The Metropolitan Newspaper (New York City)

ousness of his position. His knowledge of city affairs and people is almost limitless. Should any one ask him the way to the obscurest alley, he could tell it in an instant. He knows every man in office and out of office, his hours and his haunts. A letter of introduction from him would secure admittance to the murderer in his cell, the prominent divine, the railway magnate, or the popular lecturer. He knows not only the streets and numbers of the residences of men who may have facts to give on any topic, but has directions to their clubs, churches, billiard-rooms, saloons, and places of business at his tongue's end. He is a walking directory, with much information never before introduced.

After an hour's hard work with scissors, paste pot, and a scrap-book containing all notices received at the office of events to occur on this day, he assigns his staff to duty, and many who were not relieved until 1 or 2 o'clock A.M. are again at work before 11 A.M., such being the hardness of a reporter s life. The assignment book is brought out, and entries are made in this manner, the names on the right representing those of the reporters:

When the book is fully made out, the variety of assignments proves how wide a scope a reporter's experience may have, and how constantly he drifts from "grave to gay, from lively to severe" — standing by a death-bed at one hour, and the next sharing the festivities of a dinner at Delmonico's, or watching a horse or yacht race. In making the assignments the special abilities of the men are remembered. Jones, Merlin, and Taber are stenographers, and are sent to assemblies which require long reports. The proportion of stenographers in the staff is small, however, as verbatim work is not often required. Mr. Cleveland has had a large experience in financial circles; Mr. Allen is an irresistible "interviewer," and time "must" added to his assignment means that General Butler is to be interviewed whether he likes it or not; Aldrich, who is ordered to write a neat paragraph on autumn weather, excels in description; Sullivan is thoroughly posted in politics; and Chambers is famous as a yachtsman. Special articles are those in the preparation of which special sources of information are used, or those describing matters that are not of mere transient interest, such as markets, ferries, or street cars. The most trustworthy and capable men are employed in this service. "See note" means that a letter has been written containing full instructions, which will be found in the reporter's box; but with the ordinary assignments no other orders are given than the brief line in the book, and time man must decide the length and the treatment of the article for himself One who fails to accurately gauge time value of his assignment, who overestimates or underestimates it, can not expect