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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 1, 1876)
February. JULIUS REUTER. In October, in the year 1858, one morn ing a gentleman called on me. His accent, though he spoke English well, at once indicated his German nationality. "Have I," he said, "the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Grant f" I said that Grant was my name. "Would you favor me with a few min utes of your time, as I have what I regard an important proposal to make to you ?" "0, certainly," was my answer. "Take a seat," and so saying I handed him a chair. "My name," he continued, "is Reuter. Most probably you have never heard of it before." I said I had not had that pleasure. "I am," he resumed, "a Prussian; and have been employed for many years as a courier to several of the Courts of Europe, from the Government of Berlin; and in that capacity have formed personal intima cies with gentlemen connected with most of the European Governments. It has occurred to me that I might, therefore, be able to supply, by telegraph, the daily press of London with earlier and more accurate intelligence of importance, and, at the same time, at a cheaper rate than the morning journals are now paying for their telegraphic communications from the Con tinent. But," Mr. Reuter added, "before bringing under your consideration my pro posals and plans, it is right I should men tion, that previous to coming to you, I called on the manager of the Timts, as the leading journal, to submit my views to him." "That was perfectly proper," I observed. "The Timii is not only the leading journal of Great Britain, but of Europe and the world. Did the manager of the Times," I inquired, "entertain your proposals?" "He listened to them," said Mr. Reuter, "and to my exposition of the grounds on which I felt I could carry them out, and said that he had no doubt I felt confident I could accomplish all that I was willing to undertake; but, he added, that they gen erally found they could do their own busi ness better than any one else. That, of course, I regarded as a negative to the pro posals I had made to the Times. I have therefore come next to you, as editor of the Morning Advertiser, to lay my plans before you, and submit my proposals for your con sideration." Mr. Reuter accordingly entered into full particulars relative to what he proposed to do, the grounds on which he expected to be able to carry out his plans, and the ar rangements he had already made by which he could immediately furnish a proof of the practicability of all he was prepared to un dertake. On carefully listening to all that Mr. Reuter said, I remarked, as the manager of the Timu did, that I had no doubt whatever that he was fully persuaded in his own mind of his entire competency to accom plish all he was prepared to undertake. I added that I would even go farther than that. I had, I said, no hesitation in saying that, after attentively listening to his state ments, I lad faith in his ability to carry out all he was ready to engage to do; but, I added, that as certain arrangements existed which I had made some time be fore with our Continental correspondents to receive telegraphic information of any thing of importance which transpired in any of the European countries, I should think it unwise to break up those arrange ments until absolutely certain, from ex ricnce, of the success of Mr. Rcuter's plans. I should here remark, that before this he knew, because I had told him, that the average sura we were paying monthly for our telegrams from the Continent was 40, and he had offered, while pledging himself to transmit to us, as a rule, "earlier, more ample, more accurate, and more important information from the Continent," to charge only 30 per month for it all. Of course, THE WEST SHORE. this was a great consideration; but though I told Mr. Reuter that the difference in the expense was a very important matter, yet even that consideration must give way to the efficiency of the manner in which that department of the Morning Advertiser must be conducted. If, I said to Mr. Reuter, I had any absolute guarantee that he could accomplish all that he undertook to do, I would at once accept his proposals, in con nection with the terms which he mentioned ; but that while renewing the expression of my belief that he would be able to do all which he undertook to accomplish, still that was only my opinion, and that I would not feel justified in giving up the existing arrangements to a mere opinion, however firm my faith in its soundness. Mr. Reu ter, I saw from a single word he said, hear tily responded to the reasonableness of this representation