not to be oh
tanned. In addition to an increase,
scale of wages here. the mornin,
newspapers (the Tribune and Herald
are paying all operatives 81 a da,
bonus, while the Telegram is paying
50 a day. There are said to be sever
s100-a-week printers on the latte
sheet
Undoubtedly the small town printe
is in about the hardest fix of any bust
nessman in the matter of ADVANCING
prices for his product. For instance
An order for office stationery Qette
paper and enyelopes) may last re
tail merchant two or three years
During that time the price of pape
and ink has gone up, in many cases
200 to 800 per cent. Rent and wage
likewise have scared skyward. as i
other lines.
The customer for printing supple