AN AMERICAN DAILY NEWSPAPER.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 200, 2 February 1877, Page 14

AN AMERICAN DAILY NEWSPAPER.

(FOB THE LONDONDERRY JOURNAL.) Napoleon 111. died at Camden House, Chislehurst, Kent, at five o clock on the morning of the 9th of January, 1873, and two hours afterwards the intelligence was posted opposite almost every newspaper office in the United States. At two o'clock the same day the Philadelphia 'Evening Telegraph' was sold in the streets/containing seven columns, giving the particulars of his death and the salient points of his reign. At the head of the firat column was an excellent wood-cut of the Emperor. Seven columns for a penny three thousand miles away from where Napoleon breathed his last, and before he was cold, was certainly newspaper enterprise. Two great agencies accomplished this— electricity and the steam printing press. It is not my object in this letter to say much about the first of these, or describe how the words are flashed across the slimy bed of the ocean, far down under the manoeuvres of the sea-serpent. You are, no doubt, familiar with that. It will rather be to describe the modus operandi of a large printing office, and with what despatch the public are provided with their newspaper. The first element recognizable about an American daily newspaper is — and upon this rests the whole fabric — that the talent or capability of all employed is the be3t in the market that can be found. Jlediocrity may do on a country newspaper — not on a daily in the large cities. Secondly, another element is, that the business is divided into departments, none of these clashing with another — all independent — and all at the same time teudin^to lay the latest news upon the breakfast table. Editors, sub-editors, reporters, selectors, compositors, clerks, down to the message boys, have a work to do, and are expected to do it, and well, and are well paid for it. And here, in passing, I may mention that the rooms occupied by the editors and reporters on the American daily paper* are well provided — that is to say, the rooms are places where a man may transcribe his notes, or an editor write an article in comfort. There is the easy chiir, which you can sink down into, get your feet upon the mantle.piece, light your pipe or cigar, and when any one comes in to bother you about writing an article about a steam roller or a patent mouse-trap, and you don't want him, bring your feet quickly round from the mantle-piece and plant them upon your botherer's boiler hat. That was what the American editor did to the poet who brought the following beautiful sample of his poetry to the memory of a dear friend, and requested to have it published in the " poet's comer " : — In memory of Richard Lawton, Whose death, alas ! was strangely brought on Trying one day his corns to mow off, The razor slipped and cut his toe off j His toe, or rather what it grew to, An inflammation quickly flew to, Which took, alas ! to mortifying, And was the cause of Richard's dying ! That agricultural poet a few moments after was groping with his hands for the door, with his hat over his nose. Then, again, you can discern in these rooms the everlasting spittoon. Indeed it is everywhere, on lobbies, in halls, in cler»y^ men's studies, in bedrooms. The editor's sanctum has also a washhand basin, with a constant supply of water, a neat rack and towel, and a looking-glass. Here also the walls are well provided with books treating of almost everything. In entering you aro not supposed to hang your hat and overcoat upon the floor. Neat closets are provided, and a stand for your umbrella. During the winter and, indeed, during all seasons, the American will have his comfort. This arises from the nature of the climate. America is the place where you are taught to close the door behind you. Enter a bank or a place of business in the winter, and keep the door open a few minutes, and let the cold air rush in, and everybody will exclaim, " Shut that door ! Were you raised in a sawpit ? " The American daily has usually three editors — the editor who contributes one article daily ; he is the " heavy weights " editor, and is always a man of not only first-class education, but possessed of extensive experience. He is "well up" on all political and financial topics of the day. Then there is what is called the literary editor, whose special business is review of current literature, a sort of walking "Athenaeum." He is also well-informed on the history of celebrated actors and singers, and can descant on their respective merits and demerits. Then comes the third, who is usually a cross between an editor and a reporter. He is a special paragraph-writer, and culls copy and arranges matters generally. One does not interfere with another, but minds his own business, and each has his allotted hours — the first comes and goes much as he likes, the second, who usually wears a cape and a slouched hat, may be seen pacing the sanctum reading a proof, while the third is over the way drinking lager-beer, and picking P information.