The Story of the Sun: New York, 1833-1918 — John Shaqi
The Story of the Sun: New York, 1833-1918O'Brien, Frank Michael
History
The Story of the Sun: New York, 1833-1918
O'Brien, Frank Michael
Sun (New York, N.Y. : 1833)
Other celebrities were often mentioned. Aaron Burr, now old and feeble,
was writing his memoirs. Martin Van Buren had taken lodgings at the
City Hotel. The Siamese Twins were arrested in the South for beating
a man. “Mr. Clay arrived in town last evening and attended the new
opera.” This was “Fra Diavolo,” in which Mr. and Mrs. Wood sang at the
Park Theatre. “It is said that Dom Pedro has dared his brother Miguel
to single combat, which has been refused.” A week later the _Sun_
gloated over the fact that Pedro--Pedro I of Brazil, who was invading
Portugal on behalf of his daughter, Maria da Gloria--had routed the
usurper Miguel’s army.
On December 5, 1833, the _Sun_ printed the longest news piece it had
ever put in type--the message of President Jackson to the Congress.
This took up three of the four pages, and crowded out nearly all the
advertising.
On December 17, in the fourth month of its life, the _Sun_ announced
that it had procured “a machine press, on which one thousand
impressions can be taken in an hour. The daily circulation is now
nearly FOUR THOUSAND.” It was a happy Christmas for Day and Wisner. The
_Sun_ surely was shining!
The paper retained its original size and shape during the whole of
1834, and rarely printed more than four pages. As it grew older, it
printed more and more local items and developed greater interest
in local affairs. The first page was taken up with advertising and
reprint. A State election might have taken place the day before, but on
page 1 the _Sun_ worshippers looked for a bit of fiction or history.
What were the fortunes of William L. Marcy as compared to a two-column
thriller, “The Idiot’s Revenge,” or “Captain Chicken and Gentle Sophia”?
The head-lines were all small, and most of them italics. Here are
samples:
_INGRATITUDE OF A CAT._
_PERSONALITY OF NAPOLEON._
_WONDERFUL ANTICS OF FLEAS._
_BROUGHT TO IT BY RUM._
The news paragraphs were sometimes models of condensation:
PICKPOCKETS--On Friday night a Gentleman lost $100 at the Opera
and then $25 at Tammany Hall.
The Hon. Daniel Webster will leave town this morning for
Washington.
John Baker, the person whom we reported a short time since
as being brought before the police for stealing a ham, died
suddenly in his cell in Bellevue in the greatest agony--an
awful warning to drunkards.
James G. Bennett has become sole proprietor and editor of the
Philadelphia _Courier_.
Colonel Crockett, it is expected, will visit the Bowery Theater
this evening.
RUMOR--It was rumored in Washington on the 6th that a duel
would take place the next day between two members of the House.
SUDDEN DEATH--Ann McDonough, of Washington Street, attempted to
drink a pint of rum on a wager, on Wednesday afternoon last.
Before it was half swallowed Ann was a corpse. Served her right!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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