of the case, characterizing it as a business-like view of the matters un der our joint consideration. His counte nance brightened up on my saying that if I were satisfied that all he proposed was practicable, I would at once agree to his terms; and like one who had full faith in his ability to do all that he had undertaken, he immediately answered, " Nothing could be more reasonable than that you should not think of giving up your existing ar rangements for receiving telegraphic com munications from the Continent, until you were furnished with practical proof that bet ter arrangements could be substituted for them; but so thoroughly satisfied am I that my plans would be found better, as well as cheaper, that I am willing to make this proposal to you that I shall send you dai ly for a fortnight my telegraphic communi cations from the continent without making any charge (or them, and you can, in the meantime, go on receiving your own as before. In this way," Mr. Reuter added, "you will be able to institute a comparison between the. value and the number, as well as the relative cheapness of my tel egraphic messages from the Continent, and those which you receive from your corre spondents under existing arrangements." I not only at once admitted the liberal ity of this offer, but intimated my accept ance of it. Mr. Reuter, on my doing so, expressed the great pleasure, and added, "As I am going to make the same propo sals to all the other papers the Telegraph; the Morning Htrald, and the Standard; the Morning Chroniele, the Morning Star both the latter journals being at that time in existence and the Morning W will you permit me to say to the respective managers of these journals that you have accepted my proposals? Because," he continued, "that may have the effect of inducing them also to accept my offer." "With great pleasure, on the understand ing," 1 answered, "that you slate to them the conditions on which I have done so that is, provided that after receiving your telegrams for a fortnight without any charge, I am satisfied that you do the business much better, as well as cheaper, than it is done under the existing system, as worked by our own private correspondents." Mr. Reuter renewed the expression of his gratification at the result of our inter view, and before leaving said to me and this it the great point to which I wish to direct attention that if I had declined to accept his proposals as the Tines had done, he would not have called on the managers of any of the other papers, but would have abandoned the idea altogether of organiz ing a system of telegraph communication from abroad, because he added, if the Mor ning Advtrtutr, or any one of the then ex isting morning papers, liad declined to ac cept his proposals, the acceptance of them, even by all the others, would not have suf ficed to meet the expenses which it would be necessary to incur in the efficient carry ing out of his plana. But all the other morning papers, except, as I have said, the Timii, accepted the same conditions as those to which I agreed, namely, tltat if they were satisfied, after a fortnight's trial, I that his organization was superior to their own, they would permanently adopt his. Mr. Reuter in terms of the understand ing not only come tc between him and myself, but between him and the other managers, with the one exception I have mentioned at once applied himself to the carrying out of his engagements; and most certainly the result of the comparison be tween his organization and that of the morn ing papers at the time proved the very great superiority of his. Not only did I at once give a permanent acceptance to Mr. Reuter's proposals, but the managers of the other journals did the same; and from that day is to be dated the wonderful or ganization now known throughout the world as "Reuter's Agency." The Timts, I ought to mention, soon after joined the other morning journals in accepting Reu ter's telegrams. The simple facts which I have stated will, I am sure, be regarded as constitut ing one of the most striking illustrations which ever were furnished of the saying before alluded to, that great events some times spring from causes which seem to be of the most trivial kind. No one can read what I have thus writ ten without being struck with the fact, that not only one's reputation in (he world, but his fortune sometimes, depends on the slightest conceivable incident. That was the turn of the tide in Mr. Reuter's for tune; and since then the tide has flowed with an increasing and rapid power, until he has become, as he deserves to have done, the possessor of a magnificent for tune one, too, whose proportions are still daily