The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-10-23
Progress OF Southern
Institution.

1t was June IL, 1877 that the New
Orleans Item was founded-first after.
noon newspaper in Louisiana and one
OF the first in America The old Hoe
cylinder press of those days turned
out 1000 papers an hour, if you were
lucky.
1t was October I, 1920, when the
New Orleans Item moved into its new
home on Union Street, between St.
Charles and Carondet-greatest after
noon newspaper in the South. And
the two modern Goss and Hoe octuple
presses of it's new plant turn out.
folded, counted and bundled IN lots OF
30 papers. 1872 600 eight-page papers
an hour, SO 900 sixteen.pag papers
an hour, or As 900 thlrty-two- page pa.
pers an hour.
On that old Item, the type was set
by hand, laborlously. On the Item of
today. a battery Of eighteen Of the
most mdaern Merganthaler lfnotypes
made. speed the type to the forms.
And one of those linotypes sets every :
thing from the agate of the classified
columns up to 36point head-letter
type. An entire newspaper, from
headlines to the smallest item, could
be set on that machine.
In the very heart OF New Orleans
financial, commercial, hotel and thea
ter downtown district, the Items new
building is the last available down.
town site running clear through city
block. The editorial and business Of
fees open on Union Street. The me-
chan1cal plant opens on Perdido
Street. The building is in the same
block as the Masonic Temple.
Pages of description of the newest
mechanical equipment could be
printed. But here's the result of that
equipment:
A flash" of news can be in the
streets OF New Orleans within five
minutes OF the time 1t is received IN
the editorial department.
Modern steel office and mechanical
equipment fills the new plant. Five
stories Of tireproof steel and concrete.
with every available inch glassed for
better lighting, constitutes the me.
chanical section. There are separate
departments for the South's greatest
editorial staff, for the local advertis.
ing, foreign advertising, plan and ex.
tel sion department, where campaigns
are formulated for advertisers, classi-
lied advertising. art departments ard
accounting d1vis1On; circulation de-
partment, Modern Farming and Gulf
Coast Farmer.
Into the building lead the wires of
the Associated Press, the United
Press, the International News Service
and the United News. A marvellous
modern machine automatically re-
ceiyes the telegraph news and types
1T out for the editors without touch of
human hands.
The mechanical plant includes the
press room, with a huge travelling
crane for handling the rolls of news
print; with automatic conveyors that
take the papers from the presses and
deliver them to newsies or mailing
department. There's photo-engrav-
ing department making all cuts for
news or advertising. There are shower
baths and Mushrooms for the staff
and other employees. There is medi-
cal headquarters, where the staff
physician serves all employees free
And on the top floor, there is the COM
posing room, with batteries of limo
types. with lad alley. with stereo-
tipping department., all arranged to
give the maximum OF speedy service.
Three elevators serve the various
floors.
And with these facilities for it's hun
dreds of employees, the Item, founded
in 1877. Is going ahead on the pro.
gram of Circulation and Service"
that has made it the South's greatest
afternoon newspaper.