The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-18
$1,000 WAS.
CAPITAL
THEN
Paper Became Modern Metro
poIitan Daily After Its
Acquisition by Hearst.


Washington Times came off the
press.
This does not mean much when
read in cold type today, but it Gre
ated profound thrill in the Ma
tional Capital at that time, and
the. production of Volume 1, No.
was heralded as ian epoch-making
event." The Washington Times
was the first daily paper pub
hshed by organized labor in the
United States. 1t was not what
is today known as labor paper"
but it was founded and conducted
by labor as regular daily paper
devoted to the dissemination of
general news.
Born of Necessity.
The Washington Times was born
OF necessity plus a popular demand
which has steadily Increased, both
from the standpoint of circula-
tlon and advertising volume.
Because of the panic prevailing
In 1898, during the Cleveland ad-
ministration, and the introduction
OF the Mergenthaler typesetting ma
chine, many Washington printers
were thrown out of work and the
condition was little short of des-
perate.
Some OF the progressive spirits
within the ranks of, the Columbia
Typographical Union conceived the
Idea of starting a newspaper to
provide work for the unemployed
hand-setting printers, and because
they thought there was field in
Washington for another morning
newspaper, Accordingly, a commit
tee, of which Frank Lerch was
chairman, was appointed to sell
stock and raise funds with which
to start the new paper.
A Tough Proposition.
Selling stock or raising ready cash
for any purpose at that time was
about as easy as merchandising
electric fans to Esquimaux or row
boats to Arabian desert jewellers.
However, after almost a years en-
deavor, the subscription committee
raked and scraped 100 together
and established The Washington
Times, 1.-The Peoples Paper" with
editorial and advertising offices at
Tenth and D streets northwest.
Arrangements were made to have
the editions, all set up by hand,
printed in the Star press room.
The first edition was a four-page
Sunday paper. In typographical
makeup the paper was not much
to brag about but the composition
of the news, editorial, and advertis-
Ing pages was of the highest
standard and absolutely clean" \
few copies of the first edition are
still in existence and printers who
still work on The Washington
Times defy anyone to find a typo
graphical error in any of its
columns.
The editorial page was devoted
largely to Growing over the printers
accomplishment in producing their
own paper and there were many
Geographic articles from other cities
congratu!ating them on their
achievement and wishing them
success. 1t was predicted that The
Washington Times was but the
rorerunner of nationwide move
ment on the part of printers af-
1ected by the typesetting machines
10 establish their own newspapers.
Problems Too Hard.
But the newspaper business, like
all others, has it's memorable finan-
cial side, and, to quote Frank
Lerch, the paper went broke on
It's first tissue" This means that
the entire revenue derived from
the advertising and circulation was
inadequate to meet the overhead
expenses. For six months the
printers worried along with their
project. handicapped by the fact
that they tried to provide work
Tor too many of their craft, lack
of equipment and the scarcity
OF cash in all directions.
AT the END of many weeks some
printers drew no wages whatever,
while on other DAYS partial
wages were paid and those who
were married received the largest
amounts of available money. For
a time collections were taken
up by Columbia Typographical
Union to meet some of the neces-
sary expenses of the paper.
AFTER about six months publication
of The Washington Times by the
printers. the paper was purchased
by c. c. Conn. the musical instru-
ment manufacturer. He had anna ssed
fortune and was at that time a
member of Congress. Conn's Con-
gressional duties and his real estate
enterprises in Washington required
80 much Of his time that he had
little to devote to the publication
Of The Times.
In 1895 the late Stilson Hutchins
exchanged a piece Of real estate
In H street northwest between Four.
teenth and Fifteenth streets north.
west. to Conn for The Times
Hutchins knew about the newspaper
business, having established journals
in New England, the West, Rich
mond. Virginir. and The Washing
ton Post. which he sold to Beriah
Wilkins in 1889.
Established Evening Edition.
Immediately upon taking control
OF The Washington Times. then
only morning newspaper, Hutchins
established an afternoon edition on
August 5, 1895. He also purcha sed
- press and n battery Of typesetting
machines and established the edi-
torial and advertising offices in the
old Post building, at Tenth and D
streets. This is where the printers
started, but they fled to Eleventh
and E streets northwest on a MOON
less night to thwart> an attach.
ment server.
From the moment Hutchins took
hold Of The Times, both morning
and afternoon editions began to
flourish. 1t was stipulated in the
oDntract between Hutchins and Conn