growing greater. N I KKTHK IM1AI.I AHI.K PIRRTJNG SCRUBBING MACHINE. Heml order to the Sole AkciiU, BRENNER A 80N, 'WholcMle and Kelall Grocera, First and Yam hill Htreeta, Portland. CORBITT MACLEAT, 13 1 15 Front St., and 10 A IS, KlrelHL, Portland, 0. WHOLRHAI.B GROCER, Skipping and Commlulom Merchant. Importer! of TEA, TOBACCOS & LIQUORS. It i porter of Wheat, Flour, Wool, and all klnda of Ore- ffon rrwiHC, Liberal Cash Advance on Consignment. JAMES LAID LAW CO, COMMISSION MERCHANTS, T, Pint Nlmt, Portland. HOLE AGENTS FOR (J I A NT POWDER, Lea A Perrln'i Worcenterahlra Sauoe; Agouti for Dundee Qrftln.Bug Manufacture, And Ei port era of OnAIN, WOOI- and KAI.MON, and other OR KOON IMIODUUK. J, MoCRAKEN CO., Importer, SHIPPING- COMHIHHION MERCHANTS, H, H, 64 and H North Kraut Bt., Portland, Oregon. A GENTS FOR OII.ROY'R DITNDKK HAflH J BiidBaRKlr.it: McMurray and W. K. IwIh A llron.' Cane Gondii; Ohwokii KliiRHftml M(an-h; fiuiinuweirn njrirua, urvHin i.trutr ami urynitti' line Oil; Uros A Co. 'a ami Emery's Hon' Call' me; naiem ieiut coh y, niie j, N. D. Rpwlal attention mild to Hhlp'n btialneaa iiu lu TV ii mi iik LMru'WP ui w iirub iiu r lour. Kanj to Loan 11 Id Eititi kwilisi BY Til It OREGON AND WASHINOTOH TRUST INVESTMENT COMPANY Of eUaad, Capital 97AO, OOU-ttold. Prtiidmt, Right Hon. the Earl of Aiii.ii, K.T.. CorUrliy Cattle, Hcotlunil. Oregon Iteal Hoard: H. (loldimlta, Portland, 1 Kind 111 Mncleuy, Portland. William Kam.lAnkeDy'a Building, 9 Flrat BL, Portland, Manager. Tan made from two to five, or In ap-vlal ia ci, eight yean, repayable by liiiitulmeiiDi earl, year or In ows aunt, aerured ny nmrtgani dwda upon unincumbered farm lands only, aud immu-pli-d city property In lrtlaad. Application must bo niitile nennnallr or In Writing U WILLIAM HKID, Manager 0. and W. Trut Co., U Kind ftt. T. A. DAVIS $ CO., 11 Preai Street, - Pertlaad, Orofoa, IMPORT KM AKD WHOLVIALtlia OF DRUGS, PAINTS, OILS, GLASS ABD DRUOOISTBSUN DRIES. Role Aenta for the AVERIU CHEMICAL PAINT. TIAKDWARE, IRON. STEEL, HUBS. SPOKES, RIMS, OAK, ASH AND HICKORY PLANK KUHTtlKIJP THOMPSON, Cor. Front and Yambtll, Portland. J. A. STRO WBRIDGE, IMPORTS AND DBALII VS 141 Front St., Portland W. JACKSON CO., lmportera. Wholesale and retail rieaiem in Ant nnii. CROCKERY, QLA88W ARE, FRENCH CHINA, riiATKD WARE, SBTH THOMAS CLOCKS, And a general aawrtneat of House Furnishing Goods, PAINTS, OILS, &C., AC, No. n Front Street, Portland, Oreion. L KAUFMAN . M. H. HICHT. F. S. AKIN, Kaufman, Hecht & Akin, lmportera of Boots 1 SIlOCS, 4T FRONT STREET, Portland, .... Oregon. G. H. MEUSSDORFFER, 111 Front St., Portland, Oregon. JfcS-NEW STYLES -ft Received by each Steamer. Wild Flowers of Mt. Hood. A NEW PERFUME. TIIK MOST tlF.I.IOATK AND LAHTlNUtPIA vortMl with flower, from tile BASK OP MOUNT UOOD. For Hale cor. Front and Alder SU., Portland, by the proprlotoia, C. II. W00DAIID A CO. ESTABLISHED IN I860. All Work and Qooua Warranted ai repreaentMl. J. B. MILLER, Watchmaker and Jeweler. 88 Find St., Cornell' llulldliis, Portland, 0, Importer, MNiiurai'tiirrr and Dealer In Fiie Wittkti, Clwki, Jtttlrr, Siltemre iii SbkIhIm, nONHTANTLY OK HANIi-WATHKH OK TIIK MlWT coletirnliid nrnken of Kuro.Mj ami A me He. Hhui1 Chas. Hirstcl & Co., IMP0BTKR8 A DKALKBI IV BOOKS STATIONERY, NOTIONS, TOYS, ETC., ETC. Subscription! received for all Eaitern Publication! No. 77, Front St, Portland, Oregon. 19-BUMt BOOKS-MADB TO OBDKB. S. O. BKIDMORE, Druggist and Apothecary, 111 FIRST STREET, Portland, ... Oregon. T1II4 ESTEY ORGAN LEADS THE WORLD. Or.r 1,000 Manufactured Montblr, Nearly 60,0001n Actual Vtm. Hend for Illuetrtitod CaUtloKUe. Agent wanted. A. 9. HniTH C, 10, Front-el., Portland, Or. HACHENEY & STEMME, Corner First and Taylor, Portland, Oregon, PealrraandJabbin la all klnda FIRST CLASS GROCERIES, Produoa, Etc, i. Pull atoclf oomuntly on band, (londa delivered In anr narl if Lha eltv trm of clmrgo. Call and i amine our utork. u con. i. l. aounrBLD, COHN &, ROSENFELD, Commission Merchants, 4H0 IUUU II Oregon and California Produce of all kindj, Proiil M . tot If urriaoa an. Tm.II. Portland, Oga. Cain paid for Butter, Kxir., Poultry and IIIdM. mr tOHIIUlallltl SOLICITED. ii. VO Hit ETC 8 Livery, Hack and Feed Stables, (Plrt Proof), Corner Reoond and Taylor Rtreeta. BMUMif able ri.ar.rea fbr Hlra. Partlcalar A I tea iie.t paid te MemrdiMf; llvraea. Ubwrve price In th Haok L part meats tiding. 1 Mprhnr. Callintr, l M Brat boiir We wh adallteaal hear. To and nam R1U aixl Prtlfn al H a eoiipl. Oidrra I ft &t HTARI.Kat rilHKLfc aitlKara rawrala. lpf-rHark dreaiatlj eiwiHiMi v m aaf nuiir. IVanl frit twin I Bum wfll kta AaraUkva tUelu the af Ataerel fee la Mil ibtrlj iaja